Go Back
–+ servings
No ratings yet

Southern Strawberry Sweet Iced Tea

This strawberry sweet iced tea recipe is the perfect drink to cool off on those warm days. It is a great way to enjoy the homegrown flavors of strawberry season with the whole family.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:15 minutes
Cooling Time:2 hours
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: iced tea, southern sweet tea, strawberries, summer mocktail, sweet tea
Servings: 8 servings

Equipment

  • Large pitcher
  • Saucepan
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Fine-Mesh Strainer
  • Measuring Cup

Ingredients

  • 4-6 tea bags depending on your taste preference for strength
  • 1 cup mixed strawberries
  • 1 cup granulated sugar or adjust to your sweetness preference
  • 8 cups water divided into 2 cups for brewing and 6 cups for diluting
  • Fresh berries and mint sprigs for garnish
  • Ice for serving

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Strawberries: Wash and slice the ripe strawberries, removing the tops.
  2. Puree the Strawberries: In a food processor or blender, puree the sliced strawberries until smooth.
  3. Brew the Tea: In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Cover and steep for 15-20 minutes.
  4. Prepare the Strawberry Simple Syrup: While the tea is steeping, combine the strawberry puree and sugar with 1 cup of water in another saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the berries break down and the sugar dissolves, creating a syrup.
  5. Strain the Berries: Pour the cooked strawberry puree through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the berries to extract all the simple strawberry syrup. Save the strawberry pulp for strawberry fruit leather!
  6. Combine Tea and Homemade Simple Syrup: Remove the tea bags from the steeped tea, squeezing out the excess tea. In the large pitcher, combine the brewed tea and berry syrup.
  7. Dilute the Tea: Add the remaining 6 cups of cold water to the pitcher. Stir well to combine.
  8. Chill: Refrigerate the tea until it’s completely chilled.
  9. Serve: Fill glasses with ice, pour the iced strawberry tea over the ice, and garnish with fresh berries and a sprig of mint.
  10. Enjoy: Enjoy the sweet, refreshing taste of your homemade strawberry tea on a hot day or at any gathering that calls for a special touch

Notes

  • Quality of Tea: Use good-quality tea bags for the best flavor. Black tea is traditional, but feel free to experiment with green or white tea for a lighter taste.
  • Berry Choices: Fresh berries will give the best flavor, but frozen can work too. Just ensure they’re thawed so they’ll break down easily when making the syrup.
  • Adjusting Sweetness: Start with less sugar than the recipe calls for and taste as you go. You can always add more sugar, but you can’t take it away.
  • Steeping Time: Don’t over-steep your tea as it can become bitter. Check the strength after 15 minutes and remove the bags when it reaches the flavor you like.
  • Storage: If you’re not serving the sweet tea immediately, store it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. It’s best consumed within a couple of days.
  • Tea Strength: For a stronger tea, add an extra tea bag or two while steeping.