Artificial Flavors Free Strawberry Basil Iced Tea
This is the kind of drink that makes you feel like you actually have your life together — vibrant pink, deeply fragrant, and made entirely from real, whole ingredients you can see and taste. Fresh strawberries are simmered down with maple syrup until they release a gorgeous, jewel-toned juice, then steeped with a generous handful of basil leaves that add a subtle herbal lift you won't find in any bottled version. That homemade syrup is what sets this apart: no mystery sweeteners, no color additives, just fruit and herbs doing exactly what they're supposed to do. Brewed black tea brings a gentle tannin backbone that keeps the whole thing from tasting like juice, and the final pour over ice is genuinely refreshing in a way that feels a little fancy without any extra effort. Store-bought flavored teas and drink mixes are notorious for sneaking in artificial flavoring agents, so making your own syrup from scratch is the cleanest, most satisfying workaround. Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil and a few strawberry slices and it looks like something from a café menu — no shortcuts required.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the tea
- 4 cups water
- 4 black tea bags
For the strawberry basil syrup
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
To finish
- 2 cups cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- fresh basil sprigs, for garnish (optional)
- sliced strawberries, for garnish (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 set the brewed tea aside to cool slightly.
- 2
While the tea steeps, combine the halved strawberries, maple syrup, and 1/2 cup water in the same saucepan (or a second small saucepan) over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries have softened and released their juices and the liquid is a deep pink, about 8 minutes.
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