5 from 32 votes

Sweet Tea

Name: Sweet Tea
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 8 cups water (divided); 6 black tea bags; 1 cup granulated sugar; ⅛ teaspoon baking soda; ¼ cup lemon juice (optional (fresh-squeezed preferred))

By Sam MerrittPublished Jun 16, 2022

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55 Comments

Servings: 8 servings (1 cup per serving)

15 mins

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My Sweet Tea recipe uses a special secret ingredient for the BEST flavor! It comes together in just 15 minutes and can be enjoyed right away–no waiting required. Recipe includes a how-to video!

mason jar of iced sweet tea with a lemon round garnish

An Ice-Cold Glass of Sunshine

Sweet tea is a quintessential summer drink in the north and a year-round, staple beverage in the south. While you can find it in pretty much any restaurant or easily make it at home, a truly excellent sweet tea can be hard to come by. I did lots of testing to come up with the BEST sweet tea recipe, and all of my taste testers agreed–this is it!

Many recipes have you stir the sugar in at the end, but I’ve found that creating a simple syrup first and then steeping the tea in the hot (not boiling) syrup not only creates a better, more even flavor, but it also saves time (and dishes!). I still recommend stirring the tea before pouring, but you now won’t have to worry about undissolved sugar granules.

Serve this at your next cookout alongside some cornbread and deviled eggs and you’ll have a little slice of the south in your own backyard! 😎

mason jars of iced tea with striped paper straws

Why You’ll Love My Recipe:

Can be poured over ice immediately–no waiting required!
Uses a “secret” ingredient that enhances the flavor (you probably already use it if you’re from the south!).
Is perfectly sweet without being knock-you-in-the-face-make-you-sick sweet, like some versions are.
Makes a half-gallon of tea, but can easily be doubled to make more!

What You Need

overhead view of ingredients including baking soda, tea bags, sugar, and lemons

My sweet tea recipe has an incredible flavor despite being uncomplicated. Here’s what you need to make it:

Baking soda. I know, I know–it may seem weird to add baking soda to iced tea, but trust me! Baking soda gives the tea a deeper, smoother, more rounded flavor. Some people will say it makes no difference or is merely added for aesthetic reasons (to keep the tea from getting cloudy), but that is absolutely not the case! Baking soda changes the flavor in such a profound way that my little sister (and biggest sweet tea aficionado that I know) exclaimed “This is the best sweet tea I’ve ever tasted!” when trying a sip. The majority of my blind taste-testers agreed; the pitcher made with baking soda simply tasted better and “more like sweet tea” than the one without. If you really must leave it out, you can, but I can promise your tea won’t taste nearly as good.
Black tea. Use a regular-sized (not the large ones for iced tea), unflavored black tea bags, like Lipton, Tetley, or Red Rose. I recommend steeping the tea bags for a maximum of 10 minutes; steeping for longer will produce a stronger tea, but can also make it bitter. You also don’t want to squeeze the tea bags for the same reason.
Sugar. You can’t have sweet tea without sugar! My recipe involves dissolving the sugar to create a simple syrup instead of just adding it in at the end; this ensures a tea that is smoother and more evenly flavored.
Lemon juice. Adding lemon juice is optional, but I highly recommend it. It makes for a more flavorful tea with just the right amount of tart to balance the sweetness.

SAM’S TIP: Make sure the pitcher you’re using is heat-safe! Some glass pitchers will shatter with hot liquids, and since the tea is still very warm when we add it to the pitcher, you want to be sure yours can handle it.

Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

How to Make It

collage of four photos showing iced tea being prepared with a simple syrup then poured over ice

Bring 3 cups of water, sugar, and baking soda to a boil over medium high heat, then remove from the heat.
Add your tea bags to the pot and let them steep for 10 minutes before discarding (do not squeeze them!).
Pour your tea into a large, heat-proof pitcher, then add the lemon juice and remaining water.
Stir well, pour over ice, and enjoy!

SAM’S TIP: Don’t add the tea bags to the boiling water; you can burn the tea and create a bad flavor. Instead, remove the syrup from the heat and let the boiling stop (this should happen immediately), then add your tea bags.

mason jars of iced tea with striped paper straws and lemon garnishes

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you add baking soda to sweet tea?

Some people add baking soda for clarity, but I add it for flavor. Just as in my tomato soup, baking soda helps neutralize the acidity of the tea to give it a smooth, rounded flavor. This is a classic ingredient in southern recipes, and I highly recommend including it for best results–it’s just a tiny amount!

What can I add to my tea?

Lemon slices, orange slices, mint leaves, or even frozen raspberries or peaches are all great additions to iced tea. Or, you can make an Arnold Palmer by mixing your tea with lemonade!

Why do southerners drink sweet tea?

First thing’s first, it’s hot in the southern United States, and iced tea is extremely refreshing. All obvious notions aside, the south is home to the largest commercial tea plantation in the US, so it’s no surprise that southerners like their tea. Iced tea in particular is said to have become popular during prohibition, when punches that would typically include tea and alcohol could no longer be spiked. Clearly consumers still find tea refreshing on its own, long after booze made its comeback!

large glass pitcher of iced tea with lemon rounds

I’d love to hear how you like this one (particularly if you’re from the south!)–let me know in the comments below!

Enjoy!

Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

5 from 32 votes

Sweet Tea

My sweet tea recipe uses a special secret ingredient for the BEST flavor! It comes together in just 15 minutes and can be enjoyed right away–no waiting required.

Recipe includes a how-to video!

Prep: 5

Cook: 10

Total: 15

Servings: servings (1 cup per serving)

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Equipment

Ingredients

▢ 8 cups (1.9 L) water, divided
▢ 6 black tea bags
▢ 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
▢ ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice, optional (fresh-squeezed preferred)

Instructions

Combine 3 cups of water (310ml), sugar, and baking soda in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat.
8 cups (1.9 L) water, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then immediately remove from heat.
Add tea bags and steep for 10 minutes. Lift tea bags from the tea and allow them to drip (don’t squeeze), then discard.
6 black tea bags
Pour tea into a large pitcher.
Add lemon juice, if using, then add remaining 5 cups (1.2L) cold water and stir well.
¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
Tea may be served immediately poured over ice, or store in the refrigerator for several hours before serving. Always stir before pouring.

Notes

Baking Soda

While the baking soda could be left out, I don’t recommend it. I consider it a key ingredient for a smooth but robustly flavored sweet tea. Just a pinch goes a long way!