Southern Style Sweet Iced Tea

Savor the timeless charm of Southern hospitality with this Southern Style Sweet Iced Tea recipe—a perfectly refreshing blend of bold black tea, smooth sweetness, and a hint of citrus. Crafted with a clever touch of baking soda to eliminate any bitterness, this tea achieves a flawlessly smooth and mellow flavor. Each batch is sweetened to perfection with granulated sugar, then chilled with generous ice cubes for an authentic, thirst-quenching experience. Whether served plain or garnished with fresh lemon slices and mint leaves for added zing, this easy-to-make classic is the ultimate crowd-pleaser on hot summer days. With just 15 minutes of preparation, you’ll have six servings of this iconic beverage that delivers a taste of true Southern comfort. Perfect for barbecues, picnics, or lazy afternoons, this sweet iced tea is the refreshing staple your table deserves.

Nutriscore Rating: 69/100

Prep Time:5 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:15 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 6 black tea bags
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 0.125 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 cups ice cubes
• 1 for garnish lemon slices (optional)
• 1 for garnish fresh mint leaves (optional)

Directions

Step 1

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a gentle boil over medium heat.

Step 2

Once the water boils, remove it from the heat and stir in the baking soda. This helps reduce any bitterness from the tea.

Step 3

Add the black tea bags to the hot water and steep for 5-7 minutes, depending on desired tea strength. Longer steeping will result in a stronger flavor.

Step 4

While the tea is steeping, pour 1 cup of granulated sugar into a large heat-proof pitcher.

Step 5

After steeping the tea, carefully remove and discard the tea bags, gently squeezing them to extract excess liquid. Be cautious not to tear the bags.

Step 6

Pour the hot tea concentrate over the sugar in the pitcher, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Step 7

Add the remaining 4 cups of cold water to the pitcher and stir well to dilute the tea.

Step 8

Fill serving glasses with ice cubes and pour the sweet tea over the ice.

Step 9

Optionally, garnish each glass with a slice of lemon and a sprig of fresh mint for an added touch of freshness and flavor.

Step 10

Serve immediately and enjoy this classic Southern refreshment!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(3108.6g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	767.4

Total Fat 0.1g	0%
Saturated Fat 0.0g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 216.2mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 201.8g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0.7g	0%
Total Sugars 200.5g
Protein 0.3g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 119.7mg	0%
Iron 0.2mg	0%
Potassium 24.5mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 0.1%

Protein: 0.1%

Carbs: 99.7%