Southern Sweet Iced Tea
Like most southerners sweet iced tea has a special place in my heart. If you drop by my home I can pretty much guarantee you’ll find a cold pitcher of sweet iced tea on the top shelf of the fridge. No other beverage quenches the thirst AND comforts the soul like a cold glass of sweet tea. Nope. None.
For the sake of health I’ve been replacing half of the sugar with raw honey. It’s not as addicting, but I’m starting to get use to it.
This southern sweet iced tea recipe is sweet, refreshing, satisfying and makes you say “ahhhhhhh” when you’re done drinking it. It’s so easy to knock back several glasses full on a hot day without even realizing it.
Watch me make this southern sweet Iced Tea from start to finish!!
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Get the Recipe: Southern Sweet Iced Tea
- 3 family-sized tea bags ( I used Luzianne)
- 10 cups water, divided (can add more to adjust sweetness)
- Pinch of baking soda
- 1 1/2 -2 cups sugar (can use less if desired)
- In a large bowl, heat 2 cups of water in the microwave until boiling (about 10-12 minutes)
- Add a pinch of baking soda.
- Drop in the tea bags.
- Let tea steep for 5-7 minutes.
- Carefully remove tea bags and discard. Do not press on tea bags.
- Add sugar and stir until sugar completely dissolved.
- Pour into a serving pitcher.
- Add in 8 cups of cold water.
- Refrigerate until ice cold.
- Fill a glass with ice and fill with tea.
- Enjoy!
~TIP~
Feel free to cut back on the sugar if you want/need to.
Serve ICE COLD!!
I prefer sweet tea ungarnished, but you can add lemon slice, mint leaves or raspberries i desired.
What’s the baking soda for?
Never mind, I just found the answer on your other sweet tea recipe…
“Don’t worry you won’t be able to taste this in your tea. It just keeps the tea nice, smooth and clear and keeps it from having that weird after-taste that tea can sometimes have.”
It looks refreshing. It’s just for summer!
I had stopped making sweet tea because it always taste like the tea leaves. Now I know why. Lol. Thanks for this wonderful lesson in tea making.
Just made this, waiting for it to get extra cold. But so far it tastes good.
Sweet tea always tastes better in Mason jars. 🙂
I have a question. I make iced tea all the time, but twice in the past two days I’ve heard not to squeeze the tea bags. Is it that it makes the tea too strong or clouds it or something?
Nothing like Southern Sweet Tea on a summer day! Shoot, winter too, lol! I was wondering if you knew of a place were I could purchase those jars at? I love the southern look of them.
saw your question.. i bought some mason jars at k-mart 12 jars for 9.99
Walmart, just search for mason or jelly jars
http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=mason+jars&ic=16_0&Find=Find&search_constraint=4044