Artificial Food Coloring Free Green Tea Citrus Iced Tea
This iced tea is the kind of drink that looks like it came from a fancy café but comes together with nothing more than a kettle, some citrus, and a little patience. Every drop of color and flavor here is completely natural — the golden-green hue comes from real green tea, fresh-squeezed lemon and orange juice, and their zests, with zero synthetic dyes or artificial additives anywhere in sight. Maple syrup steps in as the sweetener, dissolving effortlessly into the warm tea and adding a subtle depth that plain sugar just can't match. The trick to keeping the tea bright and smooth rather than bitter is steeping at a lower temperature and resisting the urge to squeeze the bags — a small step that makes a big difference. Once it's chilled and poured over ice, the citrus zest really blooms, giving every glass a fragrant, refreshing lift. It's an ideal option for anyone trying to avoid the long ingredient lists on store-bought bottled teas, which are often loaded with colorings and preservatives you'd rather skip. Serve it with a sprig of mint and a citrus wheel and it's genuinely hard to believe something this pretty is also this clean.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 4 cups water
- 4 green tea bags
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- ¼ cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 medium orange)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp orange zest
For serving
- 2 cups ice cubes
- lemon or orange slices, for garnish (optional)
- fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 4 cups of water to 175°F (80°C) in a medium saucepan — just below a simmer, with small bubbles beginning to form at the bottom. Remove from heat.
- 2
Add the green tea bags and steep for 3 minutes, then remove and discard the bags. Do not squeeze the bags, as this releases bitter tannins.
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