Ginkgo tea is a mild, grassy, faintly bitter, caffeine-free infusion, and learning how to make ginkgo tea comes down to one clear rule: you brew the dried leaf, never the raw seeds. Steep about 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried ginkgo biloba leaves in just-off-boil water for five to eight minutes, until the cup turns a pale gold-green, then strain and sip it warm. That is the whole method, and the rest of this guide fills in the amounts, the timing, and the safety points worth knowing before you pour your first cup.
What is ginkgo tea?
Ginkgo tea is a herbal infusion, or tisane, made from the dried leaves of the ginkgo tree (Ginkgo biloba). The flavor is gentle and green, a little vegetal and grassy, with a faint bitterness on the finish that most people soften with a touch of honey or lemon. Because it comes from a leaf rather than a coffee bean or a true tea plant, ginkgo leaf tea is naturally caffeine-free, which makes it an easy afternoon or evening cup. Brewed correctly, it pours a pale gold-green.
The ginkgo tree is one of the more remarkable plants you can put in a cup. It is often called a "living fossil" because it is the sole survivor of a plant lineage that stretches back roughly 200 million years and has changed strikingly little over that span. With its distinctive fan-shaped leaves that turn brilliant yellow in autumn, the ginkgo has been grown and admired across East Asia for centuries, planted around temples and along city streets alike. If you want the broader picture of how leaf-and-flower infusions like this one work, our guide to what herbal tea is covers the basics.
The one rule: brew the leaf, never the seeds
This is the single most important thing to get right, so it belongs up front. You make ginkgo tea from the dried leaf only. Do not use the raw seeds or nuts that come from the ginkgo tree's fruit. Raw or large amounts of ginkgo seeds contain a natural compound that can be harmful, and they are not the part of the plant used for a simple home infusion. Cooking does not fully remove it, so the seeds are best left to those who prepare them with real care. When you shop, look for a product clearly labeled as dried ginkgo leaf or ginkgo leaf tea, whether loose or in bags, and leave the seeds out of your kettle entirely.
How to make ginkgo tea: what you'll need
This is a one-ingredient recipe at heart, with a few optional extras to round out the flavor. Here is a simple ginkgo tea recipe for a single cup.
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried ginkgo leaf per cup (or one tea bag). Go light, since ginkgo is on the bitter side, so start with the smaller amount.
- About 250 ml (8 oz) of fresh water, heated to just off the boil.
- Optional honey or a squeeze of lemon to soften the bitterness.
- Optional fresh mint or a pinch of green tea for balance and a little lift.
You will also want an infuser, a small strainer, or a teapot so you can lift the leaf out cleanly once it has steeped.
Step by step
- Heat the water. Bring fresh water to a boil, then let it sit for about 30 seconds so it drops to roughly 90 to 95 C (194 to 203 F). Just-off-boil water draws out the flavor without scorching the leaf.
- Add the leaf. Place 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried ginkgo leaf into your cup, infuser, or pot.
- Pour. Cover the leaf with the hot water.
- Cover and steep. Put a lid or saucer over the cup and let it steep for 5 to 8 minutes. A shorter steep keeps the cup gentler and less bitter.
- Strain. Lift out the infuser or pour the tea through a strainer so no leaf is left floating.
- Sweeten and finish. Stir in honey or a squeeze of lemon to taste, add mint if you like, and sip it warm.
| Dried leaf per cup | Steep time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 3-4 min | Lightest, gentlest cup, and a good place to start |
| 1-2 tsp | 5-6 min | Balanced, everyday strength |
| 2 tsp | 7-8 min | Fullest and most bitter, so sweeten to soften |
Adjust the strength and try a few variations
Ginkgo rewards a light hand. If your first cup tastes too bitter, pull the leaf sooner next time, since a 3 to 4 minute steep gives a noticeably gentler result than the full 8 minutes. You can also blend a small amount of ginkgo leaf with a spoon of green tea for a brighter, more familiar profile, though that does add caffeine to the cup. Fresh mint is another easy partner, and a little honey and lemon can turn a plain infusion into something far more inviting.
For a cold version, brew it a touch stronger, let it cool, then pour over ice. And if you enjoy exploring East Asian botanicals, the berry-based schisandra tea is a companion worth trying, bringing a very different, more complex flavor to the table. For general technique that carries across almost any leaf or flower, our guide to brewing herbal tea is a handy reference on water temperature and steep times.
How to store dried ginkgo leaf
Dried ginkgo leaf keeps well when you protect it from the things that dull any dried botanical: light, heat, air, and moisture. Store it in an airtight jar or tin in a cool, dark, dry cupboard, away from the stove and out of direct sunlight. Kept that way, it will hold its flavor for roughly a year. If the leaf ever smells musty or looks damp, let it go rather than brewing it.
Is ginkgo tea safe? What to keep in mind
Made from the dried leaf and enjoyed now and then, ginkgo tea is a simple cup for most healthy adults, but a few sensible cautions apply. Responses vary from person to person, and this is general information, not medical advice.
- Leaf only, never the raw seeds or nuts. This is worth repeating: the seeds are a different matter and can be harmful raw or in quantity, and heat does not fully remove that risk.
- Keep it occasional. Treat ginkgo tea as an every-so-often cup rather than a heavy daily habit.
- Mind interactions. Ginkgo may interact with blood thinners and certain other medicines. If you take any medication, have a bleeding concern, or have surgery coming up, check with your own healthcare provider first.
- When in doubt, ask. Anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding, and anyone giving it to children, should talk to a healthcare provider before drinking ginkgo tea.
None of this is meant to make ginkgo tea sound daunting, since it is simply the same care you would take with any potent botanical. Brew the leaf, keep the amounts modest, and it becomes an easy, caffeine-free cup to wind down with.
The short version
To make ginkgo biloba tea, steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried ginkgo leaf in just-off-boil water for 5 to 8 minutes, strain, and sweeten to taste. Use the leaf and only the leaf, keep it occasional, and check with a healthcare provider if you take medication or are pregnant or breastfeeding. Do that, and you have a mild, grassy, gold-green cup with a long history behind every leaf.