Southern Sweet Tea Recipe
Southern sweet tea is made by brewing black tea strong, dissolving sugar into the tea while it’s still hot, and then chilling it until cold. This easy Southern sweet tea recipe makes 2 quarts with just three basic ingredients: tea, sugar, and water.
I like to use Luzianne family-size tea bags, but other black tea bags work well, too. Serve it over plenty of ice with lemon if you like – especially when Alabama decides the outdoors should feel roughly the same temperature as the surface of the sun.
What Makes Southern Sweet Tea Different?
Southern sweet tea isn’t simply iced tea with sugar added at the table. The sugar is traditionally dissolved into the freshly brewed hot tea so it blends completely into the drink.
The result is a smooth, sweet iced tea that is commonly served with meals throughout the South.
Ingredient Notes
- Tea: Family-size black tea bags make brewing a pitcher easy. I use Luzianne, but Lipton or another black tea can also be used.
- Sugar: One cup gives this 2-quart batch the sweetness most people associate with Southern sweet tea. Reduce it if you prefer a less-sweet tea.
- Water: You’ll use half of the water for brewing and the rest to dilute and cool the tea.
- Lemon: Optional, but a lemon wedge is a classic garnish.
Instructions
- Heat 4 cups of water until it reaches a boil in a kettle or on the stove in a pot.
- Remove the water from the heat. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Add the tea bags and let them steep for about 5-10 minutes, depending on your preference for strength.
- After steeping, carefully remove the tea bags. Avoid squeezing them to prevent the release of bitter tannins.
- Add the remaining water and allow the tea to come to room temperature. For faster cooling, place the pitcher in the refrigerator.
- Fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour the cooled tea over the ice and garnish with lemon slices, mint leaves, or fresh fruit if desired.
How to Keep Sweet Tea From Turning Bitter
- Don’t over-steep the tea. Start checking it around the 5-minute mark. Leaving black tea in hot water too long can produce a more bitter flavor.
- Don’t squeeze the tea bags. Gently lift them out of the water instead.
- Don’t boil the tea bags. Bring the water to a boil first, then remove it from the heat before adding the tea.
- Cool the tea before serving. Pouring very hot tea directly over a large amount of ice can dilute it more than you intended.
Southern Sweet Tea
Ingredients
Method
- Heat 4 cups of water until it reaches a boil in a kettle or on the stove.
- Remove the water from the heat. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Add the tea bags and let them steep for about 5-10 minutes, depending on your preference for strength.
- After steeping, carefully remove the tea bags. Avoid squeezing them to prevent releasing bitter tannins.
- Add the remaining water and allow the tea to come to room temperature. For faster cooling, place the pitcher in the refrigerator.
- Fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour the cooled tea over the ice and garnish with lemon slices, mint leaves, or fresh fruit if desired.
Nutrition
Video
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Making Sweet Tea in Different Quantities
| Amount | Boiling Water | Cool Water | Family-Size Tea Bags | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 quart | 2 cups | 2 cups | 1 | ½ cup |
| ½ gallon | 4 cups | 4 cups | 2 | 1 cup |
| 1 gallon | 8 cups | 8 cups | 4 | 2 cups |
How Much Sugar Do You Put in Southern Sweet Tea?
For this recipe, the basic ratio is ½ cup sugar for every quart of finished tea. That gives you 1 cup for a half gallon and 2 cups for a gallon.
Want It Sweeter?
One cup of sugar makes a traditionally sweet 2-quart pitcher. If you like very sweet bottled tea, such as Milo’s, you can add a little more sugar while the tea is still hot.
It’s much easier to add sugar than to explain to your family why you’ve accidentally brewed hummingbird food.
What Tea Is Best for Southern Sweet Tea?
I use Luzianne family-size tea bags, which are made specifically for iced tea and are easy to find throughout the South.
Lipton black tea also works well, as do other plain black tea bags. Avoid strongly flavored teas if you’re looking for the classic Southern sweet tea flavor.
Southern Sweet Tea FAQs
Store sweet tea covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for the best flavor.
Yes. In fact, it’s ideal for making ahead because it needs time to chill. Make it several hours before serving or the day before.
Yes. Family-size tea bags generally replace several regular tea bags, so check the package directions and use enough to brew the equivalent amount of tea.
Absolutely. Start with ½ to ¾ cup sugar for 2 quarts if you prefer a less-sweet tea.
The tea may have steeped too long, or the tea bags may have been squeezed. Steep for about 5 to 10 minutes and remove the bags gently.
Southern sweet tea goes with just about anything, but it’s especially good with classic comfort food. Pour yourself a tall glass to enjoy with homemade cornbread, chicken and dumplings, or easy fried apples. For a simple family dinner, it’s also a natural match for chicken and rice casserole.
Last Sip
A cold glass of sweet tea belongs beside just about any Southern meal, from barbecue to fried chicken – and sometimes it’s perfectly acceptable all by itself on the porch.
How sweet do you like your sweet tea: lightly sweetened, traditional Southern sweet, or Milo’s-level sweet? Let me know in the comments!
