There’s nothing quite as refreshing as a huge pitcher of homemade sweet tea! I always find the store bought iced teas, well, too sweet–plus they’re packed full of ingredients that really don’t need to be in it. So instead I’m showing you how to make sweet tea that tastes as good as this classic Southern drink should, but with less than 100 calories per serving. The best part is that this sweetened black tea will be cold and ready to drink in less than 20 minutes!
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If, like me, you’re from the Midwest or the South, then you know how integral fresh, homemade sweet tea is to a good meal, potluck, or family gathering. Before this recipe (originally my Mom’s), I always ran into 2 problems: dissolving sugar into iced tea can be tedious, and everyone wanted different levels of sweetness. But making sweet tea with a simple syrup is the perfect solution to both problems! Now everyone can sweeten their tea by the glass, and there’ll be no surprise mounds of sugar granules left at the bottom of the cup.
Ingredients for Sweet Iced Tea
- Sugar: Use granulated cane sugar for the simple syrup. You can also use super-fine sugar, coconut sugar, or brown sugar.
- Water: You’ll need 1 cup of water to make the simple syrup, and another 7-8 cups to make a ½ gallon (2 quarts) of iced tea.
- Tea Bags: I use cold brew tea bags so that I don’t have to chill the tea before serving–it’s ready as soon as the tea is done brewing! Use 2-3 family-sized tea bags for a ½ gallon of sweet tea.
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Tips for Success
- Simply double the recipe to make a gallon of iced tea (use 4-5 family-sized tea bags).
- I usually make the simple syrup ahead of time so that it’s ready to use with freshly-brewed tea.
- I let the tea brew between 5-15 minutes, depending on how patient I feel. The longer you let tea brew, the deeper and more flavorful it will become–though past 25 minutes it can start to taste bitter.
- I like to garnish my iced tea with fresh mint and citrus slices, but that’s optional!
- Black tea is the classic option for Southern-style sweet tea, but you can make this recipe with other types as well. I recommend trying it with green tea!
How to Store
Store the simple syrup in a heat-resistant, airtight jar or container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, which means you can make it ahead of time.
Store sweet iced tea in a pitcher (or another container) in the refrigerator. I recommend drinking it within 48 hours of brewing for the best taste–it will start to taste bitter after a couple of days.
A Note on Tea Bag Sizes
A family-size tea bag makes 1 quart of tea, so I use 2-3 in this homemade sweet tea recipe to make 2 quarts (equivalent to a ½ gallon)–that extra bag just makes the tea stronger. 1 family-size bag is equal to 4 regular-sized bags (these are formulated to make one 8 ounce cup each). So if you’re using regular-sized tea bags for this recipe, you’ll need 8 bags to make the 2 quarts of sweet iced tea as directed.
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“I needed this! My sweet tea always comes out way too sweet or not sweet enough.” – April
Homemade Sweet Tea Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar granulated, super-fine, organic, coconut or brown
For the Iced Tea:
- 7-8 cups water
- 2-3 family-size cold brew tea bags
Instructions
For the Simple Syrup:
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Add sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and pour the simple syrup into a heat-resistant, airtight jar to cool completely (and store).1 cup water, 1 cup sugar
For the Iced Tea:
- In a ½ gallon pitcher, pour 8 cups of water over 2 family-size cold brew tea bags. Allow the tea to infuse the water for at least 5 minutes, and up to 15 minutes. Discard the tea bags.7-8 cups water, 2-3 family-size cold brew tea bags
For Serving Sweet Tea:
- Pour sweet tea into glasses and allow each person to sweeten their own tea with the simple syrup. Stir and add ice.
- Garnish with lemon slices, orange slices, raspberries and/or mint leaves if desired.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- To make a gallon of iced tea, double the recipe using the same ratios (use 4-5 family-sized tea bags).
- I let the tea brew between 5-15 minutes, depending on how patient I feel. The longer you let tea brew, the deeper and more flavorful it will become–though past 25 minutes it can start to taste bitter.
- I like to garnish my iced tea with fresh mint and citrus slices, but that’s optional!
Nutrition Information
How to Make Sweet Tea Step by Step
Boil Water: In a small saucepan set over medium heat, bring 1 cup of water to a boil.
Stir in Sugar: Add 1 cup of sugar to the boiling water, and stir until the sugar has fully dissolved. Then remove from the heat and pour the simple syrup into a heat-resistant, airtight jar to cool completely (and store).
Pour Water: In a ½ gallon pitcher, pour 7-8 cups of cold water over 2-3 family-sized cold brew tea bags.
Brew Tea: Allow the tea to brew for at least 5 minutes, or up to 15 minutes. Then discard the tea bags.
Pour Iced Tea: Add ice, slices of lemon or orange, or fresh mint leaves to glasses–this garnishing can also be done after pouring. Then pour iced tea into glasses.
Sweeten Tea: To sweeten a glass of iced tea, stir in the simple syrup. Add as much or as little as you like to get your desired level of sweetness.
How many regular teabags. Will sun tea work? Thank you
I needed this! My sweet tea always comes out way too sweet or not sweet enough, lol.
SAME! This is my go-to!
This is the perfect summer drink – so refreshing!
Agree :)
I love all of your tips and addition suggestions. We’ll be making this all summer long!
Enjoy!!
So refreshing, perfect for summer time potlucks!
Thanks, Katie!
Nothing better than sweet tea on a hot summer day! Looking forward to enjoying this all season long!
Thanks, Sara! It’s a classic.