ByEden Westbrook
This traditional, homemade southern strawberry iced tea is the perfect drink for the warmer months! It's a breeze to make, full of strawberry flavor that makes for a refreshing summer drink.
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Loving sweet strawberry sipping? Try my Sparkling Pink Lemonade, made with a strawberry and raspberry puree; this yummy Strawberry Matcha Latte, made with green tea; my favorite Strawberry Lemonade; or a classic Strawberry Arnold Palmer!
Homemade Strawberry Iced Tea is a Classic Southern Recipe!
My summers have always stayed simple. I'm old school at heart, there's nothing better to me than sitting on my deck with a batch of strawberry iced tea, a mini charcuterie board for one, a fan, and a good book right before we get to those blistering hot summer days. It's bliss, y'all. There's nothing like home-brewed sweet tea in the summer months.
My favorite drink lately has been basically anything with an intense strawberry flavor, including this southern sweet iced tea. She's the perfect drink when strawberries are in season, but I also love it throughout the summertime and early spring, too.
A fave for Juneteenth and the fourth of July, she's the perfect party drink for the warmer weather seasons!
A perfect combination of fresh strawberry flavor and made with natural ingredients, make strawberry iced tea to use any old strawberries you have in the fridge and turn them into a beautiful red drink.
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Jump to:
- Homemade Strawberry Iced Tea is a Classic Southern Recipe!
- Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Southern Strawberry Iced Tea Ingredients
- How to make Strawberry Simple Syrup
- How to Make this Southern Strawberry Sweet Tea Recipe
- Pro Tips for the Best Strawberry Iced Tea
- Variations
- Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
- FAQs
- More Strawberry Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Learn how to Make a Simple Syrup -a simple syrup is as simple to make as it sounds! No need to get it from the store, make it in your saucepan.
- It's a Perfect Make-Ahead Drink for Any Occasion - this can be made days ahead of time, so if you've got a big party consider the drinks done!
Southern Strawberry Iced Tea Ingredients
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Ripe Strawberries.You don't need to use fresh fruit, frozen works as well when it isn't strawberry season.
- Granulated Sugar.
- Cold water.
- Black Tea Bags -To keep it classically southern, you'll want to use Luisianne or Lipton tea bags. Otherwise, use your favorite high-quality black tea.
- A pinch ofbaking soda. This is the southern belle's secret to fixing any mistakes in your sweet tea. Too bitter, steeped too long, too many tannins, a little baking soda can fix that.
How to make Strawberry Simple Syrup
Simple strawberry syrup is just that: simple. It's equal parts sugar and water simmered down to be used as a sweetener in co*cktails and drinks. To make it 'strawberry', all you need is to add ripe strawberries to the mixture. You don't have to have fresh strawberries, you can use frozen ones for this since they're easily accessible any time of the year.
How to Make this Southern Strawberry Sweet Tea Recipe
Step 1 | Pour a cup of water, cup of sugar, and two cups of strawberries into a medium saucepan. Let it come to a boil, boil for five minutes while the color and flavor turns into a delicious strawberry syrup.
Step 2 | Strain the strawberry syrup through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the slumped strawberries.
Step 3 | Now set the tea bags into the hot boiling water, let steep for 10 minutes and discard the tea bags, then add a pinch of baking soda just in case you forgot about the tea steeping, it helps with any bitterness from the tannins.
Pour the brewed tea into a pitcher with the strawberry syrup and let the tea chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
Step 4 | Add ice cubes before pouring into individual glasses and serve garnished with sliced strawberries or frozen strawberries.
Pro Tips for the Best Strawberry Iced Tea
- Want a stronger tea? Steep for fifteen minutes. Lighter-colored tea? Steep for 5 minutes, instead.
- If you're using loose leaf teas, steep it in tea strainers so the loose tea doesn't end up in the drink itself.
- Instead of using granulated sugar like in a traditional southern sweet tea, you can use agave syrup, maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar to help make the strawberry syrup.
- Serve with frozen strawberries instead of (or with!) ice!
Variations
- Strawberry Arnold Palmer. A beautiful, fruity take on anArnold Palmer(also called a Sun-Joy or Half-and-Half). You can just add lemonade to this recipe, lemon juice, or lemon simple syrup for a sweet-tart flavor.
- Green tea. Use green tea instead of black tea for a light, earthy flavor. Addstrawberry pureeto the tea for even more strawberry goodness.
- Pour in asplash of vodka for a boozy twist!
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
Storing and Make Ahead: Keep your sweet strawberry iced tea in the fridge for up to 2-3 days before serving.
FAQs
Is iced tea just ice in tea?
Iced tea is just that: tea that has been cooled with ice added to it. Many people drink their tea hot, so it's a way to distinguish between hot teas and cooled teas.
How long does sweet tea last in the fridge?
Sweet teas last about 3-4 days in the fridge. The best way to tell if your tea has gone bad is the smell and taste: if it doesn't smell like your tea is fresh anymore, and any type of flavor changes, throw it away!
More Strawberry Recipes
- Strawberry Shortcake Muffins Recipe
- Spicy Strawberry Jalapeno Margaritas
- Strawberry Custard Tart
- Strawberry Mojito
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Iced Tea
Eden Westbrook
This traditional southern strawberry sweet tea recipe is perfect for strawberry season. It's a flavored tea that's a breeze to make using simple syrup with an intense strawberry flavor that makes for a refreshing summer drink.
4.84 from 12 votes
Print this Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 18 minutes mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine Southern
Servings 10 servings
Calories 86 kcal
Ingredients
Brew Tea
- 3 quarts water
- 4 black tea bags family sized
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Ice to preference
Strawberry Simple Syrup
- 2 cups ripe strawberries hulled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup cold water
Instructions
Strawberry Simple Syrup
In a medium saucepan, bring the cold water, strawberries, and sugar to a boil. Let boil until the sugar is completely dissolved
1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup cold water, 2 cups ripe strawberries
Lower the temperature to medium-high heat to simmer for 5 minutes, until strawberries' color has drained into the water. Strain the strawberry syrup through a fine mesh sieve and pour it into your large pitcher.
Make Strawberry Iced Tea
Bring water to a boil in a large pot, then turn off the heat. Add the black tea bags and let steep for 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags.
3 quarts water, 4 black tea bags
Add the baking soda and stir. Let cool for 5 minutes
¼ teaspoon baking soda
Add ice and frozen strawberries (if using) to the pitcher with the strawberry simple syrup, pour in the brewed tea, and stir well. Let chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
To serve, add ice and/or frozen strawberries to serving glasses, then pour strawberry iced tea into glasses.
Ice
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
Storing and Make Ahead: Keep your sweet strawberry iced tea in the fridge for up to 2-3 days before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 86kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 0.2gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.004gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 43mgPotassium: 44mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 0.1mg
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