Master Iced Tea Recipe | Perfect Summer Drink
Once you know the formula for a perfect homemade iced tea, you will never go back to store-bought.
Ingredients
- 4 tea bags
- 1/4-1/3 cup sugar or honey
- 1-2 lemons
- 4 cups hot water
- 4 cups cold water
Instructions
- In a 1/2 gallon jar, add about 4 cups of hot water (boiled or very hot from the tap). Add your sweetener and tea bags. Stir and steep for 5–15 minutes depending on how strong you like it. Remove the tea bags.
- Squeeze in the juice of 1–2 lemons depending on how juicy your lemons are and how bright and citrusy you want it. Give it a good stir.
- Add about 4 more cups of cold water to bring it to a full 8 cups and help it cool down faster. Give it a stir.
- Transfer to a pitcher or put a lid on your jar and refrigerate until fully cold before serving — at least 1–2 hours. Serve over ice.
You can use honey or cane sugar to sweeten. Use 1/4 cup if you like it less sweet or 1/3 if you like it a little sweeter. We find that 1/3 cup is the sweet spot. Start with less and add more to taste. The lemon juice will cut the sweetness later.
Notes
Tea bag combinations we like:
2 earl grey + 2 raspberry hibiscus tea bags
2 black tea + 2 lemon ginger tea bags
2 lemon balm + 2 ginger tea bags
4 chai tea bags (served with milk)
4 raspberry hibiscus tea bags
4 black tea bags