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    Home » Recipes » Drinks (Non-Alcoholic) » How to make Sweet Tea

    PUBLISHED: June 4, 2021 • By Toni Dash 28 Comments

    How to make Sweet Tea

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    sweet tea title image

    Fans of classic Southern sweet tea can now make it at home! It’s a delicious hot weather drink recipe that’s easy to adjust to your preferences. We even have a strawberry twist as a summery variation!

    sweet tea title image

    Arnold Palmer’s and sun tea are staples of summer sipping but nothing hits the spot like good old fashioned sweet tea.

    Full of fresh, sweet flavor of summer. It’s easy to make and great to have on hand for some thirst quenching relief.

    Our version uses a special secret ingredient you’ll love too!

    Delicious Sweet Tea Recipe

    Sweet tea is sacred in the south (I have relatives there, I know). It’s as much a ritual as it is a refreshing summer thirst quencher.

    Everyone has their own formula but one thing is common, this iced tea takes the sizzle out of the steamiest of days.

    We’re sharing our tried-and-tested version AND a way to change it up adding the delicious flavor of strawberries to this summer classic drink.

    southern sweet tea in tall glasses

    What is sweet tea?

    It sounds like it would be iced tea with sugar added, but it’s not.

    A tea concentrate is first made. After the tea steeps, the sugar for the batch is added and dissolved.

    More cold water is added to a large jar or pitcher and it’s all allowed to chill.

    The process makes for a smooth sweetened iced tea.

    The strength of the tea and the sweetness can be controlled to your preference too.

    A secret ingredient

    We swear by a secret ingredient for our southern sweet tea recipe. And it’s not something you’d ever expect but it’s a game changer.

    Baking soda.

    Just a pinch. It removes bitterness from the tea and keeps the tea clear, not cloudy.

    You’ll never taste it. Just taste the benefits from it.

    Strawberry Tea

    Though the traditional version is perfection, we love a summer version turning it into strawberry tea.

    The ingredient that makes this variation so special is the strawberry simple syrup. It’s easy to make and absolutely delicious.

    The two flavors work together perfectly for a fun change up of the original iced tea.

    sweet tea ingredients

    Recipe Ingredients + Notes

    Water. The water will be divided with some being heated with the tea and the rest (chilled) added to finish the tea.

    Black Tea bags. Use regular size tea bags and use black tea. We used Lipton tea bags. Luzianne is another popular brand.

    Baking soda. Our secret mystery ingredient that makes a difference! A pinch is needed (1/16th of a teaspoon).

    Granulated Sugar. It’s the sweetener.

    Ice. You can’t fully enjoy it without serving it ice cold!

    Lemon juice. Optional. Add to taste.

    strawberry sweet tea

    How to make sweet tea – Step-by-Step

    STEP 1. Steep the tea

    Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer (not boiling) and add the tea bags and the pinch of baking soda (photo 1).

    Turn off the heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes (photo 2).

    Remove and discard the tea bags.

    sweet tea recipe steps 1-4

    STEP 2. Add the sugar

    Add the sugar to the small saucepan with the hot tea and stir to fully dissolve (photos 3-4).

    STEP 3. FOR THE STRAWBERRY VERSION ONLY

    Add the strawberry simple syrup to a glass pitcher or jar (photo 5).

    STEP 4. Finish

    Add the sweetened tea to the pitcher or large glass jar (photo 6).

    Pour in 4 cups cold water (photo 7). Stir and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve (photo 8).

    sweet tea recipe steps 5-8

    Adjust to Taste

    The great thing about recipes like this, and the reason everyone has their own favorite way to make it, is it can easily be adjusted.

    If you like a stronger tea flavor or more caffeine the tea can be steeped longer.

    A risk with over brewing is bitterness in the flavor. This is another reason we love the baking soda trick; it takes the edge off that.

    We don’t suggest brewing longer than 15 minutes.

    Also this recipe is lightly sweet. If you love a lot of sugar in your tea add more.

    Adding the sugar during the tea making process ensures it is dissolved into the tea and not sitting on the bottom of your glass.

    Pro Tips

    Only add ice when serving. If ice is added to the container of sweet tea and left in the refrigerator the ice will dilute the tea as it melts. Add to serving glasses or the pitcher when serving a group.

    Do not bring the water to a boil. The water should be heated to just before boiling. This creates the ideal temperature to extract the flavor from the tea.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can this recipe be doubled?

    Yes! It can be doubled or tripled keep the ingredient proportions the same.

    How to store it

    Store in a pitcher or jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.

    strawberry sweet tea from overhead

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    Did you make it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!
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    two glasses of strawberry sweet tea

    Sweet Tea

    This southern sweet tea recipe is the best drink for hot weather. Drink it in the traditional flavor or kick it up a notch with fresh strawberry simple syrup. Strawberry Tea tastes like drinking summer in a refreshing glass.
    5 from 25 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Suggested chilling time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 8 total yield 8 cups
    Calories: 73kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
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    Ingredients

    Sweet Tea

    • 8 cups water divided
    • 6 black tea bags I used Lipton
    • 1/16 teaspoon baking soda
    • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
    • lemon juice optional, to taste

    Strawberry Tea

    • 1/2 cup strawberry simple syrup

    Instructions

    Sweet Tea

    • Bring 2 cups of water almost to a boil in a medium saucepan. Turn off the heat and add the tea bags and the baking soda.
    • Allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags.
    • Add the sugar to the tea mixture and stir to dissolve the sugar.
    • Pour the tea mixture into a large glass pitcher (at least 64-ounces) or large jar.
    • Stir in 6 cups of cold water. Chill fully in the refrigerator.

    Strawberry Tea

    • Follow steps 1 and 2 above.
    • Reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup and stir into the tea concentrate/mixture.
    • Add 1/2 cup strawberry simple syrup to a 64-ounce pitcher or jar. Follow by adding the tea mixture.
    • Stir in 5 1/2 cups of cold water. Chill fully in the refrigerator until serving.

    Notes

    Store in a pitcher or jar for up to a week in the refrigerator.
    Add ice to serving glasses or to the pitcher when serving. Do not leave ice in the pitcher or as it melts it will dilute the tea.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 19g | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!
    « How to make Strawberry Simple Syrup
    Roasted Pineapple Salsa recipe: Irresistibly Sweet & Spicy! »

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ieva says

      July 23, 2022 at 12:55 am

      5 stars
      Lovely idea to flavour and sweeten black tea with fruity syrup! Just made the syrup, and waiting for it to cold down (the whole house smells of strawberries :)).

      Reply
    2. Kim says

      July 22, 2022 at 4:36 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Have tried both versions of the sweet tea now and they are both great! The strawberries add a fun fruit flavor. So easy to make!

      Reply
    3. Kathleen says

      July 22, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      5 stars
      I love a good sweet tea like this one. Very refreshing and I really love making it strawberry.

      Reply
    4. Claudia Lamascolo says

      July 22, 2022 at 3:31 pm

      5 stars
      I love everything in this homemade tea and it’s so refreshing!

      Reply
    5. Janessa says

      July 22, 2022 at 2:46 pm

      5 stars
      This strawberry sweet tea is so refreshing! And good to know the baking soda trick- what a gamechanger!

      Reply
    6. Jamie says

      July 22, 2022 at 11:59 am

      5 stars
      So refreshing! Love the flavor combo. Perfect for all my summer BBQ’s!

      Reply
    7. casey says

      July 22, 2022 at 11:17 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely loved how this turned out, so refreshing on a hot day.

      Reply
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    About Toni Dash

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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

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