Rice Free Sparkling Blueberry Lemon Iced Tea
This drink is the kind of thing you make once and immediately want to serve at every warm-weather gathering. Ripe blueberries are simmered down with maple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest into a vibrant, jewel-toned syrup that gets stirred right into brewed black tea — the result is fruity, tangy, and just sweet enough. A generous pour of chilled sparkling water at the end gives it that satisfying fizz that makes it feel like something special. Every single ingredient here is naturally grain-free and completely free of rice in any form, so there's no label-scanning or substitution stress involved. The homemade syrup is the real star — it's miles ahead of anything bottled, and straining out the blueberry solids leaves you with a silky, deeply colored liquid that looks stunning over ice. Garnished with fresh blueberries and lemon slices, it's as pretty as it is refreshing.
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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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