Celery Free Raspberry Lemon Iced Tea
Few drinks hit as refreshingly as a homemade iced tea that actually tastes like something. This one layers bold black tea with a vibrant, from-scratch raspberry syrup and a bright squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a pitcher drink that looks stunning and tastes even better. The raspberry syrup is the real star — fresh berries are simmered down with a touch of maple syrup until the liquid turns a deep, jewel-toned red, then strained smooth for a clean, naturally sweet base. There's no celery or celery-derived ingredients anywhere in this recipe, which makes it a genuinely worry-free option compared to some store-bought flavored teas or cocktail mixers that can sneak in unexpected plant extracts. Everything here is straightforward and easy to verify: tea, fruit, citrus, and a natural sweetener. Serve it over a tall glass of ice with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint for a presentation that looks like it came from a café. It's the kind of thing you'll want to keep a pitcher of in the fridge all week.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the tea
- 6 cup water
- 4 black tea bags
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
For the raspberry syrup
- 6 oz fresh raspberries (about 1 ½ cups)
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup maple syrup
For serving
- ice, for serving
- lemon 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. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags, then let the tea cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- 2
While the tea steeps, combine the raspberries, 1/2 cup water, and maple syrup in the same saucepan (or a small one) over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and pressing the raspberries gently with the back of a spoon, until the berries have broken down completely and the liquid is deep red, about 5–6 minutes.
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