Food + Drink
8 Homemade Summer Iced Teas to Try if You Love Sweet Tea
July 29, 2022 · Updated July 31, 2022·By BLAC Staff
Eight homemade summer iced teas to try if you love sweet tea: from Pineapple to raspberry and flavors in between; so many to choose.
July 29, 2022 · Updated July 31, 2022
Relax with a tall, refreshing glass of iced tea this summer. Try one of these homemade recipes for sweet tea, raspberry tea, mint tea and more.
Pineapple Iced Tea
If you have a large family, you probably go through beverages quickly. This thirst-quenching tea is simple to mix together and has a sparkling citrus flavor we all enjoy.
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 pitcher
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 7 bags tea
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 cups pineapple juice unsweetened
- ⅓ cups lemon juice
- pineapple wedges optional
- lemon slices optional
- fresh mint leaves optional
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags; steep, covered, 3-5 minutes according to taste. Discard tea bags. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Transfer to a pitcher; cool slightly.7 bags tea, 2 tbsp sugar, 4 cups water
- Stir in fruit juices.⅓ cups lemon juice, 1 cups pineapple juice
- Refrigerate, covered, overnight. Serve over ice. Garnish as desired.pineapple wedges, lemon slices, fresh mint leaves
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Bella Basil Raspberry Tea
Beautiful basil and fresh raspberries lend bright color and refreshing flavor to this grown-up iced tea. You’ll love the fun fizz and make-ahead convenience for parties.
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 2-quart pitcher
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh raspberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 bags black tea
- 1 bottle carbonated water or sparkling rosé wine
- ice cubes
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the raspberries, sugar, basil and lime juice. Mash berries. Cook over medium heat until berries release juices, 7 minutes.3 cups fresh raspberries, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup fresh basil leaves, ¼ cup lime juice
- Remove from the heat; add tea bags. Cover and steep for 20 minutes. Strain, discarding tea bags and raspberry seeds. Transfer tea to a 2-quart pitcher. Cover and refrigerate until serving.2 bags black tea
- Just before serving, slowly add carbonated water or wine. Serve over ice. If desired, top with raspberries and basil.¼ cup lime juice, 1 bottle carbonated water or sparkling rosé wine, ice cubes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Cherry Limeade Sweet Tea
Sweet tea and cherry limeade are two of my favorite summer libations, so we decided to combine them—the results are wonderful.
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven
- 1 pitcher
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 6 bags tea
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 can limeade concentrate
- 1 cup chilled cherry juice blend
- ice cubes
- lime wedges optional
- dark sweet cherries pitted, optional
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, bring water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags; steep, covered, 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Stir in sugar until dissolved; cool slightly. Transfer to a pitcher; cool completely.8 cups water, 6 bags tea, ¼ cup sugar
- Add limeade concentrate and cherry juice to tea.1 can limeade concentrate, 1 cup chilled cherry juice blend, ice cubes
- Serve over ice with lime wedges and cherries.lime wedges, dark sweet cherries
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Hibiscus Iced Tea
This calorie and caffeine-free tea has a delightful rosy color.
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon dried hibiscus
- ice cubes
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Remove from the heat. Add hibiscus flowers and let stand 5 minutes. Strain tea.1 cup water, 1 teaspoon dried hibiscus
- Serve in chilled glasses over ice.ice cubes
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Sweet Tea Boysenberry Shandy
We love an ice-cold beer on a hot summer day. And we also love sweet tea, so one day we got the great idea to mix the two. Wow! It was absolutely delish, experimenting with different flavorings, and this combination is one of our favorites.
Equipment
- 1 3-quart pitcher
- 1 large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 4 bags tea
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup boysenberry syrup
- 4 cups cold water
- 3 bottles beer or white ale chilled
- 1 piece medium orange optional
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags; steep, covered, 3-5 minutes, according to taste. Discard tea bags. Stir in sugar and syrup until dissolved. Stir in cold water. Transfer to a 3-quart pitcher; refrigerate until cold.1 cup water, 4 bags tea, ¾ cup boysenberry syrup
- Stir beer into tea mixture; serve immediately. If desired, top with orange slices.4 cups cold water, 3 bottles beer or white ale, 1 piece medium orange
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Honey-Citrus Iced Tea
A frozen orange or lemon slice in the glass looks pretty and helps keep this refreshing punch nice and cold. Using honey instead of sugar adds a sweet touch.
Equipment
- 1 teapot
- 1 pitcher
Ingredients
- 4 bags tea
- 3 cups boiling water
- 3 pieces medium navel oranges
- 2 pieces medium lemons
- 2 cups orange juice
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 liter ginger ale chilled
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Place tea bags in a teapot; add boiling water. Cover and steep for 3 minutes; discard tea bags. Pour tea into a pitcher.4 bags tea, 3 cups boiling water
- Peel and section 2 oranges and 1 lemon; add to tea. Cut remaining orange and lemon into slices; freeze.3 pieces medium navel oranges, 2 pieces medium lemons
- Stir in the orange juice, lemon juice and honey. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.2 cups orange juice, ¼ cup lemon juice, 3 tablespoons honey
- Just before serving, strain and discard fruit from tea. Stir in ginger ale.1 liter ginger ale
- Serve with frozen fruit slices and ice.ice cubes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Iced Honeydew Mint Tea
Because we grow mint in our BLAC garden, this tea, blends two of our favorite beverages.
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 blender
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 24 pieces fresh mint leaves
- 8 bags green tea
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 5 cups honeydew melon diced
- 3 cups ice cubes
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil; remove from heat. Add mint leaves and tea bags; steep, covered, 3-5 minutes according to taste, stirring occasionally. Discard mint and tea bags. Stir in sugar.4 cups water, 24 pieces fresh mint leaves, 8 bags green tea, ⅔ cup sugar
- Place 2-1/2 cups honeydew, 2 cups tea (prepared in previous step) and 1-1/2 cups ice in a blender; cover and process until blended.5 cups honeydew melon, 3 cups ice cubes
- Serve over additional ice. Repeat with remaining ingredients.3 cups ice cubes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Lemony Pineapple Iced Tea
We like to garnish this iced tea with some of our sweet Hawaiian pineapple.
Equipment
- 1 stockpot
- 1 pitcher
Ingredients
- 16 cups water
- 24 bags tea
- 6 sprigs fresh mint
- 3⅓ cups sugar
- 3 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1 cup lemon juice
- ice cubes
Instructions
- In a stockpot, bring water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags; steep, covered, 10 minutes. Discard tea bags.16 cups water, 24 bags tea, 3 cups unsweetened pineapple juice, 1 cup lemon juice
- Add mint; steep 5 minutes. Discard mint. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to dissolve sugar.6 sprigs fresh mint, 3⅓ cups sugar
- Transfer to pitchers or a large covered container. Refrigerate, covered, until cold. If desired, serve with ice.ice cubes
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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