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Easy to Make Sweet Tea Recipe

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Ready for a quick and refreshing drink for those hot days? This sweet tea recipe will become your new favorite. It’s best served cold with lots of ice and lemon, too. 100+ Flavored Tea Recipes to Make at Home is a great collection for even more homemade iced tea recipes.

If you need an easy homemade tea recipe you should try out our easy sweet tea recipe! You can add some lemons, fresh fruit, or just enjoy it plain. There’s no wrong way to enjoy this tasty beverage.

If you have a party or family gathering coming up you add this easy sweet tea to your menu plans.

Pin showing the finished easy sweet tea recipe with title across the middle.

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Can I double this Iced Tea Recipe?

Yes! We almost always double this recipe. It goes down faster than ever, especially when it’s warm outside. There is nothing like a good old fashioned glass of iced tea on a hot day! 

Featured image showing the finished easy sweet tea recipe ready to drink.

Can I flavor this sweet tea recipe? 

This is a pretty standard tea recipe. I’m sure there are readers in the South who will say that flavoring iced tea is unheard of but yes, you can. If you want to infuse some fruit flavor into your tea you can certainly add some fresh fruit! 

Some flavors that I think would be delicious are lemon (easy and obvious) but also other citrus fruits, some raspberries, and even blueberries or strawberries would add a nice flavor. 

glass of finished sweet tea ready to drink.

Kitchen Essentials For Drink Recipes:

You can make water infusion recipes with your favorite infusion pitcher, or just make a batch and carry it with you in your favorite reusable water bottle

If you want to muddle the fruit a bit you might want to have a muddler or wooden spoon to use. You can also use reusable infusion water bottles so you can keep adding more water throughout the day while keeping the fruit benefits going!

For smoothies you will want a great blender as well as some insulated travel cups so you can enjoy the smoothie at the perfect temperature.

a pitcher of sweet tea ready to share

What Ingredients do I Need to Make Tea?

Water, tea bags, sugar, lemons, and lots of ice! That’s it!

Makes sense right? Tea isn’t super complicated. This easy sweet tea is a simple recipe for a great summer drink that everyone will love. You can keep most of these ingredients on hand and whip up a batch whenever the mood strikes.

There’s almost always some of this tea in our fridge so while it’s great for the warmer months it’s also a year round staple kind of drink for those of you who like tea.

ingredients needed to make sweet tea

How much does this recipe make? 

This is more than a half gallon but less than a gallon if that makes sense. Depending on how much ice you add you’ll need a gallon sized container to serve it up. If you prefer a more weak tea flavor you might add more water and then you would be at almost a gallon for each batch. 

You can cut the recipe in half if you like or you can even double it if you have a big container and you want to serve up a large batch for a party or family gathering. For large pitchers with a tap that you’d use for a party you’d be fine to double this and then add a good amount of ice for roughly two gallons total!

How to make easy sweet tea:

Bring the 3 C of water to a boil.

boiling water to make sweet tea

Add the tea bags. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove tea bags while tea is still hot add the 1 C of sugar, stirring well.

adding in the sugar

Grab the pitcher with water pour in the hot tea and sugar mixture. Stir well.

adding the tea to the pitcher

Add sliced lemons if you prefer.Add iceKeep chilled and serve cold

a finished sweet tea recipe ready to eat

I don’t like my tea too sweet, will I still like this? 

You can definitely adjust the sugar to taste. I’m not crazy about overly sweet tea either and since each batch is a little different I usually add about half and let it sit a bit and then see how I like the flavor. 

Once you add the sugar you can’t take it back so add it slowly if you prefer a less sweet recipe! You can always add more…it’s hard to take it back 🙂 

For those of you who are watching your sugar intake you can use your substitue of choice. Obviously in that case don’t use the same measurements as the recipe calls for, adjust for the substitute that you are using.

Finished tea with lemons

Can I add some mint to this tea recipe? 

You can try it! I’ve never done that. Usually, when I’m in the mood for mint tea I go out and grab some of the fresh mint that grows wild around the house and make a batch of mint tea!

I would think the mint and the sweet tea flavors might clash but if you try it definitely let us know how it comes out. Perhaps a bit of fresh mint added as a garnish would be a better option. It would give the aroma and freshness without being part of the brewing process.

Lots of options to consider and never hurts to try out something new.

Does this recipe taste like store bought tea? 

No! This is a brewed tea tasting sweet tea recipe. I think the store bought stuff is kind of gross to be honest with you.

If that’s the flavor you are looking for you are probably going to be disappointed with this recipe. This easy sweet tea definitely has a brewed tea taste. Brewed tea tastes more like a cup of iced hot tea.

For those of you looking for a sweet tea recipe that is more like a southern tea recipe you should give this one a try. It’s less chemical imitation of tea and more actual tea if that makes sense!

Printable Easy Sweet Tea Recipe: 

Yield: 12 Cups

Easy to Make Sweet Tea Recipe

Featured image showing the finished easy sweet tea recipe ready to drink.

Ready for a quick and refreshing drink for those hot days? This sweet tea recipe will become your new favorite. It's best served cold with lots of ice and lemon, too.

Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 C of water in a large pot
  • 2 Luzianne Family size Tea Bags
  • 1 C sugar
  • 7 C of water in a pitcher
  • Ice
  • Lemons, if you prefer, but it isn't real Southern sweet tea if you add lemons!

Instructions

  1. Bring the 3 C of water to a boil.
  2. Add the tea bags.
  3. Simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Remove tea bags
  5. While tea is still hot add the 1 C of sugar, stirring well.
  6. Grab the pitcher with water pour in the hot tea and sugar mixture.
  7. Stir well.
  8. Add sliced lemons if you prefer.
  9. Add ice
  10. Keep chilled and serve cold

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 Cup

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 76Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 8mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 19gProtein: 0g

Do you have any other great recipes for me to try? 

I sure do! Here are some of my favorites! We’ve got more than just great beverages for you to try as well.

There’s lots of cooking and cleaning hacks as well as easy dessert recipes and more to try out here at Cook Clean Repeat. Check out some of our best recipes below to get a taste of what you can find here.

another look at the finished sweet tea ready to drink

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Deb D

Sunday 23rd of April 2023

Sounds great can you use regular size teabags if I can't find the family size ? And how many would be best?

Michele

Thursday 11th of May 2023

4 regular tea bags equals one family size. Thanks for asking!

Jennifer Dynys

Friday 11th of September 2020

I used to make sweet tea for my husband! Your blog is lovely! I hope you have the time to link up with us at https://theeverydayfarmhouse.com/embracing-home-and-family-link-party-7/ We welcome any posts related to homemaking, homesteading or homeschooling!

Liz

Monday 31st of August 2020

Thank you for bringing this classic to Fiesta Friday.

Kelly Bowles

Monday 10th of August 2020

I've never simmered mine on the stove. I do it the way my mom did, bring to boil, remove from heat, add tea bags, cover and steep twenty minutes. Does simmering give it a stronger taste?

Michele

Saturday 22nd of August 2020

that slow simmer definitely gives it a bolder taste. Thanks for stopping by.

Nancy

Thursday 11th of June 2020

I'm not a tea drinker but my husband quite often orders sweet tea when we dine out. When I saw this recipe I thought I would try making it for him. He gave it a "2 thumbs up". This recipe is a keeper !!

Michele

Thursday 11th of June 2020

Great news! Glad it was enjoyed. Thanks for being here!

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