Southern Iced Sweet Tea

What I love about making sweet tea is how simple it is and the joy it brings to everyone. My big mama always had a pitcher in her fridge, and so did my mama. Their tender-loving hands stirred countless pitchers that graced our dinner table. It’s easy to recreate that refreshing drink. All you need is some boiling water, tea bags and sugar. If you wanna get extra, add in some lemon or mint. But either way, you will end up with Southern comfort in a glass.

How to Make Sweet Tea

1. Add water to a medium sized pot and boil over high heat.
2. Once boiling, turn off heat and add tea bags and steep.
3. Remove tea bags from pot.
4. Stir in sugar in increments until it completely dissolves into the hot tea.
5. Add the sweetened tea to the pitcher and then fill the pitcher with water then add lemon wedges and mint (if you would like for garnish and flavor).
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Add ice to glasses and serve.

We personally throw tea bags directly into boiling hot water and allow them to brew, releasing the essence of the black tea. Once the color of the tea reaches a deep auburn, we remove the teabags, add the sugar and allow it to come to room temperature before mixing with water. 

Southern Sweet Tea Recipe

This Southern Sweet Tea Recipe is a classic made with ease and deliciousness! With simple ingredients like a tea bag, sugar and the right garnish, you can make the perfect glass of refreshing tall cold tea with ease!

5 from 16 votes

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

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Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Course: Drink

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 5 cups water
• ▢ 5-6 black tea bags depending on how strong you want your tea
• ▢ 2/3- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar depending on how sweet you want it
• ▢ Optional: lemon and mint
• ▢ Ice

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Instructions

• Add water to a medium sized pot and boil over high heat.
• Once boiling, turn off heat and add tea bags. Steep for 10-25 minutes (depending on strength you prefer).
• Stir in sugar in increments until it completely dissolves into the hot tea.
• Remove tea bags from pot then pour tea into a large pitcher.
• Add enough water to fill the pitcher then add lemon wedges and mint (if you would like for garnish and flavor).
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Add ice to glasses and serve.

Notes

Remember to taste your your tea as you add the increments of sugar.  This will allow you to make the tea as sweet as you prefer.  If you add too much sugar, remember to just add more water to your tea.

Nutrition

Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Sodium: 11mg | Sugar: 72g | Calcium: 6mg

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Recipe Tips

• Use Good Quality Tea Bags: Trust me, the better the tea, the better the flavor. Go for a quality brand that you love like Luzianne. I usually stick with classic black tea for that authentic Southern taste.
• Don’t Rush the Steep: Let those tea bags steep for a good 10-25 minutes. The longer you steep, the stronger the flavor. Just be careful not to overdo it or the tea might get bitter.
• Dissolve the Sugar While It’s Hot: Stir in your sugar while the tea is still hot so it dissolves completely. This is key to getting that smooth, sweet flavor without any graininess.
• Adjust Sweetness to Your Taste: Start with a little sugar and add more as you go. Everyone’s got their own sweet spot, and this way, you can make sure it’s just right for you.

Recipes Using Sweet Tea

• Iced Sweet Peach Tea
• Sweet Tea Fried Chicken

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