Nitrate & Nitrite Free Raspberry Lemon Iced Tea
Bright, fruity, and deeply refreshing, this raspberry lemon iced tea is the kind of drink that makes you want to sit on a porch and do absolutely nothing for a while. Fresh raspberries are simmered down into a gorgeous ruby syrup sweetened with maple syrup, then blended with brewed black tea and a generous squeeze of real lemon juice. Every single ingredient here is clean and recognizable, which matters when you're trying to avoid the preservatives and additives that sneak into so many bottled or powdered drink mixes. The homemade raspberry syrup is strained smooth, so you get all that vivid berry flavor without any of the fuss. A splash of cold water rounds everything out in the pitcher, and by the time it's chilled and poured over ice, it looks almost too pretty to drink — almost. Lemon slices and fresh mint make it feel genuinely special, whether you're serving guests or just treating yourself on a weekday afternoon.
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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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