Description
A bright, fruity iced tea made with black tea, sweet cherry syrup, and fresh lime juice for a refreshing summer drink that is easy to make and perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups water, divided
- 4 black tea bags
- 2 cups pitted fresh or frozen cherries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, from about 4 limes
- 2 cups cold water
- 2 cups ice cubes, plus more for serving
- 1 lime, thinly sliced for serving
- 6 whole cherries for serving
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups of water to a gentle boil in a kettle or saucepan.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, granulated sugar, and the remaining 2 cups of water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries soften and release their juices.
- Strain the cherry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or large measuring cup, pressing lightly on the fruit to extract the syrup.
- In a separate heatproof container, steep the tea bags in the freshly boiled water for 5 minutes, then discard the tea bags.
- In a large pitcher, combine the brewed tea, strained cherry syrup, fresh lime juice, and cold water. Stir well until evenly blended.
- Add 2 cups of ice cubes to the pitcher, stir again, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Fill serving glasses with fresh ice, pour in the tea, and garnish with lime slices and whole cherries before serving.
Notes
- Taste the mixture before chilling and adjust with a little more lime juice or sugar if needed.
- For a fizzy version, replace part of the cold water with sparkling water just before serving.
- Frozen cherries work just as well as fresh and do not need to be thawed first.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and stir before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 glass
- Calories: 92
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 4mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: cherry lime iced tea, limeade iced tea, cherry tea drink, summer iced tea, fruit tea pitcher, homemade iced tea