Sweet Tea Recipe

Bring 8 cups of fresh cold water to a rolling boil in a kettle or saucepan.

Remove from heat and add 4 black tea bags. Submerge the bags and let steep for 5 minutes for medium strength; steep 7–8 minutes for stronger flavor. Avoid steeping more than 10 minutes to prevent excessive bitterness.

After steeping, remove and discard the tea bags, gently pressing them against the side of the pot with a spoon to extract remaining liquid (avoid squeezing too hard to reduce bitterness).

While the brewed tea is still hot (but not boiling), stir in 3 tablespoons granulated sugar until fully dissolved. If you prefer to use simple syrup, add 1/4 cup simple syrup instead of granulated sugar and stir to combine.

Taste and adjust sweetness: add up to 2 more tablespoons sugar (or more simple syrup) if you like it sweeter. Stir to dissolve completely.

Let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes), then transfer to the refrigerator and chill until cold, at least 1 hour. Alternatively, if you need it cold quickly, pour the tea into a pitcher over a large bowl of ice and gently stir to chill (this will slightly dilute the tea).

Fill tall glasses with ice (about 1 cup ice per 8-12 oz glass). Pour chilled sweet tea over the ice.

If desired, squeeze a wedge of fresh lemon into each glass and garnish with a mint sprig.

Serve immediately. Store any leftover sweet tea covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.