Iced tea makes for the best summer drink, especially on a hot summer’s day, and luckily, it’s an easy homemade refreshment that can be made from scratch with only a few simple steps. You can make our iced tea recipe with hot brewed or cold brew tea.
Iced Tea Ingredients
Indulge in the classic charm of this iced tea recipe, where an orange & black pekoe blend is steeped with water to create the perfect intensity.
Sweetened with sugar and enhanced with lemon slices that add a citrusy tang, you’ll have a soothing and refreshing drink to enjoy.
You’ll need:
- 8 ½ cups of water
- 8 family-size tea bags, tea tags only removed (Orange & Black Pekoe blend)
- 1 cup of sugar (if Southern tea is desired, add an extra ½ cup)
- Lemon slices for garnish
PRO TIP:
If you want to reduce the amount of sugar, adding baking soda to the unsweetened tea removes any bitterness without needing lots of extra sugar.
To Make The Hot Brewed Version
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
- Add tea bags to water. Remove from heat and steep for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on desired strength.
- Carefully remove tea bags.
- Add sugar to the hot tea mixture. Stir to dissolve sugar completely.
- Add the hot tea mixture to the remaining 4 cups of cold water.
- Refrigerate until cooled.
Substitutions And Additions
TEA: Black tea gives you a smooth, classic flavor, but you can swap in green, white, or herbal tea for a lighter or more fruity result. Tea bags are the easiest option, while loose-leaf tea needs to be strained well to keep the tea clear.
LEMONS: Lemon is optional but adds a brighter, slightly sharper finish to the tea. For variation, add fresh fruit or mint just before serving so the flavors stay clean and not overpowering.
SYRUP AND OTHER SWEETENERS: Dissolving sugar in warm water first keeps the tea evenly sweetened without graininess. You can adjust the amount to taste or swap in honey or flavored syrup for a different finish.
What to Know Before You Start
For Cold Brewed Tea
Cold brewed tea comes out smooth and easy to drink, while hot brewed tea has a stronger, more pronounced tea flavor. The tea will start very light in color and gradually turn a clear amber with no pale areas once fully steeped.
PRO TIP:
If you have a French press, you could brew your tea in the press and when it comes time to strain loose leaf tea or if your tea bags burst, you can push the plunger down to strain the tea leaves.
Steeping time controls strength. A shorter steep keeps it mild, while a full overnight steep gives you a deeper flavor that still stays smooth.
For Hot Brewed Tea
Hot brewing develops flavor quickly and gives you a slightly stronger, more traditional tea. Using filtered water helps keep the tea clear and prevents a dull or cloudy finish.
For Both Methods
Dissolving the sugar in warm water first keeps the sweetness even and prevents graininess at the bottom of the pitcher.
How To Serve The Best Iced Tea
Serve up the perfect iced tea with any meal or snack you are enjoying.
- For a full pitcher like this, start with chilled tea, then add ice to the pitcher just before serving so it stays cold but doesn’t over-dilute while it sits
- Use a mix of ice sizes if you can, larger pieces melt more slowly and keep the tea from getting watered down too quickly
- Add lemon slices right at the end so they stay bright and fresh looking instead of soft and dull
- When serving from a dispenser, avoid stirring too often — it keeps the tea clear instead of cloudy and helps the presentation hold up
Serve this iced tea with your pineapple chicken kabobs, where the light sweetness of the tea mirrors the pineapple and keeps the grilled flavors from feeling too heavy.
Pair it with crisp, chilled sides like my pineapple coleslaw or broccoli cauliflower salad, where the cold, refreshing tea balances the creamy dressing and keeps everything feeling light.
Looking for some other refreshing drinks to serve with your summer meals? This sweet peach iced tea and southern strawberry sweet tea are two of our favorite easy recipes. If you’re a fan of iced tea, I think you’ll like them!
Or try our caramel iced macchiato for a cold specialty coffee.
MORE DRINK RECIPES
Storing Homemade Iced Tea
IN THE FRIDGE: Be sure to keep any leftover iced tea in the refrigerator.
Generally speaking, for the best flavor, you’ll want to drink your homemade iced tea within one day.
But it will stay good in the fridge for up to three to four days. If you have extra of your simple syrup from your cold brew tea, you can store it in the fridge, and it lasts for several weeks.
IN THE FREEZER: This iced tea is not meant to be frozen. It is best made fresh.
You can’t go wrong with a refreshing glass of iced tea on a hot day. Now, you can cross the store-bought teas off your list on your next trip to the grocery store. Making delicious iced tea at home has never been so easy. With this iced tea recipe, you will have delicious, refreshing iced tea in no time!
Clean, smooth, and evenly brewed, this keeps a clear amber color and balanced flavor, and you can browse more on my drink recipes page.
More Refreshing Drink Recipes You’ll Love
Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 8 ½ cups water,
- 8 family-size tea bags
- 1 cup sugar
- Lemon wedges, for optional garnish
Instructions
- Pour 8 cups of cold water into a pitcher with a lid.
- Place tea bags inside the pitcher, with tea tags hanging out of the pitcher.
- Place the pitcher in the refrigerator overnight or up to 12 hours.
- Remove tea bags and discard. If tea bags burst, strain tea mixture through a screen sieve.
- Heat ½ cup of water to a simmer, and remove from heat (cold brew requires an additional ½ cup of water).
- Pour sugar into heated water, stir to dissolve.
- Pour sugar mixture into cold tea. Stir to incorporate sugar mixture
- Serve over ice.
- Garnish with lemon wedges if desired.
Notes
- If you want to reduce the amount of sugar, adding baking soda to the unsweetened tea removes any bitterness without needing lots of extra sugar.
- The amount of time you steep your tea depends on how strong you like it. Let it steep longer for a stronger tea.
- If you have a French press, you could cold brew your tea in the press and when it comes time to strain loose leaf tea or if your tea bags burst, you can push the plunger down to strain the tea leaves.
- For the best results, filtered water will make the clearest tea.
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
- Add tea bags to water. Remove from heat and steep for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on desired strength.
- Carefully remove tea bags.
- Add sugar to the hot tea mixture. Stir to dissolve sugar completely.
- Add the hot tea mixture to the remaining 4 cups of cold water.
- Refrigerate until cooled.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
A family-sized tea bag equals three regular tea bags.
The steep time depends on your personal preference. If you like a strong tea, leave it to steep longer. If you like your tea milder, you only need to steep it for a short time.
The kind of tea you use is up to you. If you don’t like black tea or want to try something different, you can use virtually any kind of tea.
Comments
jay platte says
this was delicious and easy to make! my family loved it!
Gloria says
So refreshing and delicious!
Bernadette Morrissey says
Could I use coconut sugar instead of white sugar?
Layne Kangas says
Hey, there – we haven’t tried that substitution so I’m not sure! I don’t have much experience with coconut sugar. Please let me know if you try it.