Iced Green Tea

Experience a sip of pure bliss with our homemade Iced Green Tea that surpasses anything you’ll find at Starbucks. Infused with the tang of freshly squeezed lemon and a burst of fresh mint, this naturally sweetened tea is the drink of the summer.

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Tea is such a magical drink. It can be thirst-quenching, like this iced green tea, beautiful, like this Butterfly Pea Tea, or keep a cold and flu at bay, like this elderflower tea. Check out all of our healthy drink recipes for more inspiration.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• As always, homemade is the best. This tea is freshly brewed, and making it from home gives you the power to control the quality of the ingredients. You can skip the unhealthy syrups and sweeteners and make your drink a much healthier option.
• It is much more cost-effective to make your own tea than to buy it from a place like Starbucks. You can also bulk purchase loose-leaf tea and save yourself a lot of money.
• We also love how refreshing and thirst-quenching this recipe is! Perfect for cooling you down on hot summer days.

Ingredients

• green tea – use either premade tea bags or use loose leaf tea.
• water – use fresh water that hasn’t been previously boiled. Using filtered or spring water will avoid any impurities that might alter the flavor.
• lemon juice – the vitamin C in lemon can help increase the absorption of the antioxidants in green tea, potentially enhancing the health benefits.
• fresh mint leaves
• honey – substitute granulated sugar, such as coconut sugar, if preferred.

Equipment

• kettle – there are even temperature-controlled kettles that will boil the water to the perfect temperature for your tea.
• filter bags or ball strainer – if using loose leaf tea. You could also use a small mesh sieve and strain the tea leaves while pouring.
• teapot
• pitcher – for mixing everything together and storing it in the fridge.

Instructions

Step 1

First, start by preparing your tea bags. You can use bags, a filter, a sieve, or a strainer.

Step 2

Then, boil water. The ideal brewing temperature for green tea is generally around 160°F to 180°F. As mentioned above you can use a temperature-controlled kettle or simply let the hot water sit for a minute after boiling before pouring it.

Step 3

Next, pour the hot water over the green tea bags in a large teapot. Let it steep for 1-3 minutes. You don’t want to steep it for much longer or your tea may be bitter.

Step 4

While the tea is brewing, prepare the mint leaves by rinsing them and tearing the leaves from the stems.

Step 5

Then, once the tea has steeped, remove the tea bags and drop the fresh mint leaves into the pot.

Step 5

Next, place the pot in the fridge for at least an hour to chill.

Step 6

Then, once the tea has cooled off, pour it into your pitcher.

Step 7

Then, pour in the freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Step 8

Next, add the sweetener. We love using local honey.

Step 9

Finally, give it all a good stir.

Expert tips

Don’t steep green tea for longer than 3 minutes. Anything longer will create an unpleasant bitter taste.

Green tea is more delicate than other types of tea, so it is important to brew it at the appropriate temperature to achieve the best flavor.

Recipe variations

• Create a ginger tea version by adding chunks of fresh ginger along with the mint to infuse the green tea. If you crave a warm version, try this Ginger and Apple Core Tea!
• Make a fruity version by adding a combination of sliced fruits such as strawberries, peaches, oranges, or berries.
• For a fizzy twist, top your glass of cold green tea with sparkling water or club soda.
• Switch up the herbs and add some fresh basil instead of mint for a herbaceous taste.
• Make a lemongrass version! Trim the woody ends of the lemongrass stalks and remove the outer layers. Smash the stalks gently with the back of a knife to release their aromatic oils and steep them along with the tea, discarding the stalks after the tea is brewed for 1-3 minutes.

Serving suggestions

• Pour tea over ice cubes in mason jars for a fun presentation. Garnish with citrus such as orange, lemon, or lime slices.
• Add aromatic appeal and added flavor by garnishing your iced green tea with fresh herbs. Mint leaves, basil, or lemon balm are excellent choices that complement the delicate flavors of green tea.
• Make fruit skewers with bite-sized pieces of fresh fruits, such as strawberries, melon balls, or pineapple chunks, and garnish your glasses with them.

Storage tips

We recommend enjoying the brewed green tea within 24 to 48 hours for the best flavor and freshness. After that, the taste may start to deteriorate.

Keep it in a sealed container in the refrigerator to maintain its quality.

FAQS

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**This recipe was originally posted on June 12, 2013, updated on April 3, 2020, and updated again on June 23, 2023.**

If you’ve tried this Homemade Iced Green Tea recipe, please rate it and let me know how it turned out by leaving me a comment below. I’m always interested in feedback!

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