How To Make Iced Tea
As an Amazon Affilate, I earn commission on qualifying purchases.
How to make iced tea sounds so simple and straightforward, BUT sometimes the simplest of recipes can go wrong. If you want a perfect glass of tea that’s crystal clear and strong enough to withstand a glassful of ice and still retain its flavor, this iced tea recipe is for you!
As a lifelong tea drinker who has been known to choose a lunch restaurant solely on whether or not they serve fresh brewed iced tea, I have cracked the code for making the best iced tea!
There is nothing better on a hot summer day and a glass of homemade iced tea and we go through gallons of it every week in the summer!
Different methods for making ice tea
I’ve made iced tea just about every way you possibly can. I’ve finely found the absolute perfect recipe.
Sun tea
Back in college, it was common to see a glass quart jar filled with cold water and Lipton’s tea bags on every apartment stoop on hot days. It was dubbed “sun tea’, since the sun does the heavy lifting on this method. But this is not the best way to make iced tea. What this method lacks is water that’s hot enough to allow the tea to steep properly. While some people say, that it’s not as safe, I’ve had plenty of sun tea and I’m still here. Besides that, sun tea is just weak and flavorless.
Cold brew tea
Another method is cold brewing. To make cold brew tea you add loose-leaf tea or black tea bags to cold water and allow it to steep overnight in the fridge. The next day use a fine-mesh sieve and strain the tea leaves. While this method makes a decent cup of tea, with the long steep, you need to plan ahead which isn’t always convenient when it’s a hot day and you want a cold drink.
Iced tea maker
If you’re a tea lover, you probably had a Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker in the 90’s. When this gadget came out, I heard the angels sing! It made an excellent pot of iced tea similar to the way a restaurant makes it, by releasing very hot water over loose leaf tea or tea bags and into a quart pitcher filled with ice cubes. While this is not an expensive gadget, (you can find them right around $40-$50), I got tired of storing a whole appliance whose sole duty was brewing iced tea in the summer.
Boiling water method
Then I switched to the boiling water method, applying the same principles to iced tea as I did to my morning cup of hot tea. Using an electric kettle, I’d bring the water to just under a boil and then let the tea steep for exactly 4 minutes. (I still do this with my morning English Breakfast tea). After 4 minutes of steeping, pour the hot tea over 2 cups of ice in a heat proof measuring cup. The problem with this method is cloudy tea. While it tastes fine, it’s not crystal clear. The clouds parted and I discovered this easy iced tea recipe in a 1999 in Cook’s Illustrated magazine!
How to make iced tea
There are a few steps that will make you think, “really? Is that necessary?” But going back to the principle of the simplest things are often easiest to mess up, in a word, yes! Once you’ve made iced tea this way, you’ll be able to make a perfect pitcher of iced tea in under 15 minutes.
What you’ll need
This recipe yields 1 1/2 quarts iced tea. I give measurements for both unsweetened and sweetened iced tea as well as mint and ginger tea.
- A sauce pan. While an Electric Kettle is a must for my morning cups of tea, I skip it for iced tea.
- Sugar. This one was the hardest for me to accept. I loathe sweetened iced tea! If you’re like me and prefer unsweetened iced tea bear with me on this one. This recipe has just one Tablespoon of sugar for an entire quart and a half! That’s just over 1/2 teaspoon per cup. The sugar helps balance the acidity of the tea and rounds out the flavor.
- Tea bags. (Or loose tea the equivalent of 5 tea bags)
- Filtered water. Is this necessary? Since the main ingredient is water, you already know if your water tastes good. If it doesn’t, you probably already have a filter on your tap or use bottled water. If the water doesn’t taste good, neither will the iced tea.
- Crushed ice. We have an extra Ice Maker which we keep in the garage and we use it nearly every day in the summer and during the holidays when we’re entertaining. If your ice comes in big chunks, just give it a good whack to break it down. The crushed ice or smaller ice cubes melt more quickly.
How to make the perfect pitcher of iced tea
I prefer to use my favorite tea bags, but you can use loose tea if you prefer to the equivalent of 5 tea bags. My favorite tea is Yorkshire Gold.
- In a sauce pan bring 1 quart (4 cups) of cold water to a very gentle simmer with 5 tea bags. It’s important not to boil the water, but bring it just to the point where the water starts to tickle the edges of the pan. Once the temperature of the tea has reached 190 degrees Farhenheit , turn off the heat. This takes around 7 minutes or so. (I use an Instant Read Thermometer)
- Add 1 Tablespoon (or more) sugar and stir to allow the sugar to dissolve. Superfine sugar dissolves more quickly than regular cane sugar. Allow the tea to steep for 3 minutes. No more, or the tea will become bitter.
- While the tea is steeping, fill a heat proof glass container like a Pyrex Measuring Cup with 4 cups (1 quart) crushed ice. You can use regular ice, but it will take longer to melt.
- After 3 minutes, pour the hot tea over the crushed ice and stir until the ice has melted.
- Pour the iced tea into glasses filled with ice cubes. I use regular ice, not crushed ice at this point because I don’t want the ice to melt as quickly once it’s been brewed to the correct strength.
- This will make a strong pitcher of iced tea. Keep in mind once the ice cubes are in the glasses, it will continue to dilute the iced tea.
How long does iced tea last?
You can probably tell when you’ve been served day old iced tea in a restaurant, and it’s not good. I prefer to make iced tea fresh every day in the summer because I love the crisp, clean taste. That’s why I make this small batch, unless I’m expecting company. 1 1/2 quarts is usually what we drink in a day when it’s hot. When I say, “we”, I really mean mostly me. I find that this recipe tastes fine the next day, if stored in a glass jar with a lid, but after day 2, I’d toss it and start fresh.
Sweetened iced tea
- This is a Southern classic. I prefer my iced tea unsweetened, (well almost!), but millions love sweet tea!
- To make ice tea that has just a touch of sweetness, follow the above recipe but add 2 Tablespoons of sugar after steeping.
- For traditional Southern “sweet tea” add 3 Tablespoons (or more).
How to make an Arnold Palmer
Another summertime favorite is the Arnold Palmer. Named after the famous golfer, Arnold Palmer, who liked to mix 1/2 iced tea with 1/2 lemonade. You can vary the ratio of lemonade to ice tea depending on your preference.
Iced tea with fresh mint
Follow the above recipe but add 1/4 cup fresh mint that has been slightly bruised with the back of a spoon or a muddler along with the tea bags. Remove the mint leaves and the tea bags once the steeping process has finished.
Gingered iced tea
Follow the directions above, but add a small piece of fresh ginger, that’s been cut into disks and smashed or crushed with the tea bags. Discard the ginger along with the tea bags.
What to serve with iced tea
If you’re hosting a bridal or baby shower, iced tea is the perfect beverage. It can also be an alternative to hot tea if you’re hosting an Afternoon Tea Party.
For a luncheon, here are some light salads and quiches.
Citrus Salad with Dijon Dressing
Pear and Gorgonzola Salad with Candied Pecans
Chicken Salad with Apricot, Almond and Tarragon
Coronation Chicken Salad (as a tea sandwich filling or on a bed of lettuce)
Coronation Quiche with leek, English cheddar, and tarragon.
How To Make Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 5 tea bags
- 1 Tablespoon superfine sugar or granulated cane sugar
- 1 quart water
- 1 quart ice
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan add 1 quart spring or filtered water and 5 tea bags.
- Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium heat until tea begins to look dark and bubbles appear on the side of the pot. Once the tea reaches 190 degrees F. using an instant read thermometer, remove pot from heat.
- If using sugar, stir in sugar and allow tea to steep 3 minutes.
- Fill a heat safe pitcher or glass container with 1 quart of crushed ice. Once the tea has finished steeping, remove tea bags and pour hot tea over crushed ice, stirring to dissolve. This makes a strong pitcher of tea to compensate for the ice melting in the glasses once it's served. If you prefer a less strong tea, add an extra cup or two of crushed ice.
- Transfer to a pitcher and store in the fridge until ready to serve. Fill glasses to the top with ice and pour iced tea over ice. Serve with lemon wedges and superfine sugar or simple syrup.
At first, I thought, what could you say about iced tea? But you had to say a lot! And it was all very interesting. Thanks!
Lol, right? I had the same thought, but there really is a difference! I’ve also earned my 10,000 hours of “tea making”. 🙂