Celery Free Classic Sweet Iced Tea
Sweet, refreshing, and deeply satisfying, this classic Southern-style iced tea is the kind of drink that makes a hot afternoon feel instantly more manageable. The sugar dissolves right into the hot concentrate, giving you that perfectly smooth sweetness in every sip — no grainy residue, no shortcuts. This is one of those recipes where the ingredient list is so clean and straightforward that you never have to second-guess what's in your glass. Black tea, water, and sugar are all you need, making it a naturally safe choice for anyone avoiding hidden vegetable-based additives or flavoring blends that sometimes sneak into store-bought bottled teas. Steeping the bags without squeezing them keeps the flavor bright and smooth rather than bitter, which is a small step that makes a big difference. Serve it over a tall glass of ice with a lemon slice or a sprig of fresh mint for a presentation that looks like it came straight from a front-porch pitcher. It's the kind of simple, crowd-pleasing drink you'll want to keep a pitcher of in the fridge all season long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 8 cups water, divided
- 6 black tea bags (such as lipton or luzianne)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
For serving
- ice, for serving
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 4 cups of the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags without squeezing them.
- 2
While the tea is still hot, add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved, about 1 minute.
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