Lemon Iced Tea
Let’s make the most refreshing drink, iced tea, but with a lemon twist. Made with freshly squeezed lemons and black tea, this lemon iced tea is bursting with flavor!
Where are all my tea lovers? I raise my hand because I don’t drink coffee, I start my day with a glass of iced tea. And then continue to drink it all day long…
Homemade Lemon Iced Tea
Today, I want to share a fun and classic twist on the traditional recipe for iced tea. Adding a squeeze of lemon into tea is nothing new, but with a few extra minutes, you can turn those lemons into a lemon syrup to sweeten and take your iced tea to the next level!
This recipe is made from freshly squeezed lemons and mixed with just the right amount of sweetener for a perfectly balanced sweet lemon iced tea.
Lemon Iced Tea is a simple quick to make, a crowd pleaser, and refreshing all year long!
Ingredients Needed
Lemons – For this recipe I used 4 smaller sized organic lemons plus an extra lemon for garnish (5 in total).
Sugar – Regular granulated table sugar is perfect. Substitute honey or sugar substitute (see recipe notes for more details).
Tea – I use about 8-9 standard size Lipton black tea bags, depending upon how strong I plan to make my tea (you can also use 4 family sized ice tea bags). Also, consider using your favorite black tea instead!
Water – An ingredient that can be overlooked is water, but in reality is of great importance! To get the best taste, I recommend using pure, filtered, or spring water if possible.
Ice – Ice is the finishing touch on a tall glass of cold tea. You can even freeze slices of lemon in ice cubes for a fun look.
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How to Make Homemade Lemon Iced Tea
First: Bring 8 cups water to a boil on stovetop in a medium saucepan. Once the water has come to a boil, turn off heat and add in tea bags (note: be sure to full submerge teabags into the water).
Cover and let tea steep for 5 minutes. Once the tea has finished steeping, remove the tea bags gently pressing any liquid from them.
Second: In another pot, measure freshly squeezed lemon juice, water, and sugar directly into the pot. Then, turn the heat on low and gently stir until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool enough to handle.
Third: Gently blend by pouring lemon and sugar syrup into the tea and stir together.
Fourth: Pour hot tea into a refrigerator safe pitcher with an airtight lid and refrigerate until cold! To serve, pour over ice and add lemon slices and mint. Enjoy!
For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
How long does it last?
Typically, lemon iced tea will stay fresh for about 5 days when stored properly. It can be prepped several days in advance and stored in a refrigerator safe container with a tight-fitting lid.
Caffeine Content in Iced Tea
Iced lemon tea is made with black tea which does contain caffeine. However you can chose to substitute with decaffeinated tea if you prefer.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve in a clear glass pitcher garnished with fresh lemon wedges and sprigs of mint leaves.
- When you are ready to serve, fill tall glasses with large ice cubes, add a slice of lemon or even lime and pour over tea. Top with sprig of mint.
- Serve the best iced tea at your next BBQ with these amazing baked beans, this magic lemon cobbler, or this apple slaw.
Tips for No Leftovers
- This recipe uses standard size Lipton tea bags, however you can use the equivalent family size tea bags and chose from your your favorite type of black tea for iced tea!
- Steeping the tea for a full 5 minutes is key. Less steeping time will result in a weaker tea. Over steeping with cause the tea to become bitter.
- For stronger tea, use less water.
- If you like a strong lemon flavor, consider adding a bit of lemon zest to the simple syrup.
- No fresh lemons available? Substitute squeezed lemon juice with lemon juice concentrate. I don’t recommend using lemon extracts
- Do you like a really sweet tea? Feel free to add a bit more sweetener. Contrary, if you like a less sweet tea, feel free to use less sweetener.
- For more iced tea recipes try this raspberry iced tea!
- Looking for something warm? Try this Starbucks Medicine Ball copycat recipe. It will do the trick!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!
If you’re looking for a refreshing, special summer drink, look no further than this lemon ice tea recipe. Bursting with sweet citrusy flavor, this recipe is beyond simple, quick and easy to make. It’s perfect for serving to a large gathering or just to have on hand if a friend pops over for a visit!
Lemon Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 8 1/2 Cups of Water divided
- 4 large Lemons
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 8-9 Regular Sized Lipton Tea Bags
Instructions
- Bring 8 cups of filtered or spring water to a boil on stovetop.
- Once the water has come to a boil, turn off heat and add tea bags to the hot water. (note: be sure to fully submerge teabags into the water)
- Cover and let tea steep for 5 full minutes.
- Once the tea has finished steeping remove the tea bags gently pressing any liquid from them.
- In another pot, measure 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 cup of water, and 1 cup of sugar directly into the pot.
- Then, turn the heat on low and gently stir until the sugar has fully dissolved. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool enough to handle.
- Gently blend by pouring lemon and sugar mixture into the tea and stir together.
- Pour tea into a refrigerator safe pitcher with an airtight lid and refrigerate until cold! To serve, pour over ice and garnish with fresh lemon slices and mint. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe uses standard size Lipton tea bags, however you can use the equivalent family size tea bags and chose from your your favorite type of black tea for iced tea!
- Be sure the tea steeps for a full 5 minutes. Less steeping time will result in a weaker tea. Over steeping with cause the tea to become bitter.
- For stronger tea, use less water.
- To avoid watering down your tea, only add ice to serving glasses.
- If you like a strong lemon flavor, consider adding a bit of lemon zest to the simple syrup.
- No fresh lemons available? Substitute squeezed lemon juice with lemon juice concentrate. I don't recommend using lemon extracts
- Make it sugar-free by using honey, or agave nectar. This might alter the flavor a bit, but the refreshing lemon tea flavor will still shine.
- Do you like a really sweet tea? Feel free to add a bit more sweetener. Contrary, if you like a less sweet tea, feel free to use less sweetener.
Nutrition
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