Raspberry Tea Green Tea Half & Half Recipe

Brew the teas

Bring 4 cups of water to just under a boil (about 200°F / 93°C). Steep 2 tea bags or 2 tbsp loose-leaf green tea in 2 cups of the hot water for 2–3 minutes to make a strong green tea; do not oversteep to avoid bitterness. In a separate pot or after removing the green tea, steep 2 tea bags or 2 tbsp loose-leaf black tea in the remaining 2 cups of hot water for 3–4 minutes for a robust black tea. Remove tea bags/strainers and let both teas cool to warm, about 10 minutes.

Combine the cooled green and black teas in a heatproof pitcher so you have 4 cups of mixed tea (2 cups green + 2 cups black). Place the pitcher in the refrigerator to chill while you make the raspberry syrup (or chill with an ice bath for 10–15 minutes).

Make raspberry syrup

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup raspberries, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the raspberries break down, about 6–8 minutes.

Use a fork or a potato masher to gently crush any remaining whole raspberries in the saucepan. Simmer another 1–2 minutes so the syrup thickens slightly.

Remove from heat. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or measuring cup, pressing on solids to extract the syrup but leaving seeds behind. Discard the solids. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Taste and add up to 2 teaspoons additional sugar if you prefer sweeter syrup. Let the syrup cool to room temperature (about 15–20 minutes).

Assemble the half & half

Fill four tall glasses with about 3/4 cup ice each (total ~3 cups ice). Divide the chilled tea mixture among the glasses, pouring about 1 cup tea per glass (4 cups total).

Spoon or pour 2 tablespoons (about 1 oz / 30 ml) of the raspberry syrup into each glass. Stir gently to combine. Taste and add the optional extra sweetener (up to 2 tsp per glass) if desired.

Garnish each glass with 2 lemon slices and 2 mint leaves, if using. Serve immediately over ice. If you prefer a lightly sparkling version, replace up to 1/2 cup of the chilled tea with chilled sparkling water and stir gently before adding syrup.