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    Home » Recipes » Beverages » Sweet Tea Recipe

    Sweet Tea Recipe

    Published: Aug 16, 2018 · Modified: Apr 18, 2023 by Tonia Larson

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    ↓ JUMP TO RECIPE ↓ JUMP TO VIDEO

    This easy sweet tea recipe is super smooth and refreshing! You’ll want to keep a pitcher of this southern sweet tea in the fridge all summer long.

    sweet tea in glasses

    Since I am on vacation this week at a beach house in North Carolina, I thought it would be fitting to share a sweet tea recipe. Wilmington has become our home-away-from-home and our favorite place to travel. Every time we go we drink gallons of sweet tea!

    But back here in Minnesota, none of the restaurants serve sweet tea. I’m not even sure if you can buy it at the grocery store. When the weather got hot this summer, I started craving tea and started making it for my family.

    Here is the recipe I use. I hope you can feel the sunshine and hear the ocean waves in your mind while you drink it.

     

    Disclaimer: This post contains links to products for making this recipe. If you use those links, I may earn a commission. Learn more here.

    Sweet Tea Recipe

    smooth sweet tea

    Step One: Steep the Tea

    Put six tea bags in a small glass pitcher and pour two cups of hot water over the top of them.

    Cover and steep for 15 minutes.

    Remove the tea bag (without squeezing them) and discard.

    sweet tea recipe with baking soda

    Step Two: Secret Ingredient

    Stir baking soda into the tea to make is super SMOOTH.

    sweet tea sugar

    Step Three: Sugar

    Stir in the sugar of your choice.

    I used 1/2 cup of stevia for a diet sweet tea. You can substitute your favorite sugar alternative.

    Or use granulated sugar. Depending on how sweet you like it you can add 3/4 to 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar.

    sweet tea with lemons

    Step Four: Lemons (optional)

    If you want to use lemon in your tea, put the lemon wedges in the bottom of a 2-quart pitcher.

    Step Five: Ice (optional)

    If you are in a hurry and want to cool off the tea quickly, put two cups of ice on top of the lemons.

    homemade sweet tea in pitcher

    Step Six: Mixing

    Pour the sweet tea concentrate from the small pitcher into the large one.

    Step Seven: Cold Water

    Next, pour cold water into the pitcher and stir.

    If you added ice (see above), only add 4 cups of cold water.

    If you did not add ice, add 6 cups of cold water.

    sweet tea in mason jars

    Step Eight: Drink

    Serve chilled with ice and lemon wedges.

    sweet tea recipe

    Sweet Tea Recipe

    This easy sweet tea recipe is super smooth and refreshing! You'll want to keep a pitcher of this southern sweet tea in the fridge all summer long.
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    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
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    Equipment

    Glass Pitcher
    Quilted Jelly Jars
    Truvia Sweetener
    Black Tea Bags

    Ingredients

    • 6 black tea bags
    • 2 cups boiling water
    • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 cup stevia (or your favorite sugar alternative)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar (use 3/4 to 1 1/2 cups depending on taste)
    • 6 lemon slices (optional)
    • 6 cups cold water (or use 2 cups ice and 4 cups cold water)
    • additional ice and lemon slices for serving

    Instructions

    • Put six tea bags in a small glass pitcher and pour two cups of hot water over the top of them. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Remove the tea bag (without squeezing them) and discard.
    • Stir baking soda into the tea to make is super SMOOTH. 
    • Stir in the sugar of your choice. For diet sweet tea: Use 1/2 cup of stevia for a diet sweet tea.  Or for regular sweet tea: use granulated sugar. Depending on how sweet you like it you can add 3/4 to 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar.
    • If you want to use lemon in your tea, put the lemon wedges in the bottom of a 2-quart pitcher.
    • If you are in a hurry and want to cool off the tea quickly, put two cups of ice on top of the lemons.
    • Pour the sweet tea concentrate from the small pitcher into the large one.
    • Next, pour cold water into the pitcher and stir. If you added ice, only add 4 cups of cold water. If you did not add ice, add 6 cups of cold water.
    • Serve chilled with ice and lemon wedges.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1grams
    Course: Beverage
    Cuisine: American
    Author: Tonia Larson

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      Blueberry Milkshake
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      Banana Milkshake Recipe
    • A brownie milkshake in two glasses.
      Brownie Milkshake
    • Pink bubblegum milkshake.
      Bubblegum Milkshake

    About Tonia Larson

    Hi! I’m Tonia, the owner and recipe creator at The Gunny Sack, where I’ve shared easy recipes for busy people for 12+ years! My family-friendly meals, easy side dishes, and delicious desserts include mouthwatering photos, dynamic videos, and step-by-step instructions to help you cook at home.

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    Comments

    1. Ginny Schneider says

      August 18, 2018 at 3:47 pm

      Is it safe to drink baking soda?

      Reply
      • Cat Peters says

        March 19, 2021 at 9:48 am

        Lol – we bake with it. Im sure drinking it is perfectly fine.

        Reply
      • Will says

        February 5, 2022 at 7:54 pm

        Ginny,
        I use it all the time for indigestion, just mix a teaspoon in a glass of water, stir to dissolve, and down the hatch..

        Reply

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    Tonia Larson and Brian LarsonHi, We are Brian and Tonia Larson! We hope you enjoy our family-friendly meals, easy side dishes, and tasty desserts!
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