The Best Homemade Iced Tea
This homemade iced tea is everything a classic should be — crystal clear, perfectly sweetened, and bursting with the clean, bold flavor of freshly brewed black tea. Made with just a handful of simple ingredients and a foolproof brewing method, this is the kind of refreshing drink that belongs in your fridge all summer long. Whether you keep it classic or customize it with fresh mint, lemon, or a fruity twist, this recipe delivers a far superior result to anything you'll find in a bottle.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan One for simple syrup, one for brewing tea
- 2-quart glass pitcher Heat-safe; for combining and serving the tea
- Fine-mesh strainer For removing any tea sediment or loose leaves
- Measuring cups
- Stirring spoon Long bar spoon preferred
- Cutting board and knife For slicing lemon garnish
Ingredients
For the Simple Syrup
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
- 1/2 cup water 120ml; for the syrup
For the Tea
- 4 cups water 960ml; for brewing
- 4 black tea bags Orange pekoe or standard black tea; or 2 family-size bags
- 4 cups cold water 960ml; added after brewing to dilute and cool
For Serving
- 1 lemon Thinly sliced; for garnish and flavor
- fresh mint sprigs Optional; for garnish
- ice cubes For serving
Instructions
- Combine ¾ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid turns clear, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
- Pour 4 cups of cold water into a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately remove from the heat.
- Add the 4 black tea bags to the hot water and steep for 15–20 minutes (15 for lighter tea, 20 for stronger). Remove the bags gently without squeezing and discard.
- Pour the hot brewed tea into a heat-safe 2-quart pitcher, then add the remaining 4 cups of cold water and stir briefly to combine.
- Add the cooled simple syrup to the pitcher a little at a time, stirring and tasting as you go until you reach your preferred sweetness level.
- Refrigerate the pitcher for at least 1–2 hours until completely cold, then pour over ice-filled glasses and garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint if desired.
Notes
- Never squeeze the tea bags when removing them — this releases bitter tannins and makes the tea cloudy and harsh.
- Use filtered water if possible for the cleanest, purest tea flavor.
- Steep for no longer than 20 minutes to avoid bitterness; set a timer to be safe.
- Always make simple syrup rather than adding granulated sugar directly to cold tea — plain sugar won't dissolve evenly in cold liquid.
- For cold-brew iced tea, simply place 4 tea bags in 8 cups of cold water and refrigerate for 8–12 hours — no heat required.
- Add lemon garnish fresh to each glass rather than to the whole pitcher — lemon in the pitcher can turn bitter after a few hours.
- For Southern sweet tea, double the amount of simple syrup.
- Store leftover iced tea in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; best consumed within 2–3 days for peak flavor.
- For a caffeine-free version, substitute the black tea bags with herbal tea bags such as hibiscus, chamomile, or rooibos.
- Freeze leftover iced tea in ice cube trays and use the cubes to chill future batches without diluting the flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 70kcalCarbohydrates: 18gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 45mgSugar: 17gVitamin C: 4mg
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