If you’ve never tasted homemade sweet tea made with real strawberry syrup, you’re in for a treat. This is proper brewed sweet tea finished with a vibrant homemade strawberry syrup that makes every sip bright, fruity, and irresistible.
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Southern Strawberry Sweet Tea Ingredients
For the Strawberry Simple Syrup:
- 3 cups strawberries — fresh for the best flavor
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
For the Sweet Tea:
- 3 cups boiling water
- 3 family-sized Lipton Original tea bags (or 9 regular tea bags)
- 1 cup sugar
- 8 cups cold water
- 2 lemons
- Ice cubes
- 8 strawberries for garnish
Ingredient Variations
Can I use frozen strawberries? Absolutely. Thaw them first so they release their juices easily.
Can I skip the lemon? You can, but a squeeze of lemon balances the sweetness and brightens the flavor.
Can I use regular tea bags? Yes—3 family-sized tea bags equal 9 regular bags.
Can I spike it? Yes. Add a splash of vodka or bourbon for a refreshing adult cocktail.
How To Make This Strawberry Sweet Tea Recipe
This batch fills a very large pitcher or two medium pitchers.
How to Make It
1. Make the strawberry syrup
In a saucepan, combine sliced strawberries, 2 cups water, and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes, until the liquid is deep red and the berries are very soft. Strain into a large pitcher through a fine mesh sieve, pressing gently to extract syrup but avoiding pulp. Let cool completely.
2. Brew the tea
Place 3 cups boiling water in a heatproof bowl and add the tea bags. Steep 5 minutes, then remove and discard the bags. Stir 1 cup sugar into the hot tea until fully dissolved.
3. Combine
Pour the sweetened tea into the pitcher with the cooled strawberry syrup. Add 8 cups cold water and the juice of one lemon (reserve slices for garnish). Stir, cover, and refrigerate until very cold, about 2–3 hours.
4. Serve and store
Serve over ice with a lemon slice and a strawberry on the rim. The flavors mellow and improve after a few hours or overnight. Store in the refrigerator up to five days; stir before serving, as the syrup can settle.
Sweet, bright strawberry notes sit on a smooth tea base for a clear, refreshing drink perfect for warm weather.
More Sweet Tea Recipes
- Sweet Peach Iced Tea
- Texas Tea
- Raspberry Iced Tea
Southern Strawberry Sweet Tea
Ingredients
Strawberry Simple Syrup
- 3 cups sliced strawberries (about 20 oz), washed and stems removed
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
Sweet Tea
- 3 cups boiling water
- 3 family-sized Lipton Original tea bags (or 9 regular)
- 1 cup sugar
- 8 cups cold water
- Juice of 1 lemon, plus lemon slices for garnish
- 6–8 strawberries for garnish
- Ice
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups water, 1 cup sugar, and the sliced strawberries. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, until strawberries are soft and the liquid is a deep red color.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing gently to extract syrup but avoiding pulp.
- While the syrup cools, steep the tea: add 3 cups boiling water to a bowl, place the tea bags in, and steep 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags.
- Stir 1 cup sugar into the hot tea until dissolved.
- Pour the sweetened tea into the pitcher with the cooled strawberry syrup. Add 8 cups cold water and the juice of 1 lemon. Stir well.
- Cover and refrigerate 2–3 hours, or until very cold. Serve over ice with lemon and strawberry garnishes.
Notes
- This recipe uses about 20 ounces of strawberries total: 3 cups sliced for the syrup plus a few for garnish.
- Use ripe strawberries for the most intense flavor. It’s best in summer when berries are juiciest.
- The recipe makes a large quantity—use a very large pitcher or split into two pitchers. Scale down if you want a smaller batch.
- Adjust tea strength by changing the number of tea bags or steeping time.
Nutrition
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