Citric Acid Free Sparkling Lemonade Berry Iced Tea
This drink is the definition of summer in a glass — jewel-toned, fizzy, and bursting with real strawberry and lemon flavor from start to finish. The tricky part about avoiding added citric acid is that it hides in so many packaged beverages, flavored syrups, and store-bought lemonades, making a refreshing sparkling tea like this nearly impossible to grab off a shelf. Here, the brightness comes entirely from fresh-squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest, so you know exactly what's going into every sip. Maple syrup stands in as the sweetener, dissolving smoothly into a quick stovetop syrup that ties the whole drink together without any processed additives. Muddled fresh strawberries do the heavy lifting on flavor and color, strained out after they've given up every drop of their fragrant juice. The final pour of chilled sparkling water adds that satisfying fizz right before serving, keeping the bubbles lively and the drink ice-cold. It's the kind of thing you'll want to make on repeat all season long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the tea base
- 4 black tea bags
- 3 cups boiling water
For the lemon syrup
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup water
For the berry layer
- 16 medium strawberries, hulled and halved (about 200 g)
For assembling
- 2 cups sparkling water, chilled
- 2 cups ice cubes
For serving
- 4 lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
- 4 fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the tea bags in a heatproof pitcher or large measuring cup. Pour the 3 cups of boiling water over them and steep for 4–5 minutes, until the tea is deep amber and full-flavored. Remove the bags without squeezing, then let the tea cool to room temperature, about 20–25 minutes.
- 2
While the tea steeps, combine the maple syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the maple syrup is fully dissolved, about 2 minutes — the mixture should be smooth and slightly steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
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