Name: How to Make Southern Sweet Tea Perfect Every Time
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 family size black tea bags (6 small size bags ); 8 cups water; 1 cup sugar (for less sweet, use ¾ cup); ⅛ teaspoon baking soda

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Here in the South, sweet tea is more than just a drink. It's a staple at family dinners, cookouts, church suppers, and front porch gatherings. Fortunately, making Southern sweet tea from scratch is incredibly easy. Follow these simple steps and tips to make sweet tea perfect every time and and avoid a bitter taste.

Two glasses of sweet tea on a metal tray with lemons to the side next to a red and white checkered cloth with a pitcher of tea set on top of it.

"Thanks a bunch for this amazing recipe! Fam really loves it and it's super easy to make! Will surely have this again, well done!"

★★★★★- Allyssa

🔍 Quick look: Southern Sweet Tea

⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
🍵 Steep Time: 10-15 minutes
🕒 Total Time: About 20 minutes
👥 Servings: 8 (2-quart pitcher)
📊 Calories: 97 per serving
🧑‍🍳 Method: Hot-brewed black tea, sweetened while hot, then chilled
✅ Unsweet Option: Yes
⭐ Difficulty: Easy

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🔍 Quick look: Southern Sweet Tea
A note to my reader
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Flavor Tip
Watch how to make
Steps
Common mistakes
What types of tea should you use for iced tea?
Can you over-boil tea?
How long will sweet tea last?
Sugar substitutes
How do you make unsweetened iced tea?
What to do with used tea bags
Ways to serve sweet tea
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

A note to my reader

If you visit a Southern home in the summertime, there's a good chance you'll find a pitcher of tea sitting in the refrigerator. Around here, tea is served with everything from weeknight dinners to backyard cookouts and family reunions. While sweet tea is the favorite in my family, I always keep a pitcher of unsweet tea on hand as well so everyone can enjoy it just the way they like.

My family goes through so much tea, we often make it in a gallon jug for gatherings. If we know we are all getting together, we save our recent milk jugs and wash them out to fill with sweet tea.

This Southern sweet tea recipe makes a 2-quart pitcher, which is perfect for everyday sipping. However, often times, we need at least 2 gallons for the size of our family gatherings. I have included instructions in the recipe card for making a gallon-sized batch for serving a crowd. You'll also find directions for making unsweet tea if you prefer to skip the sugar.

If you like this classic Southern tea recipe, I know you will love my homemade raspberry iced tea recipe also. It is perfect to serve for special occasions or hot summer days. Enjoy! Xoxo ~Katie.

Ingredients for Southern sweet tea: black tea, sugar, water, and baking soda

Ingredient notes and substitutions

You will need the following ingredients to make Southern sweet tea:

family size tea bags- Use black tea bags. Luzianne and Lipton are both popular choices. Do not substitute with herbal teas, as they will produce a completely different flavor.
sugar- Regular granulated white sugar dissolves best and provides the traditional sweetness found in Southern sweet tea. See the sugar substitute section for sugar-free sweetened options.
water- It is best to used filtered water, especially if your tap water has a strong mineral or chlorine taste.
baking soda -(Optional- see flavor tip below)

(Full recipe with ingredient measurements is located at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.)

Flavor Tip

To prevent bitter tea, some Southerners add a pinch of baking soda. This will take away any bitterness from the tannins that the black tea leaves may release. This is a trick I have learned over the past couple of years. You will not taste the baking soda. My other family members do not add it, so this is totally optional.

Watch how to make

Steps

Follow these simple steps on how to make the best sweet tea.

Boil 2 cups of water. Remove boiling water from heat.
Mix in your sugar and baking soda (optional, see tip) and stir until dissolved.
Add your black tea bags to the hot water. Steep 15 minutes for strong tea flavor or 10 minutes for a lighter tea flavor.
Remove tea bags. Add tea to your pitcher and add the remaining water. Stir.
Refrigerate pitcher of sweet tea until ready to serve.

Common mistakes

Never pinch the tea bags when removing them from steeping. This could release tannins and add a bitter taste.

Never pour hot tea into a glass pitcher. It may make the pitcher shatter. Wait for the tea to cool if you are using a glass pitcher.

Don't add ice to your ready made sweet tea in the pitcher. Your tea is perfectly brewed with the right ratio of water. If you add ice, it will melt and water down your tea. Instead, add ice to a glass and pour the tea over the ice. You will more than likely finish your sweet tea before the ice completely melts and you will not ruin the whole pitcher of tea.

Box of Luzianne Iced Tea with an arrow pointing to the words, "Specifically blended for Iced Tea."

What types of tea should you use for iced tea?

For traditional sweet tea, you will need black tea. Look for a box specifically made for "Iced Tea," such as Luzianne or Lipton.

Family size tea bags are best for serving quarts or gallon sized servings because you will use less of them.

However, if you use the smaller size tea bags, you will want to use 6 small size bags for a 2 quart sized pitcher.

Can you over-boil tea?

You can over-boil tea. Adding the tea bags to boiling water can scorch the tea leaves and give a bitter taste. This is why it is important to remove the pot from heat before adding in your tea bags to steep.

How long will sweet tea last?

Sweet tea will last up to one week stored in the refrigerator. However after the first few days it will begin to loose some of its flavor.

glass of iced tea with lemons to the side and a glass of tea in the background

Sugar substitutes

True Southern tea use LOTS of SUGAR! This recipe is meant to be sweet like a true Southern sweet tea. You can reduce the sugar to ¾ cup, but it won't be quite as sweet as the classic Southern sweet tea....

If you are watching your calories or carbs you can substitute with Monkfruit Classic Sweetener. It is natural and doesn't leave an after taste. The ratio is 1:1 with sugar.

Another option is splenda granular. You would use the same ratio also.

How do you make unsweetened iced tea?

To make unsweetened iced tea, follow the exact same steps and measurements and omit the sugar.

What to do with used tea bags

Don't throw away your used tea bags! They can be used the following ways:

Rebrew the bags for watering your house plants or garden. The tea water protects from fungal infections and adds extra nutrients back into the soil.
Sprinkle the tea leaves on the base of your plants to fertile soil and repel pests like spiders and ants.
Add them to your compost pile.
Refrigerate leftover bags and place them over your eyes to reduce puffiness and dark circles.

Two glasses of iced tea next to a pitcher of tea on a metal tray

Ways to serve sweet tea

Serve your sweet tea the following ways:

Serve plain, poured over ice.
Add fresh slices of lemon.
Add fresh mint.
Mix half sweet tea and half lemonade for an Arnold Palmer.
Mix 4 oz of bourbon with 12 oz sweet tea for a summer cocktail.
Use in my Bourbon Slush recipe.

Try these Southern dishes to serve with your sweet tea

Please leave me a comment below if you make sweet tea and tell me how it turned out. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.

Also post your picture of your iced tea on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!

📖 Recipe