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A tall, clear glass filled with amber-colored iced tea and large ice cubes, garnished with a fresh lime wedge on the rim and a cinnamon stick straw; in soft focus behind it sits a glass pitcher of more iced tea, all set against a deep blue background.

Iced Tea

A perfectly balanced, homemade iced tea that’s never too weak or too strong refreshing, customizable, and budget-friendly.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Beverage
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: Best iced tea recipe, Healthy iced tea recipe, How to make iced tea from tea bags, Iced tea brands, Iced tea ingredients, Iced Tea Lipton, Iced tea recipe, Lemon iced tea recipe
Prep Time: 7 minutes
Steeping: 7 minutes
Total Time: 14 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 48kcal
Cost: $2

Equipment

  • 1 Large pot (Holds at least 2 L of water)
  • 1 Pitcher (Minimum 8-cup capacity, with lid)
  • 1 Long spoon (For stirring)
  • 1 Set of measuring cups
  • 1 Strainer (Only if using loose-leaf tea)

Ingredients

  • 8 cups Water - Fresh cold
  • 6 tea bags Black tea bags - Standard size; or 6 teaspoon loose tea
  • ½ cup Granulated sugar - Adjust up or down to taste
  • ¼ cup Fresh lemon juice - About 1 lemon’s worth
  • 1 pinch Salt - Just enough to enhance sweetness and cut bitterness
  • as needed Ice cubes - To chill instantly
  • optional Mint leaves - For garnish
  • optional Lemon slices - For garnish

Instructions

  • Bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil in the large pot.
    Bubbling rolling boil in a stainless-steel pot on a stovetop, with steam rising
  • Remove pot from heat and let the water sit for 30 seconds.
    Silver spoon holding loose black tea leaves above a pot of steaming hot water.
  • Add 6 tea bags (or 6 teaspoon loose tea) and steep 5–7 minutes without squeezing the bags.
    A heaping metal spoon sprinkling granulated sugar into a pot of freshly steeped tea.
  • Remove tea bags. Stir in ½ cup sugar and a pinch of salt while tea is still hot until dissolved.
    Hot brewed tea being poured from a metal kettle through a mesh strainer into a clear glass measuring pitcher.
  • Fill pitcher halfway with ice, pour in hot tea, then top off with cold water to 8 cups total.
    “Glass pitcher filled with amber iced tea and ice cubes, surrounded by lemon slices, fresh mint sprigs, and a bowl of ice cubes on a wooden table.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Serving: 300g | Calories: 48kcal (2%) | Carbohydrates: 12.5g (4%) | Protein: 12.5g (25%) | Potassium: 5mg | Fiber: 4g (17%) | Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) | Calcium: 5mg (1%)
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