How to Make Sweet Tea: Southern Sweet Tea Recipe

Southern Sweet Tea: a classic that's as refreshing as it is sweet. It's a Southern staple - a brewed tea mixed with sugar and maybe a squeeze of citrus or a sprig of fresh herbs to create the perfect refreshing drink. Whether you're sipping it on a sweltering summer day or sharing it with family and friends at a backyard cookout, it's the ultimate refresher.

This southern sweet tea recipe is simple and reliable, whether you're just starting out or have experienced making sweet iced tea.

Just follow the recipe's easy steps and you'll be on your way to making Southern Sweet Tea that's just the way you like it - strong, sweet or somewhere in between.

If you want the best sweet tea, you can tweak this recipe to your taste. Adjust the sweetness and the flavor to your exact liking so you can have a great glass every time.

Sweet tea, the classic Southern brew, is made by dissolving sugar into hot tea, and then chilling it down. That's where it differs from regular iced tea, which tends to be unsweetened and gets its sugar added afterwards if needed. When you add sugar to tea that's still hot, it dissolves completely, giving it a silky texture and an even sweetness.

Sweet tea became popular in the early 1900s in the Southern U.S., and the spread of home refrigerators helped make it a staple. Since then, it's been a mainstay at picnics, barbeques and just about every get together in the southern states.

And today, it remains a staple drink in the South, especially when the summer heat starts. The rest of the United States enjoys iced tea. But down in the South, sweet tea's got a different story, one of tradition, history, and hospitality.

• Tea bags: Pick some good tea bags (4-6 tea bags) for this recipe like iced tea, classic black tea, or a mix of black and green for a lighter taste.

• Hot water: You'll need hot water to brew the tea concentrate. Use 1 pint of fresh, filtered or spring water to get the best flavor and to avoid a cloudy drink.

• Sweetener: This gives sweet tea its signature taste. The common choice is ½ - ¾ cup of sugar but honey is also a good alternative.

• Baking soda: Just a pinch of baking soda can help reduce cloudiness from the iced tea. But be careful, excess baking soda can alter flavor.

• Ice and cold water: To chill your tea down to drinking strength quickly.

• Optional flavor add-ins: To give the tea more flavor and zest. Use 1 lemon slices, 1 orange slices, a sprig of fresh mint, peaches, berries, or lemon balm.

• A heat-safe container for brewing tea: This holds the tea bags, sugar, and hot water while the tea steeps. Good options include a small saucepan, a pot, or a heat-proof bowl or glass mixing bowl

• A large container for chilling and serving:  Used to pour in the ice and tea and get it all cold and ready to drink. You can use a 2-quart pitcher, a glass pitcher or a big jar.

• A long-handled spoon: Not just for stirring the tea, a metal spoon will also help keep your glass container safe from heat shock.

First off, bring some fresh, filtered water to a rolling boil at 212°F (100°C) in a pot or kettle. Once its boiling, take it off the stove. We don't want it to scorch the tea bags because it will give your tea a bitter taste. Then, pour the hot water over your tea bags and let them steep for 3 to 5 minutes if you like it mild, or up to 15 minutes if you want it nice and strong.

While your tea is still hot, at 190-200°F (88-93°C), give it a stir with the sugar or sweetener until it's all dissolved. This makes a big difference in getting that smooth sweetness just right. Don't forget the pinch of baking soda, that helps counteract any bitterness so the tea looks crystal clear. Making a concentrate like this ensures that even when you add ice and cold water later, the sweet iced tea stays nice and refreshing.

Grab your serving container and fill it up about half to 3/4 of the way full with ice. If you're using a glass pitcher, take a metal spoon and push it down into the ice with the handle resting on the bottom. That'll absorb some of the heat and make it way less likely the pitcher will crack, especially in the summer when it's hot.

Now, it's time to take the hot tea concentrate and slowly pour it over the ice. Give it a nice slow pour to control how diluted it gets. To speed up the cooling process, give it a gentle stir to make sure the concentrate gets all mixed in.

If you'd like to add a special touch, slice up a lemon or an orange and put it in the pitcher. You can also add a sprig of fresh mint. These add a lot of flavor and a refreshing aroma and they will look cool in your pitcher.

Next, top your pitcher off with cold water to get your tea to the right strength. The sweetness of the tea is totally up to you, so you can add as much or as little sugar as you like. Some people like a taste of a cup of sugar per gallon of water, others like it way sweeter. If you need to adjust the sweetness a bit, now's the time to taste and adjust.

Now your sweet iced tea is ready to go. Grab a tall glass or a Mason jar and fill it up with ice and pour in that cold sweet tea. If you like, add some extra citrus or mint on top for a bit of extra flair.

If you want to mix things up a bit, you can add some sliced fruit or herbs to your tea and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. It'll infuse into the tea without overpowering it - nice and subtle.

These are some of the most popular sweet iced tea variations you'll find. Each one stays true to the classic southern sweet tea flavor but gives it a welcome twist.

• Arnold Palmer - A classic variation that combines equal parts sweet iced tea and lemonade in a perfect balance of sweet and tart. The lemonade helps balance out the sweetness of the tea. This is perfect for hot days or outdoor get-togethers.

• Peach Sweet Tea - Peach sweet tea is a summer staple. The sweetness of the peaches pairs nicely with the tea. Use fresh peaches or peach flavor to get that perfect balance.

• Mint Sweet Tea - Mint sweet tea adds a cooling herbal note that makes the drink more refreshing. When you serve it ice cold on a hot day, it's the perfect way to beat the heat.

• Lemon Sweet Tea - For those who like a lighter taste, lemon sweet tea is the perfect choice. Just add some fresh lemon slices or a squeeze of lemon juice to the sweet iced tea and you'll be enjoying a refreshing drink that's just a little less sweet.

• Green Tea Sweet Tea - If you're looking for something more laid back and easier to get down, the green tea sweet tea is a great option. It's a bit more subtle and slightly less bold than the traditional black tea, but still has all that great sweet iced tea flavor.

• Honey Sweet Tea - Those who want to go a bit more natural with their sweetener options will love the honey sweet tea. It uses honey instead of sugar to give that same soft sweetness but with a hint of floral notes.

• Spiked Sweet Tea - This one's for the grown-ups - a small amount of bourbon or whiskey gets added to the mix before you pour in the tea. It's a fun twist on the classic and perfect for a social gathering or a night out with friends.

To keep your sweet tea tasting its best, put it in the fridge in an airtight container and try to drink it within 48 hours. Before you store it, take out the ice so it doesn't water down, you can always add fresh ice when you're ready to serve again.

• Harney & Sons Organic Black:  Classic black tea in individual tea bags that is strong enough for sweet tea.

• Harney & Sons English Breakfast:  A bold breakfast blend that works well with sugar and ice.

• iLOLA Kenyan No. 13:  Full‑bodied black tea from Kenya, an excellent tea for strong brews to sweeten.

• August Essentials English Breakfast Black Tea: a classic black tea that's straightforward and great when sweetened.

• Teappo Yuzu Black Powder: Powdered black tea with citrus (yuzu) that is nice when brewed and sweetened for a citrusy iced tea.

• Harney & Sons Organic Green:  Green tea in easy tea bags you can brew and sweeten. It's refreshing over ice.

• Tea with Tae Genmaicha:  Larger pouch for pitcher brewing and excellent if you want iced green sweet tea.

• August Combray – Vanilla Cardamom Green Tea:  Green tea with a subtle sweet spice profile. It's fun when sweetened.

• Teappo Genmaicha:  Traditional genmaicha (green tea with puffed brown rice) that has a smooth, mellow taste.

• iLOLA Midnight Jasmine No. 27 / Chunmee No. 25 / Moroccan Mint No. 26: These are budget‑friendly loose leaf green teas you can steep and sweeten to taste.

This Southern Sweet Tea recipe is a tried and trusted way to make an absolutely delicious sweet tea at home. Its easy to follow, flexible and can be used by anyone from beginners to seasoned tea drinkers. Whether you're trying to impress your guests with a big jug of tea or you just want to enjoy a quiet afternoon with a glass in your hand, this recipe is the perfect choice.

Explore more tea recipes, blends, and serving ideas from Taste of Tea to continue building your perfect tea routine and enjoy the timeless appeal of southern sweet tea.

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