Citric Acid Free Pineapple Ginger Iced Tea
Tropical, refreshing, and built entirely from scratch, this iced tea is the kind of drink that makes a regular afternoon feel like a little vacation. Fresh pineapple juice brings natural sweetness and that signature sunny flavor, while a generous knob of ginger gets simmered right into the tea base so every sip has a warm, spicy backbone. Maple syrup steps in as the sweetener, keeping things smooth and free from the processed additives that sneak into so many store-bought beverages. For anyone navigating citric acid sensitivities, bottled juices and flavored teas are often a minefield — this recipe sidesteps all of that by using only fresh-pressed pineapple and a small squeeze of fresh lime. The ginger is steeped twice, first in boiling water and then again as the tea cools, which coaxes out every bit of its bold, aromatic heat. Chilled over ice and garnished with a wedge of pineapple or a sprig of mint, it's genuinely stunning to serve to guests — though it's just as good sipped solo straight from the pitcher.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the tea base
- 4 cups water
- 4 black tea bags
- 1 oz fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (about a 2-inch piece)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup, plus more to taste
- 1 ½ cups fresh pineapple juice (from about ½ medium pineapple, juiced or blended and strained)
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
For serving
- 2 cups ice cubes
- fresh pineapple wedges, for garnish (optional)
- fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the water and sliced ginger in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes, until the tea is deep amber and fragrant.
- 2
Remove and discard the tea bags. Stir in the maple syrup until fully dissolved. Let the ginger continue to steep in the hot tea for another 5 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing the ginger slices to extract their flavor; discard the solids.
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