Southern Iced Tea Recipes for Slow Summer Days

Recipe #24 of My 100 Recipe Project

There’s something about moving to Tennessee that makes you want to learn how to properly make iced tea.

Before we moved South, iced tea was something I made occasionally in the summer — simple black tea brewed on the stove and poured over ice. But after our first spring and summer in Franklin, I started noticing how much iced tea is woven into everyday life here. Porch evenings. Backyard dinners. Baseball games. It feels less like a drink and more like part of the rhythm of summer.

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with homemade Southern-style iced tea variations using what we already have growing in the backyard or sitting on the kitchen counter: fresh mint, lemons, limes, strawberries, peaches, and even fresh stevia leaves.

These are the easy combinations we keep making over and over again this summer.

My Basic Homemade Southern Iced Tea Recipe

This is the simple base homemade iced tea recipe I use for almost every variation below.

Ingredients

• 8 cups water

• 4 black tea bags (I usually use Lipton)

• ice

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring almost to a boil.

2. Turn off the heat and add tea bags.

3. Cover with a lid and steep for 5–8 minutes.

4. Remove tea bags and let cool slightly.

5. Pour over ice or refrigerate until chilled.

From there, you can customize it however you’d like.

1. Classic Southern Mint Tea

This one feels the most “front porch in Tennessee” to me.

Add:

• a handful of fresh mint

• lemon slices

• sweetener to taste

I love lightly tearing the mint leaves between my hands before adding them to release the oils.

You can make this traditionally sweet, or for a lighter version, steep a few fresh stevia leaves directly into the warm tea.

2. Peach Sweet Tea

This may be my favorite version.

Add:

• 2 ripe peaches, sliced

• optional mint

• lemon wedges

For the best flavor, simmer the peaches in a small saucepan with a splash of water for about 10–15 minutes until soft and syrupy. Stir the peach mixture into the tea and chill.

It tastes like peak Southern summer.

3. Strawberry Lime Iced Tea

This one feels extra refreshing on really hot days.

Add:

• fresh strawberries, sliced

• juice of 1–2 limes

• mint if desired

Muddle the strawberries slightly before adding them to the tea for more flavor.

I also love topping this version with a splash of sparkling water.

4. Homemade Arnold Palmer

A classic for a reason.

Mix:

• half iced tea

• half fresh lemonade

Add mint, lemon slices, or peach slices to make it feel extra summery.

These southern iced tea recipes are one of my favorite drinks to make for casual backyard dinners or afternoons outside with the boys.

A Few Southern Iced Tea Tips

• Don’t over-steep black tea or it can become bitter.

• Add sweeteners while the tea is still warm.

• A tiny pinch of baking soda can smooth out bitterness.

• Frozen fruit works beautifully instead of ice cubes.

• Fresh herbs make homemade tea feel special with almost no extra effort.

One combination we keep coming back to: black tea + peach + mint + fresh lime.

Simple, fresh, and exactly the kind of slow summer drink I imagined making when we moved to Franklin.

If you try one of these variations, let me know which one becomes your favorite. Recipe #24 of My 100 Recipe Project

From My Franklin Kitchen, Alexis