MSG Free Sparkling Lemonade Berry Iced Tea
This drink is the kind of thing you'd pay too much for at a trendy café, and it's honestly even better when you make it at home. Fresh strawberries get muddled right in the pitcher, releasing their natural juice into a base of steeped black tea and a bright maple-lemon syrup — no artificial flavors, no flavor packets, no mystery additives. That matters more than people realize, because plenty of store-bought flavored teas and lemonade mixes sneak in glutamates or "natural flavors" that can be hard to trace. Every ingredient here is exactly what it says it is: real fruit, real citrus, real tea. The lemon syrup comes together in minutes on the stovetop, and the maple syrup gives it a gentle, rounded sweetness that plain sugar just can't match. A final pour of chilled sparkling water adds that satisfying fizz right before serving, keeping the bubbles lively in the glass. It's refreshing, layered, and genuinely beautiful — the kind of drink that makes a regular afternoon feel like a little occasion.
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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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