Artificial Food Coloring Free Strawberry Lime Iced Tea

Total time45 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time5 min

Artificial Food Coloring Free Strawberry Lime Iced Tea

That gorgeous deep-pink color in this iced tea comes entirely from real crushed strawberries — no dyes, no shortcuts, just fruit doing what fruit does best. Fresh strawberries are mashed directly into cold water until they release their juice, giving the drink a naturally vibrant hue that store-bought versions fake with artificial additives. Brewed black tea forms the backbone, sweetened with maple syrup for a rounded, earthy sweetness that plays beautifully against the bright hit of fresh lime juice. The result is refreshing, layered, and complex in a way that feels almost fancy without requiring much effort at all. For anyone navigating labels and trying to avoid synthetic dyes in beverages, this is the kind of recipe that makes it easy to just pour a glass and relax. Serve it over ice with a lime slice and a sprig of mint, and it looks like something you'd pay too much for at a café.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the tea base

3 cups water
4 black tea bags
Lipton Black Tea, 8 oz Twinings of London Black Tea English Breakfast - 20 Count Twinings of London Black Tea English Breakfast Decaffeinated - 20 Count PG Tips Black Tea - 40 Count Stash Black Tea English Breakfast - 20 Count
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3 tbsp maple syrup

For the strawberry infusion

1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1 cup cold water

For serving

3 cups ice cubes
lime slices, for garnish (optional)
fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1
Bring 3 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 stir in the maple syrup until dissolved. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
2
While the tea cools, combine the strawberries and 1 cup cold water in the saucepan (or a separate bowl). Use a fork or the back of a spoon to crush the strawberries until they release their juice and the water turns deep pink, about 1 minute.

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