Xanthan Gum Free Green Tea Citrus Iced Tea
This bright, refreshing drink layers the grassy delicacy of green tea with the sunny punch of fresh lemon and orange, all sweetened with a touch of maple syrup. Every ingredient here is completely straightforward — no thickeners, stabilizers, or additives of any kind, which makes it a natural fit for anyone avoiding gum-based ingredients that sneak into so many commercial beverages and drink mixes. The technique matters too: steeping the tea at 175°F rather than a rolling boil keeps the flavor clean and mellow, and skipping the bag squeeze means zero bitterness to muddy those bright citrus notes. Fresh-squeezed juice and zest from both lemon and orange give the tea a layered, almost sparkling quality that no bottled concentrate can match. It comes together in one pitcher, chills beautifully, and looks stunning poured over ice with a few mint sprigs and citrus rounds on the rim. Whether you're sipping it on a hot afternoon or serving it at a casual gathering, this is the kind of drink that disappears fast and earns immediate requests for the recipe.
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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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