Description
Refreshing homemade Strawberry Sweet Tea combines the rich flavor of black tea with a natural, fruity strawberry syrup. Perfectly balanced sweetness and vibrant berry notes make this iced tea a delightful summer drink.
Ingredients
Scale
Tea Base
- 2 cups water
- 8 black tea bags
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp baking soda
Strawberry Syrup
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups strawberries, chopped
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Boil Water: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Steep Tea: Remove from heat and add the 8 black tea bags, steeping for 5 minutes to extract rich tea flavor.
- Remove Tea Bags: Take out the tea bags using tongs, squeezing out any excess tea to retain flavor.
- Combine Tea and Water: Pour the brewed tea into a large pitcher with 4 cups of additional water and 1 teaspoon baking soda, stirring gently.
- Make Strawberry Syrup: In the same saucepan, combine 2 cups water, chopped strawberries, and 1½ cups sugar; bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes until syrupy and flavorful.
- Cool Syrup: Remove from heat and let the strawberry syrup cool fully.
- Strain Syrup: Strain the cooked strawberries through a fine mesh sieve into a small cup or pitcher, pressing to extract the juice.
- Mix Syrup and Tea: Add the strawberry syrup to the pitcher containing the tea mixture and stir until well combined.
- Serve: Pour the strawberry sweet tea over ice in individual glasses and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Store the strawberry sweet tea covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- For a less sweet version, reduce sugar by half and enjoy a fruitier flavor.
- Adding a splash of lemon juice provides a bright, zesty contrast.
- The best flavor comes from very ripe strawberries, ideally in season during summer.
- Start with cold water to avoid cloudy tea caused by tannins from boiling warm water.
- Do not skip steeping; however, steeping too long can cause bitterness.
- Add ice to each glass rather than the pitcher to prevent dilution.
