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This summer sweet tea recipe is perfect for a scorching hot day. Black tea is steeped and mixed with the perfect amount of sugar, water and lemons. Garnish with sprigs of mint for the ideal refresher. Serve this with baked Nashville hot chicken and classic cherry pie for a summer meal.
It’s hot and horrendous everywhere and all I want right now is some chili cheese dogs and some sweet tea.
I learned how to make sweet tea where it was invented: the south. In college, I worked at a restaurant and my side work was usually to make the sweet tea and roll a bunch of silverware. Making the tea was my favorite.
Ingredients You’ll Need for this Sweet Tea Recipe
- Black tea bags – I used Lipton here but use your favorite brand. Black tea is a classic.
- Granulated sugar – We can’t have sweet tea without sweetening it!
- Lemons – This adds a nice freshness to the sweet tea.
- Mint – I love a sprig of mint in my iced tea.
For the exact measurements, please see the recipe index card below!
How to Make Southern Sweet Tea
- In a large bowl (or super large measuring cup), add the tea bags and sugar. Pour in the very hot water and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Set your timer! I like to steep black tea for no longer than five minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and squeeze them to release any excess tea.
- Pour the tea concentrate to a pitcher. Add in the three quarts of water. Transfer to the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- At this point, if you’re serving it right away, add in lemon slices, a few sprigs of mint and ice.
Recipe Tip
To serve for a party: I like to serve this without ice and serve it with an ice bucket, lemon slices and sprigs of mint on the side. This allows people to assemble it themselves and the iced tea won’t get watered down.
Recipe FAQs
Southerners will often times add a pinch of baking soda to their sweet tea to help with the cloudiness. They do this to clear it up and add to a smoother flavor. But I don’t find it necessary.
It could be that you’re using too many tea bags for the ratio of water you’re using. This recipe below will result in a smooth, non-bitter iced tea.
More Summer Reicpes
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Sweet Tea Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large bowl or measuring cup
- 1 pitcher
Ingredients
- 12 black tea bags
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 (4 cups) quart very hot water
- 3 (12 cups) quarts cold or room temperature water
- 2 lemons, sliced
- Bundle of fresh mint
- Ice, lots of it
Instructions
- To a large bowl or 4 cup measuring cup, add the tea bags and sugar. Pour in the very hot water and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Set your timer to 5 minutes and allow the tea to steep. Remove the tea bags and squeeze them a bit to release any excess tea they’re holding onto.
- Pour the tea concentrate into a very large pitcher. Next, add the remaining 3 quarts of water. Transfer to the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
- At the 1 hour mark, it should be cool enough to stir in the lemon slices and bundle of fresh mint leaves. If serving right away, feel free to add ice. If not, then you can just add some ice as you go.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hey this is my favorite drink
Although some may argue there is only one way to drink tea—sweet and iced—here are some must-try iced tea recipes.
This looks so gorgeous and refreshing!
I have lived in the south (Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas) my entire life and I HATE sweet tea! And yes, people think I’m weird. Oh, wait. I am! Yours looks nice though. 🙂
This sounds delicious! I love a good sweet tea, but not too sweet! Gorgeous pictures, too.
Happy Summer!
xx Sydney
I’m with ya- I LOVE sweet tea and enjoyed in when I lived in NOLA, but could only do it half sweet/half non-sweet. Otherwise, it was almost like I could feel my teeth rotting!
I used to date a guy whose mom would probably put a good 3 cups of sugar in a batch like that. I’m southern and loved it at our weekly Sunday dinners, but there’s no way I could drink more than a glass a week. 1 cup for the win.
The first time I had sweet tea I thought I was for sure going to loose a tooth from the sweetness! Your “yankee” version looks just right to me though. Plus I love that pitcher/jug/jar thing you have, so ca-ute!