Artificial Flavors Free Sparkling Blueberry Lemon Iced Tea
This drink is the kind of thing you'd happily pay too much for at a trendy café, except you made it yourself with nothing but real, whole ingredients. Store-bought flavored teas and sparkling drinks are notorious for sneaking in artificial flavors, colors, and "natural flavor" blends that are anything but straightforward — so making your own is genuinely the smarter move. The blueberry-lemon syrup is the star here: fresh or frozen blueberries and real lemon juice simmer down with maple syrup into something deeply fruity and bright, with zero shortcuts. Black tea gives the base a subtle depth that balances the sweetness perfectly, and the chilled sparkling water at the end adds that satisfying fizz without any mystery additives. Every single element is exactly what it says it is, which makes sipping this feel as good as it tastes. Serve it over a tall glass of ice with a few fresh blueberries and a lemon slice, and it looks as impressive as anything you'd find on a restaurant menu.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the tea
- 4 black tea bags
- 3 cups boiling water
For the blueberry-lemon syrup
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
To finish
- 2 cups sparkling water, chilled
- ice, for serving
For serving
- fresh blueberries and lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the tea bags in a heatproof pitcher or large bowl. Pour 3 cups of boiling water over them and steep for 5 minutes, then remove the bags without squeezing. Set the brewed tea aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- 2
While the tea steeps, combine the blueberries, 1/2 cup water, maple syrup, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries burst and the syrup is slightly thickened, about 8–10 minutes.
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