Southern Sweet Tea Recipe

Bring water to near-boil

Pour 8 cups of cold water into a large pot or kettle. Heat over medium-high until it reaches a rolling simmer (just before a full boil), about 6–8 minutes depending on equipment.

Steep tea

Remove the pot from heat. Add 6 black tea bags to the hot water. Cover the pot and let the tea steep for 5 to 7 minutes for a strong flavor typical of Southern sweet tea. For a slightly stronger brew, steep up to 8 minutes — avoid much longer to prevent bitterness.

Remove tea bags

Carefully remove and discard the tea bags, pressing gently on each with the back of a spoon against the pot to extract extra brewed tea (do not squeeze too hard or you may add bitterness).

Dissolve sugar

In a heatproof measuring cup or small bowl, add 1 cup of hot water (from the kettle or warmed) and 1 cup granulated sugar. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved, creating a simple syrup. This ensures even sweetness without undissolved sugar settling.

Combine syrup with tea

Pour the dissolved sugar (simple syrup) into the hot brewed tea and stir thoroughly to combine while still warm. Taste and adjust: for slightly less sweet tea, use 3/4 cup sugar; for sweeter, add up to 1 1/4 cups total.

Cool to room temperature

Allow the sweetened tea to cool to room temperature on the counter, about 20–30 minutes. Stir occasionally to help dissipate heat faster.

Refrigerate until chilled

Transfer the tea to a pitcher if not already in one, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours. Chilling also mellows the flavor.

Serve over ice

Fill glasses with ice (about 1 cup ice per 8-ounce glass). Pour chilled sweet tea over the ice. Garnish each glass with an optional lemon slice and a mint sprig if desired. Stir gently and serve immediately.

Storage

Store leftover sweet tea in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Stir or shake lightly before serving. Avoid leaving tea at room temperature for extended periods once sweetened.