Description
A refreshing homemade Strawberry Iced Tea made with black tea, fresh strawberries, and a splash of lemon juice. This easy-to-make iced tea combines a sweet strawberry syrup with brewed tea to create a delicious summer beverage perfect for entertaining or cooling off on warm days.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Strawberry Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
For the Tea
- 8 cups water
- 6 black tea bags (or 6 teaspoons loose leaf black tea)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Ice cubes, for serving
Instructions
- Make the strawberry syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has fully dissolved. Add the sliced fresh strawberries to the saucepan and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the strawberries to release their flavor and color into the syrup.
- Strain the syrup: Remove the saucepan from heat and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing gently to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard the strawberry pulp and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.
- Brew the tea: Bring the remaining 7 cups of water to a boil. Pour the boiling water into a large pitcher and steep the black tea bags for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on desired strength. Remove the tea bags and let the tea cool to room temperature.
- Combine ingredients: Once both the strawberry syrup and tea have cooled, stir the syrup and 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice into the pitcher with the brewed tea, mixing well to combine all flavors evenly.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the strawberry iced tea for at least 30 minutes to chill. Serve the iced tea over ice cubes for a refreshing drink.
Notes
- You can adjust the sweetness by varying the amount of sugar in the syrup or adding more water to dilute the tea.
- For extra flavor, muddle a few strawberries before simmering or garnish with fresh mint leaves.
- The tea can be brewed stronger or weaker based on personal taste preferences.
- Use a fine sieve or cheesecloth to ensure a smooth syrup without pulp.
- Store any leftover iced tea in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
