Refreshing and tangy, Iced Tea is made with black tea and fresh lemon juice; perfect for beating the summer heat. Iced Tea is simply brewed tea that’s cooled and served cold, often over ice with a splash of lemon or sweetener. This easy Lemon Iced Tea recipe takes just about 10 minutes to make (not counting cooling time) and can be customized with your choice of sweetener or fruit juice.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Beverages
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Ingredients
▢1.24 litre water
▢2 tablespoons black tea powder or black tea leaves or green tea leaves
▢0.5 cup sugar – can also add ¼ cup to ⅓ cup sugar for a less sweet taste
▢3 tablespoons lemon juice – can add less or more as required
▢ice cubes as required
▢lemon slices – few, for garnish, optional
Instructions
Steeping tea
1:In a pot or saucepan pour water.
2:Heat the pan on a medium flame and allow the water to come to a boil.
3:Once the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and add 2 tablespoons black tea powder or tea leaves
4:Add sugar. Mix very well.
5:Let the black tea powder steep in hot water for 4 to 5 minutes. For a lighter flavour, steep it for just 2 to 3 minutes.– If using tea leaves, 2 to 3 minutes is usually enough.– If using green tea, steep for 2 minutes.
6:After the tea is steeped in the hot water, add 3 tablespoons lemon juice. For a more lemony taste, you can opt to add 4 tablespoons lemon juice.
7:Stir with a spoon.
8:Then using a tea strainer, strain the lemon tea in a steel or glass jar. The glass jar should be able to handle the heat.
9:Let the lemon tea cool at room temperature. Later you can chill it in the fridge.
Making iced tea
1:While serving, add 4 to 5 ice cubes in a glass or glasses. You can add less or more as per your preference. If using cold iced tea from the refrigerator, then you can skip adding ice cubes.
2:Also add 1 to 2 lemon slices. Adding lemon slices is optional.
3:Pour the lemon tea in the glass or glasses.
4:Garnish with a lemon slice or a sprig of mint leaves.
5:Serve Lemon Iced Tea immediately. While drinking do stir lemon iced tea with a stirrer or a spoon.
Storage
1.If you are not planning to serve ice tea on the same day, then keep it in the fridge.
2.It keeps well for 2 to 3 days when refrigerated. Do not keep it outside as it may start to ferment.
Expert Tips
Tea leaves: You can use either black tea or green tea for this recipe. Steep the leaves to your preferred strength – light or strong.
Avoid bitterness: Don’t over-steep the tea, especially black tea powder, as it can turn bitter. Around 3 to 5 minutes is usually enough.
Prevent cloudiness: Let the brewed tea cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Placing hot tea directly into the fridge can make it turn cloudy.
Fruit variations: Feel free to experiment with fruits like orange, apple, lime, or berries. You can also swap lemon juice with other citrus juices.
Adjust sweetness: If using different fruits or juices, taste and adjust the amount of sweetener accordingly.
Sweetener options: Use any sweetener you prefer—white sugar, raw sugar, cane sugar, coconut sugar, jaggery, honey, or agave. If using honey be sure to not add it until the brewed tea has cooled to room temperature. Honey becomes toxic when added to hot beverages and food, according to Ayurveda.
No lemon? You can skip the lemon juice completely for a basic iced tea version.
Garnish ideas: Fresh mint or basil leaves add a nice, cooling touch.
Storage: Keep the ice tea refrigerated. It stays fresh for 3 to 4 days. Avoid leaving it out, as it may ferment.
Scaling up: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
FAQs
What other kinds of fruit iced tea can I make with this recipe?
You can prepare a refreshing iced tea using limes, oranges, berries, or even seasonal fruits like mango or peaches. Just swap the lemon juice with your fruit of choice.
Why does my iced tea taste bitter or look cloudy?
Bitterness often comes from over-steeping the tea, especially black tea. Steep for about 3 to 5 minutes only. For clear tea, let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating to avoid cloudiness.
How long does homemade iced tea keep well?
Store it in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days. Always keep it chilled to avoid fermentation.
Can this recipe be doubled or halved?
Yes, easily. The base recipe makes about four servings. You can scale it up or down depending on how many glasses you need.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Calories | 102 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g |
| Protein | 0.04 g |
| Fat | 0.03 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.01 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.003 g |
| Sodium | 16 mg |
| Potassium | 22 mg |
| Fiber | 0.04 g |
| Sugar | 25 g |
| Vitamin A | 1 IU |
| Vitamin B1 | 0.003 mg |
| Vitamin B2 | 0.003 mg |
| Vitamin B3 | 0.01 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.01 mg |
| Vitamin C | 4 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.02 mg |
| Calcium | 13 mg |
| Vitamin B9 | 3 µg |
| Iron | 0.1 mg |
| Magnesium | 4 mg |
| Phosphorus | 1 mg |
| Zinc | 0.04 mg |