The Pioneer Woman Tasty Kitchen
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Best Ever Southern Sweet Tea

5.00 Mitt(s) 9 Rating(s)9 votes, average: 5.00 out of 59 votes, average: 5.00 out of 59 votes, average: 5.00 out of 59 votes, average: 5.00 out of 59 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5

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Level: Easy

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Description

The key to this recipe is to allow the tea to steep for a full 15 minutes and be sure to add baking soda – it takes out the bitterness. This is a must-have at my house in the hotter months!

Ingredients

  • 6 whole Tea Bags
  • ⅛ teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 2 cups Boiling Water
  • 1-½ cup Sugar
  • 14 cups Cold Water

Preparation

Place tea bags along with baking soda in a large pitcher; pour boiling water over bags and allow to steep for 15 minutes, covered (I tie the tea bags together to make it easier to remove them later). Once bags have steeped, remove them but DO NOT squeeze them. Next, completely dissolve sugar in the hot tea (you can use up to 2 cups of sugar if you want your tea really sweet). Finally, add cold water to pitcher and stir, then chill.

7 Comments

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Kathy on 7.7.2011

This is similar to a recipe I use with the baking soda, but your technique makes it taste great! I could only get 12 cups of cold water into my pitcher (not the 14 you use), but it was very good! thanks

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alisan77 on 2.2.2011

This was delicious! I only used about 9 cups of cold water and it was perfect. Much better than store bought!

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witchypooh on 6.20.2010

try adding some squeezed fresh lime juice to the tea it’s very refreshing and has a tart flavor. I used splenda sugar blend in my tea has a sweet flavor but a lot less calories.

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cookncook on 6.13.2010

layseab – I just use the regular size classic Lipton tea bags.

baltobetsy – I do have a big pitcher! 2 quarts and my husband still complains it isn’t enough. Lol!

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layseab on 6.12.2010

Do u just use Lipton Cold Brew Tea bags for this or the regular ones?

9 Reviews

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Beignets&Lattes on 4.16.2017

Good Southern tea recipe. Thanks for sharing!

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jenml27 on 5.24.2012

Thank you! I felt kind of lost not knowing the “best” increments for making sweet tea and was happy to find your recipe. I’ve made this many times for almost a year now, and it is perfect! (As long as you don’t accidentally add too much baking soda, as I did one time . . .) ;) I do variations on it, like adding a few drops of vanilla extract, using flavored teabags, or putting some fresh mint in the boiling water with the teabags. Delicious!

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flourgirl on 5.2.2012

FANTASTIC!!!

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Kelly on 4.23.2012

Yummy!

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Delicious & Divine on 7.31.2011

Soooo good! Just how sweet tea is supposed to taste.

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