The Best Southern Sweet Iced Tea Recipe
This recipe for The Best Southern Sweet Iced Tea offers a perfectly sweetened, refreshing beverage that's a staple in Southern hospitality. Made by steeping black tea with baking soda to mellow the bitterness, then sweetening with sugar and served chilled over ice with optional garnishes like fresh mint, lemon slices, peach slices, or raspberries, it’s a classic summertime favorite that's easy to prepare and delightful to drink.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients
Tea Base
- 1 gallon water
- 3 pitcher sized black tea bags (or 10-12 regular-sized tea bags)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Sweetener
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
Garnishes (optional - choose only one)
- Fresh mint leaves
- Lemon slices
- Peach slices
- Raspberries
Instructions
- Boil water and steep tea: Bring half of the water (about 2 quarts) to a rolling boil over high heat. Remove from heat once boiling and add the tea bags and baking soda. Let steep for 5-6 minutes to extract flavor without bitterness.
- Remove tea bags and dissolve sugar: Carefully remove the tea bags without squeezing to avoid bitterness. Stir in the 1 1/2 cups of sugar until it is completely dissolved.
- Add remaining cold water: Pour in the remaining half of the water (cold) to the tea mixture and stir well. Transfer the tea to a pitcher and chill if desired.
- Serve over ice with garnish: Fill tall glasses with ice, pour the sweet tea over it, and add your choice of garnish—fresh mint leaves, lemon slices, peach slices, or raspberries—for an added touch of flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Do not squeeze the tea bags while removing; this prevents bitterness.
- Baking soda softens the water and reduces acidity in the tea, making it smoother.
- Adjust sugar quantity according to your sweetness preference.
- Chill the tea in the refrigerator before serving for the best refreshing taste.
- Choose only one type of garnish to maintain traditional flavor balance.