Southern Sweet Iced Tea
Classic Southern sweet tea, brewed strong and sweetened while hot so the sugar dissolves completely. Refreshing over plenty of ice.
4% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 5 min
- Resting
- 4 hr
- Serves
- 12
- Calories
- 80
- Protein
- 0 g
- Per serving
- $1.46
Why this recipe works
Sweet tea is a Southern staple because it's simple and forgiving — the only real trick is sweetening it while it's still hot. This makes a full gallon, so it's ready for a crowd or a week of refills.
- Dissolving the sugar into the hot tea concentrate, before diluting, is what keeps sweet tea from tasting grainy or settling at the bottom of the pitcher.
- Brewing a smaller amount of strong concentrate and diluting it with cold water afterward keeps the tea from tasting bitter.
- Not squeezing the tea bags when removing them avoids pressing out the bitter tannins trapped inside.
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- Medium saucepan
- 1-gallon pitcher
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Boil the water
Bring the 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in the saucepan, then remove from the heat.
Steep the tea
Drop in the tea bags and the pinch of baking soda if using. Cover and let steep 5 to 15 minutes depending on how strong you like it.
Dissolve the sugar
While the tea is still hot, remove the bags without squeezing them, then stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.
Dilute
Pour the hot tea concentrate into the pitcher and add the 12 cups of cold water. Stir well.
Chill and serve
Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until fully chilled. Serve over ice with lemon slices.
Cook's notes
- Steeping longer than 15 minutes starts pulling out tannins and turns the tea bitter, no matter how good the tea.
- A tiny pinch of baking soda neutralizes some of the natural bitterness without being noticeable.
- Start with less sugar and add more to taste — it's easy to add, hard to take out.
Nutrition per serving
80 calories
$1.46 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 0% of calories | 0 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 100% of calories | 21 g |
| Fat | 0% of calories | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | |
| Sodium | 0 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
How much sugar goes in a gallon of sweet tea?
About 1 to 1.5 cups is the classic Southern ratio, dissolved into the tea while it's hot. Adjust to taste from there.
Why do you add baking soda to sweet tea?
A small pinch neutralizes some of the tannins that make tea taste bitter or astringent, giving a smoother cup. It's optional but a common Southern trick.
Do you put ice in sweet tea while it's hot?
No — chill the tea first, then serve it over ice. Pouring hot tea straight over ice melts it fast and waters the tea down.
