Sweet Tea

Recipe from Leona Marcena Clay Johnson

Adapted by Vallery Lomas

Published June 30, 2021

Sweet Tea
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
15 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
4(335)
Comments
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This sweet tea toes the line between just right and puckery sweet. The formula reflects the way my grandmother Leona Johnson made sweet tea: strong tea, lots of lemon juice and even more sugar. Start by adding half a cup of sugar to the batch, then add up to 4 more tablespoons to your preference. By making it extra potent, tart and sweet, this brew still tastes good even after the ice starts to melt. —Vallery Lomas

Featured in: Sweet Tea From a Grandmother’s Kettle to Your Table

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Ingredients

Yield:About 8 cups
  • 8black tea bags, preferably Lipton
  • ½cup granulated sugar, preferably pure cane, plus more to taste
  • 6tablespoons lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
  • Ice cubes, for chilling and serving
  • Lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

204 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 51 grams sugars; 0 grams protein; 6 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a tea kettle or medium saucepan, heat 4 cups water until boiling. Remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes. Gently squeeze the bags to release their concentrated tea, then discard the bags. Transfer the tea to a pitcher.

  2. Step 2

    Stir ½ cup sugar into the hot tea until it has dissolved. Stir in the lemon juice. Add 4 cups water, then fill the pitcher with 2 cups ice.

  3. Step 3

    Taste the tea to determine if you’d like to add up to 4 tablespoons more sugar. If adding sugar, stir until it dissolves.

  4. Step 4

    Cover and refrigerate until the sweet tea is chilled throughout or up to 2 days. Serve in a large glass filled with ice, and garnish with a lemon slice if you’d like.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
335 user ratings
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Comments

Kat

Luzianne tea for this southern girl!

Zoe

This Southern girl suggests adding a generous handful of mint leaves to the mixture while still hot. Divine

mrp

I have had so much Lipton in my Southern veins it appears in most blood tests. Tetley, works well also.

Liz S

I was always taught that the key to sweet tea is pouring the boiling water over the sugar so it caramelizes a little. I put the sugar in my pitcher and hang my tea bags over the side (or tie them to a wooden spoon for easier removal). Pour the water over it and let it steep for 10 minutes or so. Then I remove the tea bags (never squeezing) and add cool water and ice. I may add mint when I add the sugar if it is nice and fresh. I agree with others that lemon doesn’t belong in a sweet tea.

Bailey

Luzianne makes much better iced tea than Lipton. Also, adding cold water and ice to the tea while it is still hot results in cloudy iced tea. And, recipe needs more sugar.

Betsy

Used Ahmad Brothers cardamom tea and loved it. Will try half less sugar next time and steep with mint as suggested herein. Thank you!

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