Author:Erren Hart
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This quick and easy recipe for Sweet Lemon Iced Teawill beasummer favorite – It’s so refreshing and full of fruity flavor!
It’s that time of year again – Time to enjoy warm, sunny days outside. There’s nothing better than a relaxing day at a sunlit beach or laying by the pool taking sips of a tall glass of Sweet Lemon Iced Tea.
Why this recipe works:
- The hot brew of the tea helps to give a robust quality.
- The fresh lemon juice gives a fresh vibrant flavoryou just can’t get with store-bought.
I adore iced tea. Back home in New Jersey, I drank it all year round. They don’t sellmixes herein England and although I find the occasional bottle of ready-made in the grocery stores, it’s really hard to come by.
After so many summers of craving iced tea, I decided to try my hand at making my own, and ever since, I make it all the time.
You can never have too many iced tea recipes right? If you love iced tea, you can also check out my recipe for Sweet Peach Iced Tea – It’s delicious!
This Fresh homemade iced tea recipe is so easy to make, the only tediouspart is getting all the juice out of those lemons but, please use fresh juice – it is so worth it in the end!
How To Make Lemon Iced Tea
Boil 4 cups of water then add to a large heat-proof pitcher.
To the hot water add the baking soda and sugar. Mix well until the sugar dissolves.
To the hot water add the tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes. The longer you steep the stronger the taste.
Remove all of the tea bags. Add the lemon juice.
Top off the rest of the pitcher with cold water. Place in the refrigerator until chilled.
When ready to serve, add lemon slices and ice to the glasses then pour the tea.
Enjoy every last sip!
Top Tips For Perfect Iced Tea:
- To avoid potential dangers, if you’re not sure if your pitcher is heatproof, prepare the tea in a saucepan and transfer once cooled.
- Make it to your taste:Iced tea recipes are easily adaptable. You can brew it strong or light or make it unsweetened or sweetened. Once get the basics, you can make it according to your taste.
- Don’t skip on steep time:Iced tea gets diluted so you really want to extract the maximum amount of flavor from your tea. Steeping long enough to get the most flavor is vital to a quality brew.
- Control the sweetness according to taste:Try adding the sugar in stages and taste as you go to adapt the recipe to your taste.
- To keep the tea from being watered down, add the ice to your glass instead of the pitcher.
- To keep the fruit from breaking down, add the sliced lemons to the glasses instead of the pitcher.
Flavor tips and variations:
- Tea blends – This recipe calls for plain black tea bags, but you can use whatever blend you like. For instance, fruit-infused black teas tend to make great iced tea.
- Using Green Tea – If you are using green tea, the hot brew method is particularly important as it can get bitter if you steep it cold.
- I have made this recipe using other citrus fruits like orange, tangerines, and limes. All of the flavors have been delicious so don’t be afraid to play around and create your own!
FAQs
Why is Baking Soda used in iced tea recipes? Baking soda neutralizes the bitterness of the tea and gives it a much smoother taste.
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Let's Make Sweet Lemon Iced Tea
It really doesn’t get more refreshing than a chilled glass of sweet lemon Iced tea. This fresh homemade version is so easy to make truly delicious.
4.92 from 56 votes
Prep10 minutes minutes
Total10 minutes minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour hour
Serves: 8 glasses
Rate
Ingredients
- 4 cups Water
- ¾ - 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 10 tea bags black tea
- The juice of 6 fresh lemons
- 4 lemons sliced
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil.
In a large, heat-proof pitcher/jug, combine the boiling water, baking soda & sugar mix well to dissolve the sugar. Add the tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes (the longer you steep the stronger the taste).
Remove the tea bags.
Add the lemon juice and fill the rest of the pitcher/jug with cold water.
Refrigerate until chilled.
Add lemon slices and ice to a the glasses and pour the tea over the ice and lemon slices to serve.
Tips + Notes
To avoid potential dangers, if you're not sure if your pitcher is heatproof, prepare the tea in a saucepan and transfer once cooled.
A 2.5 to 3-quart pitcher would be ideal for this recipe to ensure there is enough room for mixing and serving without spilling.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 15 (1%)| Carbohydrates: 5g (2%)| Sodium: 35mg (2%)| Potassium: 74mg (2%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 1g (1%)| Vitamin A: 10IU| Vitamin C: 28.6mg (35%)| Calcium: 14mg (1%)| Iron: 0.3mg (2%)
Nutritional Data Disclaimer
Author:Erren Hart
Course:Drinks
Cuisine:American
Keyword:drinks, iced tea, summer
Follow Me on SocialMention @ErrensKitchen or tag #ErrensKitchen on Instagram
Update Notes:This post was originally published in August of 2014, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions and tips in June of 2018.
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Reader Interactions
4.92 from 56 votes (33 ratings without comment)
Leave a Review
Beth says
I used the volumes as written in the recipe and since it says it makes 8 servings, I added enough water to make 2 qts – (1 serving equaling 8 oz}. I liked this concentration which is basically also known as 1/2 gal. After reading the comments, and responses, I get that the recipe is supposed to be to taste and that the amount of juice that 6 lemons creates can vary, but it is very unhelpful to write at one point that a “gallon pitcher” is used, and then also tell people to use a “2.5 to 3 quart vessel ” (which is not a gallon, but is 1/2 to 3/4.”More thoughtful guidance such as saying, “The strength can be adjusted to one’s liking, but here is a good starting point and here it is . . . would help a wider audience and less experienced cooks be set up for success which is a good goal to have. Thanks for the recipe, but respectully, please tighten up your guidance.
Reply
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you for your detailed feedback. The recipe makes approximately 8 servings, with each serving being about 8 ounces. While I suggest using a 2.5-3 quart pitcher, the amount of water and the strength of the tea needs to be adjusted to taste. The juice from 6 lemons can vary, so I recommend starting with 2 quarts of water and adjusting from there based on your preference. I will update the guidance to be clearer and more helpful for everyone. Thanks again for your input!
Reply
Doug Fraser says
Not saying how big the pitcher is makes no sense. You might as well be honest and say “add water until desired strength is reached”. I would hate to see your recipes for cocktails.
Reply
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Doug. A 2.5 to 3-quart pitcher is perfect for this recipe. It is in the recipe notes. Have a wonderful day!
Reply
Doug Fraser says
ok – it does say 2.5-3 quart but in a previous response you had also said 1 gallon (4 quarts) so you haven’t given a clear value that you recommend which was the basis of my comment.
Erren's Kitchen says
I appreciate your feedback. While I used a 1-gallon (4-quart) pitcher for this recipe, I recommend at least a 2.5-3 quart pitcher to ensure there’s enough room for mixing and serving without spilling (hence the notes). The strength of the tea needs to be adjusted based on personal preference, so using a larger pitcher if you prefer a more diluted taste would be best. I am sorry it is not super clear for this recipe, but it is difficult to put an exact size when I do not know the personal taste preferences of everyone that will be making it.
Myriame says
hi I was wondering what size pitcher you used. or how much water I should add
Reply
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Myriame! I used a gallon pitcher, but it can be adjusted to whatever size you have by adding the sugar and water a little at a time to suit your preferences and taste. Hope you like it! 🤩
Reply
Sabrina says
I made a concentrate and I added the baking after the tea steeped while it was still hot. It fizzed a lot. Is the tea ruined or still ok?
Reply
Erren Hart says
It’s fine. It should fizz.
Reply
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