Homemade Sweet Tea (Sugar Free)

square image of full glasses, and a pitcher of, refreshing southern sweet tea with a lemon wedge, mint sprig, and colorful blue and white straws.

Homemade Sweet Tea (Sugar Free)

An easy-to-make classic Southern sweet tea recipe that's ever-so-popular! This Southern-style version can be made sugar-free or regular, so not only is it tasty and refreshing - it's guilt-free too! Enjoy!

4.63 from 16 votes

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Author Kori Butler

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 18

Course Beverages & Cocktails

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 1 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 8 cups boiling water
▢ 2 - 3 (family-sized) black tea bags (4 regular sized tea bags can be used for every 1 family size)
▢ ½ to 1 cup sugar substitute with a 1:1 sugar ratio (regular sugar may be used; adjust to taste)
▢ optional: ½ teaspoon baking soda (used to reduce the tannins and tanginess of the black tea)
▢ ice
▢ for garnish: lemon wedges and mint leaves

Instructions

In a saucepan, heat water to boiling.
Add tea bags and steep for 8 minutes.
Remove tea bags, and while the water is still hot, add the sweetener whisking to dissolve. (Optional: add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to remove the bitter taste of the tea.
Allow tea to cool then transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate. Serve over ice along with lemon wedges and mint leaves.

Video

Kori's Tips

Use any favorite sweetener with a 1:1 sugar ratio. If you are not following a sugar-free diet, then by all means, use regular sugar if you'd like.
Use 4 regular-sized tea bags for every 1 family-sized bag.
If you don't like the "tangy bite" of tea, add ½ tsp of baking soda while the water is warm. This will neutralize the tannins in the tea.
Everyone has a different sweet preference. Some like it very sweet, others not so much - feel free to adjust the sugar to your liking. If you aren't sure, start with ½ cup sugar and add more to where it's perfect for you.
This recipe calls for 2 to 3 family-sized tea bags for every 8 cups of water. If you prefer your tea on the stronger side, use 3 tea bags. For a more medium flavor, use 2.

Nutrition

Serving: 8oz glassCalories: 1kcalCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 24g

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