Southern Sweet Tea

This refreshing Southern sweet tea is a thirst-quencher drink with only 5 ingredients and pretty customizable based on your preference—a perfect beverage for entertaining or simply “me time” at home.

Course beverages

Cuisine American, Southern

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Servings

Calories 97kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Simple Syrup

¾ cup (150 g) sugar more or less; adjust to taste or replace with honey or another sweetener
1 cup (240 ml) water
a few mint leaves optional

Sweet Tea

5-6 teabags
7-9 cups (1.6 - 2.1 L) filtered water
⅛ teaspoon (0.50 g) baking soda optional
lemon slices and/or strawberries optional

Instructions

Simple Syrup

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil; keep stirring until the sugar has dissolved - about 5-7 minutes.
Throw in mint if using any. Let it cool.

Sweet Tea

Bring about 2-3 cups of water to a boil. Then add teabags and baking soda, remove the pot from the heat.
Let sit 5-7 minutes. Add the remaining water, remove the teabags from the pot, add simple syrup, pour the hot tea into a jug, and stir well.

Notes

Steep the tea longer for a stronger tea, if desired.
Cut back or add more sugar, depending on your preference. But if it’s your first time making this, you can start with this recipe.
A simple syrup (a solution of sugar in water) brings sweetness to this recipe without worrying about loose sugar granules.
Adding a little bit of baking soda to the mixture will remove any cloudiness resulting in a pitcher of crystal-clear and smooth sweet tea.
You can add a shot of your favorite liquor for a grown-up Friday night drink.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition