Best Iced Tea Recipe

The best iced tea recipe that is easy, quick, and simple. This refreshing homemade cold tea is healthy, delicious, and will keep you hydrated and cool in the summer heat. Learn how to make iced tea with this step by step guide.

It's getting warmer and we'll soon approach summer so all the needed refreshing cooling drinks like these iced tea recipes are a must. 

It is one refreshing drink that is not just for summer, you can drink it all year round. It's up there with cooling drinks like carrot juice, and lime juice which are also healthy and quick to make.

Before you reach for unhealthy fizzy drinks remember you can make homemade iced tea in easy, quick steps. 

Iced Tea Recipe (Homemade Iced Tea)

This iced tea recipe is easy, quick, and makes use of simple ingredients.

You need just 3 ingredients. Teabags, sweetener (such as sugar or honey), and water. You then can add fruits like oranges, lemon, peach to sweeten if desired and garnish with mint, cucumber or garnish of choice. 

You will love this recipe because it is ready in less than 15 minutes and requires minimal prep.

It is cheap to make at home than buying from the stores.

Easy to make a big batch for summer parties, and barbeques.

You can combine different flavors, and make it to your taste.

Homemade iced tea does not contain artificial flavor and no artificial preservation required.

You can control the sugar unlike storebought that's usually loaded with sugar.

It can help with weight loss as it makes you drink more healthy fluid rather than fizzy drinks. 

Drinking it also adds up to 3 litres a day water requirement.

This recipe uses clean simple ingredients .

What is the best tea for making iced tea?

It's usually made with English black tea however you can use flavored tea bags, caffeinated or decaffeinated teabags, green tea, and more.

Why add baking soda to iced tea?

Just a pinch of baking soda in iced tea takes the bitterness out of black or green tea and gives it a smoother taste. Don't use more than a pinch or else the tea ends up tasting like it.

Can you make it with regular teabags? 

Yes, you can make it with any type of tea from green tea, to flavored tea, loose leaf tea, etc.

Can you add milk to iced tea?

It comes down to individual preference. If you like milk in your cold tea then go ahead and add it.

How do you sweeten iced tea without sugar?

You can sweeten by using honey or any other sweetener. You can also sweeten with fruits like orange, apple, peach.

Tools

Mug - This was used to steep the tea in. You can use any heatproof container to do this and if the pitcher is heatproof, you can steep the tea directly in it.

Pitcher - To make the tea and store it in the fridge. You can use any other fridge-safe container for this.

Spoon- To stir in the baking soda, and sugar or sweetener.

Ingredients for Iced Tea

Teabags - English black tea bags but like I already wrote above, you can use any type of tea of your choice from green tea, fruit tea, or tea leaves. Caffeinated or decaffeinated the choice is yours.

Baking Soda- Just a pinch is required to neutralize bitterness from green or black tea.

Sugar - You can substitute with honey or sweetener of choice.

Lemon or Orange (Optional) 

Mint (Optional) - To garnish and add minty flavor.

How to Make Iced Tea

In a heat-proof pitcher or mug, add a cup of hot water, add baking soda and sugar and stir till the sugar is dissolved.

Add 3 teabags to the water and let it steep for 10 minutes. 

Remove the tea bags then pour the tea into a pitcher.

Add cold water to fill the pitcher then put it in the fridge to chill. 

Pour over ice to serve. You can garnish with orange slices, lemon, mint.

Make it in the instant pot

You can make iced tea in the instant pot. Here's how to make it:

Add water and tea in the pot of the instant pot. Close the lid, turn the pressure valve to 'sealing', and set to manual pressure cook for 5 minutes.

Switch off the instant pot and do a 10 minute natural pressure release.

When the pot is depressurized, open it and, strain the tea into a pitcher, bottle, or any suitable container.

Put in the fridge to chill.

Serve over ice.

Can you make this cold tea in advance?

Yes, you can make it ahead and store it in the fridge. It's best to remove any teabags and not to add fruit before storing it in the fridge so it can store for longer. It will last in the fridge for up to 3 days.

You can also store it in the freezer and thaw it in the fridge when ready to use. It will last in the freezer for 3 months. I advise you don't keep it for long so it doesn't absorb taste from other food in the freezer.

You can also make it into frozen cubes and just add it in water when you want to drink it.

Tips

• The longer the teabags are steeped in water, the stronger the flavor.

• Ice will water down the tea so adjust the quantity to control how strong or weak you'd like the tea.

• Don't keep tea bags in the tea when storing.
• You can use more tea bags or steep for longer if you want it stronger. 

• Add water or ice if it's too strong.

• Sweeten to your taste.

More Refreshing Drinks Recipes

Whipped coffee - If you like coffee you will love this whipped cold coffee also known as Dalgona coffee. It is easy to make and refreshing.

Lemon juice - You can't mention refreshing drinks and not think of lemonade. This lemon juice recipe made with fresh lemons is healthy and refreshing. You should check it out.

Cucumber juice - Green, healthy drink that can be had on it's own or mixed with other fruits

Lime juice -

I hope you like this recipe as much as we do. If you find this post helpful, rate it 5 stars and leave me a comment below. I love reading from you.

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