Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

southern sweet tea

(20 ratings)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Debby DeRousse
Houston, TX

I love iced tea. I think I cut my teeth on iced tea. I drink it morning, noon, and night. For peach iced tea, use the recipe and add 1/2 cup sugar. Stir together 1 1/2 quarts of tea, 1 (46 oz.) bottle of peach nectar, and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice. Serve over ice.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Follow these directions, and you'll have the perfectly brewed sweet tea that makes any Southerner proud. The tea is steeped just right and is rounded out with the perfect amount of sugar. Add a fresh slice of lemon, and you'll have a delicious glass of refreshing sweet tea for summer.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(20 ratings)
yield 10 serving(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 10 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For southern sweet tea

  • 10 c
    cold water, divided
  • 2
    family-sized tea bags or about 8 regular tea bags
  • 1/2 - 1 c
    granulated sugar

How To Make southern sweet tea

Test Kitchen Tips
We added the full cup of sugar and felt it was just right.
  • Tea bags steeping in boiling water.
    1
    Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the tea bags. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes.
  • Remove tea bags from the water.
    2
    Remove and discard the tea bags.
  • Add sugar.
    3
    Add the sugar, stirring until dissolved.
  • Pour tea into a gallon container and add remaining water.
    4
    Pour into a gallon container. Add the remaining 7 cups of cold water. Serve over ice.
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