Traditional Southern Iced Sweet Tea
Traditional Southern Iced Sweet Tea
This Traditional Southern Iced Sweet Tea is a refreshing home-brewed sweet tea made from black tea and boasts of great hints of lemon and a whole lot of sweetness---just like they like it down south! The perfect drink for the sunniest of days regardless of the season! A true Southern staple, where conversations cannot exist without a good glass of sweet tea.
Traditional Southern Iced Sweet Tea. One of the few sweet drinks that I can't live without---honestly. Haha.
I've been so excited to share this recipe with you guys! If you've been following Orchids + Sweet Tea, then you know that I'm a Southern girl at heart (born + raised), so this cup of goodness brings back so many great memories and fun in the sun moments.
For those of you that are in the South, I do hope that this recipe makes you proud! Haha.
While you can use any brand of black tea that you prefer, I find that the Lipton brand of tea serves the best variation of sweet tea, in my opinion. Oh and they actually have an organic version which makes things even better for me since I'm all about eating healthier and living a healthier lifestyle.
I remember growing up and seeing my Grandma and other relatives use the Lipton brand, so I guess that it's a staple at this point-----a staple for me anyway.
Generally, when drinking black tea, whether to make my homemade chai tea latte or drink black tea regularly, I always stick with my go-to brand, Bigelow tea.
Why Sweet Tea? What is Southern Sweet Tea?
Much like Lemonade (for many people), this sweet tea is the epitome of a Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter----- an all around MUST HAVE in the south. Yes, ya'll---it's that serious!
For those of you who aren't familiar, Sweet Tea is not just sugar and water with a tea bag. I know. CRAZY! There's a specific process that has to happen:
Steep (the longer the stronger the flavor).
Mix in sugar for a complete dissolve.
Add to pitcher, add lemons for added taste, and CHILL COMPLETELY before serving it with ice.
Add your favorite liquor or bourbon for a bit of pizazz (Adults-only)!
So you see, there's a complete science to this stuff, especially with the chilling of it since Sweet Tea MUST BE COLD for it to be considered the true Southern staple! Haha. Sorry if this sounds dramatic, but us Southerners are serous about our sweets------cakes, pies, banana pudding, sweet tea---you name it.
Why Is Sweet Tea A Southern Thing?
Considered a staple in Southern cuisine, sweet tea's "birthplace" is believed to have come about in St. Louis. It was here, at the World's Fair in 1904, that the oh-so-sweet southern-style sweet tea was born. And it is no surprise that Southerners grasped ahold of this sweet delicacy and mastered the recipe to transform it into a household staple.
Why Add Baking Soda to Sweet Tea?
OK, so I know that this must be a shocker, but yes---you do add baking soda to sweet tea. Why? Whelp, although it seems super weird to do so, adding baking soda to your sweet tea prevents it from getting cloudy and bitter. If you've ever tried leaving your leftover sweet tea in the refrigerator for a few days, only to find out that after a day or so, it's bitter and not as enjoyable----then know that adding a small amount of baking soda does the trick!
In addition, just know that baking soda has health benefits as well, so it won't harm you! For one, baking soda is great for helping with indigestion and acid reflux. Also, it's great for keeping your mouth healthy among other benefits. So, the next time you add a pinch of baking soda to your sweet tea, just know that you're not adding something harmful to this glass of goodness!
Homemade Sweet Tea vs. Store-bought.
When searching for a big box of Lipton tea bags, I did notice that there were a ton of options available these days when it comes to flavor. They even have the Southern Sweet Tea mix, which makes things a lot easier for those who may not have want to make it from scratch or just need a quick fix without the time.
However, I wanted to make this classic recipe fully homemade because I'm just a believer that sometimes homemade is just best. So, I chose to brew my tea bags myself and add in the other ingredients. Plus, homemade always gives you the option of mixing and matching ingredients for your own liking----you know.
How To Make Southern Sweet Tea
To start, you have to steep your tea bags in a large pot of boiling water. To speed things up, I generally use 8 tea bags for a large-sized pitcher (as shown in my photo), however, you can always use more if you want to have a bolder black tea flavor.
Obviously for a larger pitcher, you can add an additional 2 tea bags to the brewing process.
Speaking of the brewing process, thank goodness for the little strings attached to the tea bag right? I can't tell you how many times my entire tea bag (string and all) has fallen into the pot during the steeping process. Haha.
Oh, well! It's still the perfect taste! Just continue to steep your tea bags for about 20 minutes (minimum) to an hour for the best results. The longer, the stronger!
In a large pitcher, add steeped tea mixture (keeping the tea bags out), lemon slices, baking soda, and 3 cups of ice and refrigerate immediately to keep it cold, about 30 minutes to an hour.
Once sweet tea has chilled considerably, serve: pouring sweet tea into prepared glass(es) and adding a slice or two of lemon, if desired.
What About the Sugar in this Sweet Tea?
Yes, so the major question here is----what about all of that sugar! Firstly, I'll start by saying, there are plenty of sugar substitutes that can work for this recipe without compromising taste!
To start, you can use organic brown sugar or organic pure cane sugar instead of regular white sugar to keep things healthier. Also, you can substitute sugar for stevia or allulose for an even healthier option. While I haven't tried this recipe with maple syrup (because I believe that the overall taste would change), I do think that using Agave might work as a great option as well.
MORE SOUTHERN RECIPES TO TRY!
- Southern Baked Mac and Cheese with Breadcrumbs
- Ultra-Creamy Southern Cheese Grits
- Southern Salted Caramel Cake
- Classic Southern Banana Pudding
- Southern Caprese Biscuit Breakfast Strata
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Strawberry Sweet Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you make this Traditional Southern Iced Sweet Tea, tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea
Traditional Southern Iced Sweet Tea
Ingredients
- 1 gallon fresh water
- 8-10 Lipton black tea bags, organic (You can use 6-7 for less black tea strength)
- 2 cups organic brown sugar (See Notes!)
- 2 medium lemons, rinsed + sliced w/ skin on (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (See Notes!)
Instructions
- Start by adding water to a large pot over high heat and bringing it to a boil. Add your tea bags to the boiling water and let it continue to boil for another 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat and let tea bags continue to steep for 15-20 minutes. **NOTE: The longer that the tea bags steep, the stronger the flavor. You can let them steep up to 30 minutes before it begins to get bitter.**
- Meanwhile, add in the brown sugar and stir until it's fully incorporated and dissolved. Let the mixture cool completely, about 1 hour or so.
- In a large pitcher, add steeped tea mixture (keeping the tea bags out), lemon slices, baking soda, and 3 cups of ice and refrigerate immediately to keep it cold, about 30 minutes to an hour.
- Once sweet tea has chilled considerably, serve: pouring sweet tea into prepared glass(es) and adding a slice or two of lemon, if desired.
- Sip and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition
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Traditional Southern Iced Sweet Tea.
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Delicious Recipe, drinking this tea during the hot summer season would be a refreshing and delicious one gonna try.
Hi! Yes, I so agree----super refreshing! Thanks so much! 🙂
Top off the pitchers with water. Add 3 more quarts of water to the tea base to make a gallon of sweet tea and stir to combine.
I love making a big batch of ice tea to sip on all day long, this recipe sounds so delicious!
There's nothing better than a glass of refreshing tea during the summer and this one hits the spot! We've always been a huge Lipton fan!
I couldn't agree more, Kiim!
My family loves sweet tea! Such a great classic recipe and summertime fav!
I'm so with ya, Tisha!
Perfect summer refreshment. I love sweet tea!
I love iced tea! Looks and sounds so delicious and perfect on hot summer days!
Yes, me too Natalie! Thanks so much!