Sweet Tea Recipe

Name: Sweet Tea
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8 cups
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 cups water; 6 black tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose leaf black tea); 1 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste); 1/8 teaspoon baking soda (optional, for clarity); Ice cubes; Lemon slices (optional, for serving)

American · Beverage · 15 min total

Sweet Tea recipe videos

A classic Southern sweet tea that's perfectly balanced between sweet and refreshing, ideal for hot summer days.

5
min prep

10
min cook

8
servings

100
kcal/serving

Ingredients

8 cups water
6 black tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose leaf black tea)
1 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda (optional, for clarity)
Ice cubes
Lemon slices (optional, for serving)

Instructions

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add the tea bags (or loose tea) and baking soda if using. Steep for 5 minutes.
Remove the tea bags (or strain out loose tea) and stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.
Pour the concentrated tea into a large pitcher. Add the remaining 4 cups of cold water and stir well.
Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Serve over ice with lemon slices if desired.

Tips

For a stronger tea, steep longer or add more tea bags.
Adjust sugar to your preference; traditional sweet tea is very sweet.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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