Emulsifier Free Cranberry Orange Iced Tea
Tart cranberry, bright citrus, and bold black tea come together in a drink that feels genuinely refreshing without relying on anything artificial. Store-bought iced teas and juice blends are notorious for sneaking in additives and emulsifiers, so making your own from scratch is the cleanest way to enjoy a glass you can actually trust. Here, the sweetness comes entirely from maple syrup, which dissolves beautifully into the hot tea base and keeps the ingredient list short and honest. Steeping orange zest strips alongside the tea bags pulls out a natural, aromatic citrus note that no bottled flavoring can really replicate. Pure unsweetened cranberry juice — 100% cranberry, nothing added — gives the drink its gorgeous ruby color and a pleasantly tart backbone that balances the sweetness perfectly. After a couple of hours in the fridge, it's deeply chilled and ready to pour over ice, with optional orange slices and fresh mint making it look as good as it tastes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the tea
- 6 cup water
- 4 black tea bags
- 3 strips orange zest (each about 3 inches long), peeled with a vegetable peeler
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 cup pure unsweetened cranberry juice (100% cranberry, no added sweeteners or apple juice)
For serving
- ice cubes, for serving
- orange slices, for serving (optional)
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the tea bags and orange zest strips, and steep for 5 minutes, until the tea is deep amber and fragrant.
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