With spring sunshine in full swing, there’s nothing quite like a refreshing iced tea that makes the day even brighter! Whether you’re looking to cool off after a long day in the sun or simply want to enjoy a delicious drink on a lazy afternoon, you’re in the right place. We’re sharing five of our favorite delicious and easy-to-make iced tea recipes to treat yourself with. From a fruity and sweet peach Bellini iced tea made with a homemade peach raspberry syrup and a sangria iced tea punch with mixed fruit slices, everyone’s gonna want a glass. So, grab your favorite pitcher, load up your picnic basket, and let’s get ready to brew some seriously delicious teas!

New to brewing tea and not sure where to begin? Don’t worry, we’ll also cover tea brewing basics from water temperature to the perfect leaf and liquid ratios to help you brew the best tasting tea.

How to make iced tea?

When you’re brewing iced tea, there are a couple of key factors to keep in mind to get the most flavor and consistent results. First, the temperature of the water is extremely important, as distinct types of tea require different temperatures to brew properly. Unbelievably, some tea leaves can “burn” when brewed with water that’s too hot which results in overly astringent and bitter tea. The water-to-tea ratio is also a crucial part of the brewing process. You should use one tea bag or one teaspoon of loose-leaf tea for every 6 ounces of water. However, to make sure your iced tea doesn’t become overly diluted by the ice, it is best to double the amount of tea. After brewing, remove the tea leaves so the tea doesn’t continue brewing, and allow it to cool to room temperature before refrigerating or adding ice. Keeping these tips in mind next time you brew iced tea will yield the perfect cup every time!

What temperature and how long should I brew tea?

Black tea

• Use boiling water, around 212 degrees Farenhieght.
• Brew for 3 to 5 minutes.

Green tea

• Use cooler water, around 175 degrees Farenhieght.
• Brew for 1 to 3 minutes.

Herbal tea

• Use just under boiling water, around 205 degrees Farenhieght.
• Brew time varies depending on the variety of herbal tea. Around 5 to 7 minutes is a good general brew time.

1. Sangria Tea Punch

A refreshing, non-alcoholic, and tea-based version of the world-famous Spanish wine punch. By using spiced black tea and pomegranate juice as the base, it resembles the rich flavor and tannins found in red wines. Add a splash of orange juice, citrus wedges, apple slices, and a heavy topping of sparkling water to transform it into sangria! If you’re not feeling citrus, feel free to substitute it with your favorite fruit slices and juices.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiling water
• 4 teaspoons Culinary Tours Black Tea or 4 tea bags of your favorite black tea
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 orange, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 lime, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 cups cold sparkling water

Directions:

In a pot over medium heat, bring cinnamon sticks and water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and add black tea, and steep for 5 minutes. Strain the loose leaf-tea, keeping the cinnamon, and stir the sugar until it’s dissolved and allow it to cool. In a large pitcher, combine tea, cinnamon sticks, pomegranate juice, orange juice, orange, lemon, and apple. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and preferably overnight to fully infuse the sangria. Before serving, stir in sparkling water and serve in glasses over ice and garnished with the infused fruit.

2. Lemon Iced Tea

Bright, zesty lemons and black tea are combined and sweetened to perfection. There’s a reason lemon iced tea is a classic, its flavors are reminiscent of a sunny spring day. This recipe uses the entire lemon to extract even more flavor and it’s extremely easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 3 large lemons, thinly sliced, and reserving one for garnish
• 1/3 cup of black tea or about 10 black tea bags
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, or more to taste
• 6 cups water
• Ice

Directions:

In a large pot, add 2 lemon’s worth of slices, black tea, sugar, and water. Turn on the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain out the tea leaves and lemon slices and allow to cool. Add plenty of ice to a large pitcher along with the tea and the remaining lemon slices.

3. Peach Raspberry Bellini Tea

A warm spring day and an iced peach raspberry Bellini tea are a combination that can’t be understated, they complement each other perfectly! Frozen peaches and fresh raspberries are used to make a quick and easy syrup which gives the drink an intense peach and raspberry flavor. Mix everything up with Stater Bros. cold brew black tea which only takes minutes to make using cold water and you’ve got a tea like no other!

4. Iced Mango Green Tea

Gentle green tea meets sweet mango for a luscious springtime treat. It’s a combination loved by many, as it’s refreshing and simple to make in large batches for gatherings, picnics, or to just have in the fridge ready to go. Prepare the mango syrup by using frozen mango chunks so there’s less to chop.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of 16 ounce Stater Bros. frozen mango chunks
• 1 fresh mango, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 cups water, plus one for mango syrup
• 6 teaspoons Culinary Tours Green Tea
• ice
• mint sprigs for garnish

Directions:

Make the mango syrup by placing one cup of water, sugar, and a bag of frozen mango in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and crush mangos as you stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the mangos are crushed and the sugar is dissolved, turn off the heat, cover, and allow to rest for about 30 minutes. Strain the mango syrup and set aside.

Brew the tea by bringing remaining water to a boil, turn off the heat and allow to cool for about 3 minutes. Steep your green tea in the hot water for 1 to 2 minutes then strain. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature then, in a large pitcher add the fresh mango cubes, tea, mango syrup and ice. Stir and serve in glasses garnished with mango cubes and mint sprigs.

5. Thai Tea

Thai Tea, oh Thai Tea. How we dream about you! If you haven’t had this tea before, you’re seriously missing out. It’s creamy yet has such a deep flavor that’s super unique. And the preparation couldn’t be simpler as it’s made with just a handful of ingredients like black tea, condensed milk, and half and half. We recommend brewing an extra strong black tea base for both color and flavor.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of water
• 1/2 cup of black tea or 12 tea bags
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 cup of sweetened condensed milk
• ice

Directions:

Prepare the creamer by mixing the half and half and a cup of sweetened condensed milk. Set aside and keep in the fridge. Make the black tea by bringing 5 cups of water to a boil, turning off the heat, and steeping the black tea for 5 minutes. Strain the tea leaves, stir in the sugar until dissolved, and allow to cool down to room temperature. Serve by filling a tall glass of ice and filling it 3/4 of the way with black tea and top it off with the creamer. Stir to combine and enjoy.

Looking for more fun things to make and do for spring? Take a look at our 5 ways to celebrate spring blog.