Description
A refreshing homemade Strawberry Sweet Tea combining rich black tea with a luscious strawberry syrup, perfect for summer sipping and enjoying over ice.
Ingredients
Scale
Tea Base
- 2 cups water
- 8 black tea bags
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp baking soda
Strawberry Syrup
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups strawberries chopped
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Boil Water and Steep Tea: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once boiling, remove from heat and add the tea bags. Steep for 5 minutes.
- Remove Tea Bags: Remove the tea bags using tongs, squeezing out any excess tea, then transfer the tea into a large pitcher along with 4 additional cups of water and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Stir gently.
- Prepare Strawberry Syrup: In the same saucepan, combine the remaining 2 cups of water, chopped strawberries, and granulated sugar. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar and extract strawberry flavor.
- Cool and Strain Syrup: Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the strawberry syrup to cool. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a small pitcher or cup, pressing to extract as much juice as possible.
- Combine and Serve: Add the strawberry syrup to the pitcher with tea and stir well. Pour the strawberry sweet tea over ice in individual glasses and serve immediately.
Notes
- Store strawberry sweet tea covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- For less sweetness, reduce sugar by half for a fruitier flavor.
- Add lemon juice for a zesty twist if desired.
- Use ripe strawberries for the most intense flavor, especially in summer when strawberries are juiciest.
- Start with cold water for boiling to avoid cloudy tea caused by tannins.
- Do not over-steep tea to prevent bitterness; 5 minutes is ideal.
- Add ice to each glass rather than the pitcher to avoid diluting the tea.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 15 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
