Iced Tea Recipe

Time2h

Serves8

Free refills.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

1
Brew the tea
Bring 8 cups of fresh water to a near boil (about 200–205°F / 93–96°C). Remove from heat and add 6 black tea bags. Let steep 4–6 minutes depending on desired strength (4 minutes for lighter, 6 minutes for stronger).
2
Remove tea bags
Remove the tea bags, gently pressing each against the side of the pot with a spoon to extract a little extra flavor without squeezing out bitter tannins.
3
Cool to room temperature
Allow the brewed tea to cool at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before refrigerating. This reduces dilution from melting ice later and preserves clarity.

4
Make simple syrup (if sweetening)
If you want sweetened iced tea or plan to offer a pitcher of sweet tea for refills, combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup hot water in a heatproof container. Stir until sugar fully dissolves, forming a simple syrup. Let cool to room temperature.
5
Combine syrup with tea
Stir the cooled simple syrup into the cooled tea a little at a time, tasting until you reach desired sweetness. Typical sweet tea is about 3/4 to 1 cup sugar per 8 cups tea; adjust to preference.

6
Add lemon or mint
Add 2–4 lemon slices and a few mint sprigs to the pitcher for a light citrus/mint aroma. For a stronger lemon flavor, squeeze 1–2 lemon wedges into the tea before serving.

7
Chill and serve
Refrigerate the pitcher of tea until well chilled, at least 1–2 hours. When serving, fill glasses with about 1/2 to 1 cup of ice cubes, pour tea over ice, and garnish with a lemon slice or mint sprig as desired. Offer free refills by keeping the pitcher chilled and replenishing glasses with ice as needed.
8
Storage
Keep leftover iced tea covered in the refrigerator and use within 3–4 days. If tea becomes cloudy, shake or stir; discard if off-smelling.