Top 5 Iced Tea Recipes to Beat the Summer Heat
Summer is all about long sunny days, pool parties, and of course, refreshing drinks to beat the heat. One of the top summer drinks is a pitcher of delicious homemade iced tea. Not only is this tasty, cold drink a delicious way to hydrate in summer, but it is also super easy to make at home.
We've all had lemon iced tea, but did you know you don't have to add lemon juice to iced teas? If you're looking for new ideas instead of regular iced tea, there are many tasty iced tea recipes you can try. We have selected five of them for you to try this summer.
The thirst-quenching Caribbean Coconut Lime Tea will have you dreaming of relaxing days on a tropical beach, and the Spicy Iced Thai-Inspired Tea will show you that spices can also work on a hot summer day.
We also give you iced tea recipes for crisp and healthy green tea with green apples and tasty hibiscus, rooibos, and pomegranate tea - it is both delightfully sweet and tart. Finally, we give you one of the best iced tea recipes around: a refreshing, fruity mint and raspberry iced tea. It's a summer winner!
No matter which drink you choose to make, these refreshing iced teas are so good you'll want to enjoy them all year round!
#1. Caribbean Coconut Lime Iced Tea
Float away to a dreamy island with this tasty herbal iced tea recipe. It's a sweet, light, refreshing, perfectly sweetened, and delicious drink. If you can't find fresh lime, this recipe also works well with lemon.
Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 tbsp Caribbean Dream tea
1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)
1 cup coconut water
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp honey, agave, maple syrup, or other sweetener of your choice
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
A pineapple slice or some lime or lemon slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Boil the water in a medium saucepan.
Add the loose-leaf Caribbean Dream tea to the hot water.
Lower the temperature and let it steep for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain the mixture into a large pitcher or bowl. Discard the leaves.
Combine pineapple chunks, coconut water, coconut milk, and honey or sweetener in a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth.
Add the pineapple and coconut mixture to the brewed tea and stir well.
Chill it in the refrigerator until it is cold.
Pour the mixture into individual glasses.
Garnish each glass, and serve. You can use a pineapple slice and a sprig of mint (optional).
Enjoy your exotic caffeine-free iced tea!
#2. Iced Green Tea With Apple
This refreshing iced tea is a refreshing drink for a hot day, and it is packed with incredible health benefits. Drinking iced tea is always a great idea!
Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 tbsp loose-leaf green tea
1 medium-sized crisp, green apple, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 tbsp honey, maple, or agave syrup
Apple slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Boil the water in a medium saucepan.
Once the water has boiled, add the loose-leaf green tea to the saucepan.
Lower the temperature and let it steep for about 3-5 minutes, stirring the hot water occasionally.
Strain the mixture and discard the leaves.
Add the sliced apple and the honey, maple, or agave to the hot tea and stir well.
Chill it in the refrigerator for a few hours until it is cold and infused with the apple flavor.
Once chilled, pour your iced tea over ice cubes in individual glasses.
Garnish with a few slices of apple dipped in lemon juice (optional) and serve.
Enjoy drinking this healthy and refreshing iced tea!
#3. Thai Ice Tea With Peaches
Thai iced tea is a decadent, creamy, mildly spiced drink made with spices, milk, and sweetener. This sweet tea is popular in Southeast Asian restaurants. With this iced tea recipe, you can have homemade iced tea that tastes like it comes from an exotic restaurant and with the added fresh flavor of peaches!
Ingredients:
2 cups water
2 tbsp loose-leaf black tea
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
4-5 cardamom pods, slightly crushed
1/4 cup honey, agave, or maple syrup
2 fresh peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup evaporated milk or non-dairy alternative
Ice cubes
A fresh sprig of mint for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Once the water has boiled, add the loose-leaf black tea, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and slightly crushed cardamom pods to the boiling water in the saucepan.
Lower the temperature and let it steep for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the saucepan from the burner. Strain the tea into a large pitcher or bowl. Discard the tea leaves and spices.
Add sweetener and stir until it dissolves.
Add sliced peaches to the pitcher or bowl and mix well.
Chill the tea in the refrigerator until it is cold.
Once the tea is chilled, pour it over ice cubes in individual glasses.
Pour a tablespoon of evaporated milk on top of each glass.
Garnish with orange slices (optional) and serve. Enjoy this spicy drink!
#4. Iced Hibiscus and Pomegranate Tea
This recipe's hibiscus and rooibos blend has a delightful, delicately floral flavor and incredible health benefits. Pomegranate tastes tart and sweet - perfectly balancing the other flavors. This delicious drink is guaranteed to tantalize your taste buds. And it's caffeine-free - you can enjoy it all day long!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp Sweet Hibiscus Rooibos tea
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
4 cups water
2 tbsp honey (or more to taste)
Ice cubes
Fresh pomegranate seeds and a sprig of mint for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Boil the water in a medium saucepan.
Once the water has boiled, add the loose-leaf hibiscus tea and pomegranate juice to the hot water.
Let the mixture steep for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain it into a large bowl and discard the leaves.
Stir the honey in until it is completely dissolved. Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed.
Chill the mixture in the refrigerator.
Once it is cool, pour it over ice cubes in individual glasses.
Garnish with fresh pomegranate and a sprig of mint (optional), and serve.
Enjoy your refreshing and flavorful Iced Hibiscus and Cranberry Tea!
#5. Mint and Raspberry Iced Tea
If you love mint iced tea but want to change it up, this refreshing tea made with fresh ingredients is an excellent option. It's delightfully minty, slightly tart, and not overwhelmingly sweet.
Ingredients:
8 cups water
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 tbsp honey (or more to taste)
Ice cubes
A sprig of mint for each glass for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Boil the water in a large saucepan and remove the saucepan from the burner.
Add half a cup of raspberries and the fresh mint leaves to the boiling water.
Let the mixture steep for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the mint and raspberry mixture from the saucepan using a strainer and discard the leaves and berries.
Bring the liquid back to a boil on the burner.
Once it has boiled, remove the saucepan from the burner and add the loose-leaf black tea. Let it steep for 3-5 minutes.
Strain the mixture, discard the leaves, and add honey. Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed.
Chill the tea in the refrigerator until it is cold.
Once the mixture is cool, add ice cubes in individual glasses.
Divide the rest of the fresh raspberries and mint leaves between the glasses.
Pour over the tea, and serve chilled. Your refreshing mint and raspberry ice tea is ready to drink!
Loose Leaf Tea vs. Tea Bags
When you make iced tea, it's always best to brew the best quality tea you can find. Loose tea is considered better than store-bought tea bags for several reasons. Here are some of them:
Loose tea is made from whole, dried leaves, which allows for a richer and more complex flavor. In contrast, tea bags contain fine particles, which can be of lower quality and not provide the same depth of flavor.
It is more environmentally friendly than tea bags. Tea bags are often made with non-biodegradable materials, such as nylon or plastic, which can take years to decompose in landfills. Loose tea, on the other hand, can be composted or recycled.
Loose tea allows for more control over the brewing process. You can adjust the quantity of tea leaves used and the steeping time to create a customized and consistent flavor with loose tea. Tea bags, however, are often pre-measured and can result in a weaker or stronger brew, depending on how long it's brewed.
While the upfront cost of loose-leaf blends may be slightly higher, you can brew loose-leaf tea multiple times, providing more servings per purchase. Take a look at our Gong-Fu Brewing article to learn how multiple brews can be an art form and a form of meditation. In contrast, you only use tea bags once and then discard them.
The Best Of Summer Sipping
Whether you like to add a splash of lemon or milk to your iced tea, serve it with fresh fruit slices, or infuse it with spices, there's a delicious iced tea recipe for everyone. You can use herbal teas or caffeinated tea if you want a kick. Enjoy a strong brew or a gently infused tisane - it's all up to you.
No matter how you enjoy making iced tea, the best iced tea always has two elements.
You should only use high-quality ingredients to make iced tea, regardless of your iced tea recipe. Order premium loose-leaf blends right here at Firebelly Tea.
Always take a few minutes to really relax and enjoy life as you're drinking it. Making tea and enjoying it should be a pleasurable experience!
