Mint Sweet Tea
Mint Sweet Tea is a refreshing blend of sweetened black tea and fresh mint leaves, perfect for warm summer days and gatherings.
Ingredients
For the Tea
- 4 cups water
- 4 bags black tea (or 4 tablespoons loose leaf black tea)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar Adjust to taste
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves Packed
- Ice cubes
- Fresh mint sprigs for garnish (optional)
- Lemon slices (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- In a medium-sized saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Once the water is boiling, remove the saucepan from heat and add the tea bags or loose leaf tea. Allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes.
- After steeping, remove the tea bags or strain out the loose leaves. While the tea is still warm, add the granulated sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Gently add the fresh mint leaves to the sweetened tea. Use a wooden spoon or muddler to lightly press the mint leaves against the side of the pot, releasing their essential oils.
- Allow the mixture to steep for an additional 5 minutes for maximum flavor extraction.
- Pour the tea through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher to filter out the mint leaves. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
- Chill the tea for at least 1 hour before serving.
Serving
- Fill glasses with ice cubes and pour the chilled mint sweet tea over the top. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and lemon slices if desired.
Notes
Use fresh mint leaves for the best flavor. Adjust sugar as preferred. For a quicker cool-down, place the pitcher in an ice bath.