Our Homemade Iced Tea Recipe
Hot summer days require iced drinks, and iced tea always hits the spot. We sip it all day — in the morning with summer Fruit Salads, and on through the afternoon, with Chips and Guacamole on the side. You can cut it with lemonade to make an Arnold Palmer, you can sweeten it more or less than we suggest. Once you’ve got the idea, experiment! Brew it with herbal teas instead of caffeinated black tea, or cold-brew it slowly overnight in the fridge. Our super easy iced tea recipe is just a starting place — let’s dive in!
Iced Tea Ingredients
Black tea bags (it’s fine to use decaf black tea or even herbal tea if you don’t want the caffeine)
Cold water
Optional iced tea add-ins:
Sugar or other sweetener (optional)
Fresh herbs, like mint, thyme or lemon verbena
Lemon slices (optional)
How To Make Iced Tea
Boil water. Grab your favorite pot and boil some water.
Steep! Off the heat, add the tea bags. 4 minutes is probably long enough. If you want a stronger tea, don’t steep it longer, just add another teabag or two. You’re basically brewing a tea concentrate that you will cut later (much like our Chai Concentrate). A kitchen timer is helpful here.
Take out the tea bags.
If you like it sweet, this is your moment! Stir in the sugar until it has dissolved.
Pour it into a pitcher and add another 4 cups of water.
Chill. At least an hour in the fridge, so that the iced tea is cold and refreshing.
If you want to add fresh herbs, now is the time!
Serve over ice, and enjoy!
Tips For Mixing Up The Best Iced Tea
Tea brands. The best tea for making iced tea is any tea that you love! It seems like a cop out answer, but it’s true. Lipton black tea is a classic iced tea choice, but feel free to get a little fancy. Smith Tea is a local favorite here in the Pacific Northwest.
Store your iced tea in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Make it with herbal tea bags. You can use this recipe with green tea, white tea or even herbal tea bags. Just be sure to follow the tea maker’s recommended brew time.
Spike it! If it’s inching toward afternoon, you may want to spike your tea with a little whiskey or bourbon. We say go for it!
Add fresh herbs. Fresh mint brings so much brightness to your iced tea. Add the herbs after the tea has cooled, so the flavor is delicate and not overpowering.
A note on sweetening the tea. If you’re serving your iced tea to a crowd, it’s really nice to brew it unsweetened and let your guests sweeten to taste. However, granulated sugar doesn’t dissolve very well into cold tea. The solution? Simple syrup! You can buy it or make it (just simmer equal parts sugar and water until the sugar dissolves and bam, you’ve made simple syrup).
Summer Recipes To Serve With Iced Tea
Pass That Pitcher
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