Turkey Free Classic Sweet Iced Tea
Sweet, refreshing, and deeply Southern in spirit, this classic iced tea is the kind of drink that makes a hot afternoon feel instantly more manageable. Black tea bags steep in boiling water before the sugar gets stirred in while everything is still hot — that's the move that ensures every sip is perfectly, evenly sweet rather than gritty at the bottom of the glass. A splash of cold water brings the concentrate down to a drinkable temperature and mellows the brew to that ideal amber strength. Optional lemon slices and fresh mint take it from backyard staple to something that looks genuinely put-together on a table. Since this is made entirely from scratch with just three pantry ingredients, there's zero guesswork about what's actually in your glass — no mystery additives, no shared-facility concerns, just pure, honest tea. It's the kind of recipe you'll find yourself making on repeat all summer 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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