Southern Sweet Tea is made by freshly brewing a black tea base, adding sugar while it’s still hot, chilling, adding to a pitcher with an equal amount of water and then serving over ice. A refreshing hot weather staple!
Southern Sweet Tea is one of my favorite drinks during the spring and summertime. Nothing is more refreshing to me than a homemade glass of sweet tea over ice when it’s hot.
I’m not sure why people buy their tea at the store. It’s so easy to make at home and costs so much less. Making it fresh and homemade makes is SO much better too. Read on to see how I make it!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- water
- black tea bags (We use Lipton.)
- sugar
- lemons, optional
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: Add 4 cups of water to a medium saucepan.
Step 2. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Step 3: Remove saucepan from the heat and add four regular-size black tea bags to the water.
Step 4: Let tea bags steep for 5 minutes.
Step 5. Remove tea bags and discard.
Step 6. Add sugar to the tea.
Step 7. Stir until sugar is dissolved. This will be the base of our tea.
Let tea cool to room temperature for about 1 hour.
Step 8. After tea base has cooled, add 4 cups of water to a 1/2 gallon pitcher.
Step 9. Pour tea base into the pitcher with the water.
Step 10. Stir tea base and water together.
Step 11. Pour tea into glass filled with ice.
Step 12. Add lemon and enjoy!
Hint: Make sure to add the sugar to the tea while it is still hot. If the water is cold, the sugar won’t dissolve.
Substitutions
If you’re not able to use sugar, feel free to add your own artificial or natural sweeteners to the tea after it is done steeping.
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- large glass measuring cup
- wooden spoon
- 1/2 gallon pitcher
Storage
Sweet tea should be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Top tip
If you’re adding lemon to your tea, I recommend adding it to your glass and not the pitcher. The lemons are best when they are freshly cut and squeezed.
Related
Looking for other spring and summer recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are some of my favorite dishes to serve with southern sweet tea:
Southern Sweet Tea
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- large glass measuring cup
- wooden spoon
- 1/2 gallon pitcher
Ingredients
- 8 cups (236g) water
- 4 regular-size black tea bags We use Lipton.
- 3/4 cup (147g) sugar (You can use less or more. I like my tea fairly sweet, but not too sweet.)
- lemon slices optional
Instructions
- Add 4 cups of water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Remove saucepan from the heat and add four regular-size black tea bags to the water.
- Let tea bags steep for 5 minutes.
- Remove tea bags and discard.
- Add sugar to the tea.
- Stir until sugar is dissolved. This will be the base of our tea.
- Let tea cool to room temperature for about 1 hour.
- After tea base has cooled, add 4 cups of water to a 1/2 gallon pitcher.
- Pour tea base into the pitcher with the water and stir.
- Pour tea into glass filled with ice. Add lemon and enjoy!
Notes
If you try my Southern Sweet Tea, I would love to hear from you! Please leave me a comment below.
Sweet regards,
Michele
Found this as a great way to cool down in this summer heat! Sooooooo good!
Thank you! We love it too.