Perfect Front Porch Sweet Tea
A classic Southern sweet tea recipe that is quick, easy, and perfectly balanced with bold tea flavor and smooth sweetness. Ideal for any occasion and best served chilled over ice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 regular-sized or 4 large black tea bags (Lipton or Luzianne recommended)
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 8 cups (1.9 liters) filtered or spring water
- Lemon slices (optional)
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Bring 8 cups (1.9 liters) of filtered water to a rolling boil in a kettle or pot (about 5-7 minutes).
- Pour boiling water over the tea bags placed in a large heatproof pitcher.
- Let the tea steep for 5-7 minutes (up to 8 minutes for stronger tea, but avoid bitterness).
- Remove the tea bags carefully, squeezing gently against the pitcher side to extract flavor without bitterness.
- Stir in 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar while the tea is still warm until fully dissolved.
- Let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature naturally (about 30 minutes).
- Refrigerate the tea for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours, until thoroughly chilled.
- Serve over plenty of ice cubes and garnish with lemon slices if desired.
Notes
Do not skip stirring sugar into hot tea to avoid graininess. Let tea cool naturally before refrigerating to preserve flavor. If tea tastes bitter, add a tiny pinch of baking soda to neutralize acidity. Use quality black tea like Lipton or Luzianne for best flavor. Avoid oversteeping to prevent bitterness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (8 fl oz / 240
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 24
- Carbohydrates: 24
Keywords: sweet tea, southern sweet tea, iced tea, black tea, refreshing drink, summer beverage, traditional sweet tea