Southern Sweet Tea Recipe

Ratings: from .

PREP TIME 10 min

Cocktail Type

Non-Alcoholic

Great for

Thanksgiving

Difficulty

Easy

Glasses filled with Southern Sweet Tea, ice, mint and fresh lemon

Southern Sweet Tea is a classic non-alcoholic iced tea that is deeply rooted in the South. While it’s a summer classic, you can easily whip up a gallon-sized jug for guests at Thanksgiving and during the holiday season. The best part? They can just help themselves.

This recipe will yield approximately 16 glasses of Sweet Tea. But if you’re expecting fewer people or an even bigger crowd, use our nifty recipe calculator below and adjust the quantities.

QUICK TIPS

01
-

Don’t over-boil the water, as this can lead to a flat-tasting tea. 

02
-

Use one tea bag or one teaspoon of loose tea leaves per 8 ounces of water. 

03
-

Steep the tea for 3–5 minutes for moderate strength. If you want it stronger, steep it for a tad longer. Don’t overdo it, though, as the tea will become bitter. 

INGREDIENTS

MAKE FOR

16 Persons

3
Black tea bags
16
Cups of fresh water
1
Cup of granulated sugar
Lemon slices and fresh mint sprigs to garnish
Ice

INSTRUCTIONS

01
1.

Bring 4 cups of the water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat

02
2.

Remove from heat, add the tea bags and steep for 5 minutes 

03
3.

Remove the tea bags and add 1 cup of granulated sugar to the tea, stirring until completely dissolved

04
4.

Pour the tea base into a gallon pitcher. If using multiple pitchers, divide the tea evenly between them and top with water

05
5.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight 

06
6.

Serve over ice, with sliced lemon or fresh mint