Description
Strawberry Sweet Tea is a Southern-inspired, fruit-forward iced beverage made with fresh strawberry syrup and steeped black tea. It’s a refreshing, naturally sweet drink perfect for summer gatherings, picnics, or relaxing afternoons. With its bold color and vibrant flavor, this tea is as beautiful to serve as it is delicious to sip.
Ingredients
4 to 5 black tea bags
4 cups water (for tea)
1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup water (for syrup)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
Ice cubes, for serving
Additional strawberries, for garnish
Instructions
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, then remove from heat and add black tea bags. Steep for 5–7 minutes.
2. Discard tea bags and let the tea cool to room temperature.
3. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup sliced strawberries, ¾ cup sugar, and 1 cup water. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and gently mashing the berries.
4. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer to remove pulp, pressing gently to extract juice.
5. In a large pitcher, mix the cooled tea with the strawberry syrup. Stir in lemon juice if using.
6. Chill the tea in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
7. When ready to serve, pour over ice and garnish with strawberry slices.
8. Stir gently before serving to reblend syrup if separation occurs.
Notes
For best results, use ripe, fresh strawberries to maximize sweetness and color.
Store the syrup and tea separately if preparing in advance to keep flavors fresh.
Avoid over-steeping the tea to prevent bitterness—5 to 7 minutes is ideal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Steeping + Simmering
- Cuisine: Southern, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (8 oz)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 19g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: iced tea, strawberry drink, Southern sweet tea