Description
A refreshing, homemade sweet tea lemonade that tastes like real lemons and takes less than 15 minutes to make. This simple recipe uses basic pantry ingredients for a classic summer drink.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 black tea bags (20g)
- 4 cups water (for brewing)
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup water (for simple syrup)
- 4 medium fresh lemons (about 1 cup juice)
- 4 cups cold water (for dilution)
- Ice cubes
- Lemon slices (optional, for garnish)
- Mint leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved to create a simple syrup.
- Boil 4 cups of water in a separate kettle or pot. Remove from heat and add the 8 tea bags. Steep for 5-7 minutes, then remove the tea bags.
- Pour the hot tea into a large pitcher. Add the simple syrup and stir well. Add the remaining 4 cups of cold water and stir again. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature or refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- Juice the 4 lemons to get about 1 to 1.25 cups of juice. Strain to remove seeds and pulp.
- Pour the fresh lemon juice into the cooled tea mixture and stir well. Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness if necessary.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let flavors meld. Serve over ice with lemon slices and mint if desired.
Notes
Do not add lemon juice to hot tea as it can make the drink taste cooked and metallic. Ensure the tea is completely cooled before adding the lemon juice. For a sparkling version, replace half the cold water with sparkling water right before serving. If using loose leaf tea, use 2 tablespoons per 4 cups of water.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 22
- Sodium: 5
- Carbohydrates: 23
Keywords: sweet tea, lemonade, iced tea, summer drink, homemade lemonade, old-fashioned tea, quick recipe, vegan drink, gluten-free drink