Nothing beats homemade Lemon Iced Tea on a hot summers' day. This sweet Iced Tea recipe will become a drink staple for your barbecues, gatherings and potlucks. So easy to make, and cheaper than store-bought, a great way to use up home grown Lemons!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Refreshing and Tangy - the combination of Black Tea with fresh Lemon Juice pairs perfectly to quench your thirst
- Adjust Sweetness - this recipe uses natural Sugar, and you control how sweet or how tart you want it, no Corn Syrup in sight (like the store-bought versions)
- Budget Friendly - made with ingredients you already have in your pantry, eve better when Lemons are in season and growing in your yard
- Customizable - from adding fruits or herbs, the flavor possibilities are endless to make this recipe your own
Ingredients
- Fresh Lemons
- Black Tea Bags
- Sugar
- Water - Hot Water and Cold Water
- Ice - for serving
Equipment You'll Need
- Lemon Squeezer
- Kettle
- 1 Gallon (4 Liter) Heatproof Pitcher
- Fine Mesh Strainer
- Wooden Spoon
How to Make Lemon Iced Tea
- Squeeze Lemons - using a Lemon Squeezer, press enough Lemons to make 1 cup of Lemon Juice. Strain through a sieve to remove pulp and seeds.
- Brew Tea - place 4 cups of boiling water into Pitcher and steep 6 Tea Bags. Use a quality Black Tea (such as PG Tips or Twinings). Allow Tea Bags to steep for about 5 minutes, until they gently release their flavor.
- Sweeten - add 1 cup of Sugar to the hot Tea, and stir until sugar completely dissolves. Taste and adjust sweetness.
- Mix - pour the Lemon Juice into the hot tea mixture and fill the Pitcher to the top with cold water.
- Chill - place Pitcher into the fridge until chilled (1-2 hours).
- Serve - place ice into glasses, pour Lemon Iced Tea and garnish with Lemon slices.
Sweet Lemon Iced Tea Variations
- Mint Lemon Iced Tea - while steeping, add some fresh Mint Leaves with the team, or add a Mint Tea Bag
- Peach Lemon Iced Tea - add 1 cup of Peach Nectar or muddle some ripe Peaches and add to pitcher before serving
- Sparkling Iced Tea - instead of topping Pitcher with water, fill with Sparkling Water (3 liters).
- Iced Green Tea - substitute Black Tea with Green Tea bags
- Mango Iced Tea - add 1 cup of Mango Nectar, or chop 1 mango and place in food processor before adding into tea
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Black Tea - use a plain Black Tea. Orange Pekoe doesn't have the right flavor for traditional Iced Tea. English Breakfast Tea also works well. If you're using cheap Tea Bags, you might need to add a few more for color and flavor.
- Don't Squeeze Tea Bags - when removing Tea Bags, don't squeeze them to get the 'flavor' out! This releases the bitter tannins and will ruin the taste of your tea.
- Don't Oversteep - Tea becomes bitter if left in hot water for too long.
- Flavored Teas - substitute Black Tea with flavored Teas. Try Mango Tea, Black Currant Tea, Raspberry Tea, Peach Tea...
- Add fruit - when serving, add fresh sliced Peaches, throw in a few fresh Raspberries or Strawberries, or even a few slices of Lemon. It looks fancier and adds great flavor.
Can I Use Bottled Lemon Juice Instead of Fresh Lemons?
Yes, but you get better flavor when squeezing fresh Lemons. If using bottled Lemon Juice, make sure it's 100% Pure Lemon Juice, without sweetener.
Can I Make This Sugar Free?
Yes. Sweeten with Stevia, Monk Fruit or Erythritol. You can also use Honey to sweeten to taste (but this contains sugars).
Can I Use Loose Leaf Tea?
Yes. Use 1 teaspoon of Loose Leaf Tea per Tea Bag. Strain the tea through sieve before using.
Storage
Place in a covered Pitcher and keep refrigerated for up to 4-5 days. Stir before serving as Lemon and Tea may have separated.
Summer Drinks to Check Out!
- Homemade Blackcurrant Juice
- Non-Alcoholic Pina Colada
- Kompot - Russian Berry Juice
- Homemade Cranberry Juice
- Fresh Thyme Tea
- Non-Alcoholic Summer Sangria
- Blueberry Vodka
A Homemade Lemon Iced Tea recipe is much tastier and healthier than commercially processed Iced Tea. Real Iced Tea has antioxidants, without artificial flavors, plus you control the sugar. It'll be hard to go back to Lipton or Nestea after making this refreshing summer drink. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Equipment
- Lemon Squeezer
- Kettle
- 1 Gallon Heatproof Pitcher (4 Liters)
- Fine Mesh Strainer
- Wooden Spoon for mixing
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly squeezed Lemon Juice about 6 lemons
- 4 cups Hot Water
- 6 Black Tea Bags
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 gallon Pitcher 4 litres
- Cold Water
- Ice - for serving
Instructions
- Squeeze Lemons - using a Lemon Squeezer, press enough Lemons to make 1 cup of Lemon Juice. Strain through a sieve to remove pulp and seeds.
- Brew Tea - place 4 cups of boiling water into Pitcher and steep 6 Tea Bags. Use a quality Black Tea (such as PG Tips or Twinings). Allow Tea Bags to steep for about 5 minutes, until they gently release their flavor.
- Sweeten - add 1 cup of Sugar to the hot Tea, and stir until sugar completely dissolves. Taste and adjust sweetness.
- Mix - pour the Lemon Juice into the hot tea mixture and fill the Pitcher to the top with cold water.
- Chill - place Pitcher into the fridge until chilled (1-2 hours).
- Serve - place ice into glasses, pour Lemon Iced Tea and garnish with Lemon slices.
© PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally posted June 2015, updated July 2025
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