Homemade Blueberry Iced Tea

A great alternative to sugar-filled lattes and teas, this easy Homemade Blueberry Iced Tea is lightly sweetened and contains caffeine. If you’re looking for a refreshing homemade drink, a great tailgating beverage, or simply a caffeinated alternative to sugary sodas, lattes, and other beverages – you have found your perfect match!

Ingredients

Blueberries

This recipe is for a fresh blueberry iced tea – infused with fresh blueberries for a fruity tea with a refreshing and natural flavor. This recipe makes ½ gallon of iced tea, so you’ll need about 1 cup (the equivalent of about 8 ounces) of fresh blueberries. To buy the right blueberries, opt for plump berries of even size, with smooth skin, and preferably close to dark purple in color. If you not ready to use them yet but would like to use them at a later date, you can freeze them until ready to make this recipe.

Blueberries are in season from about April to September, varying depending on your location. If you cannot find them fresh, frozen and thawed will also work in this recipe. It’ll be just as delicious as blueberries are typically frozen during their peak ripeness.

Black Tea

When choosing a black tea for this recipe, I prefer my tea loose leaf (instead of tea bags). Loose leaf teas typically have a smoother flavor and do not contain all the chemicals typically present in most tea bags used. However, if you are going for the more convenient option, you are welcome to substitute 6 tea bags for the 4 tablespoons of black tea.

In terms of tea types, I find the smoother varieties of black tea make this tea enjoyably light and refreshing. Smoother, non-astringent types of black tea include Assam and Darjeeling. To keep your brewed tea’s flavor smooth, be careful not to over steep your tea!

Sweetener

Most people making this recipe prefer to use white sugar (due to being comfortable with using it). If you’re looking for a healthier option, raw honey can be used instead for a natural sweetener. According to CNBC amongst other websites, “honey has a lower GI value than sugar, meaning that it doesn’t raise blood sugar levels as quickly. It’s also sweeter than sugar, so you may need less of it.”

Remaining ingredients

Lemon juice, water, and optional fresh mint leaves are the remaining ingredients. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is preferred due to the flavor. In terms of water, filtered or purified water is best for brewing tea due to the removal of any contaminants, vitamins, or even minerals that could affect the taste.

Equipment

To make this recipe: I found the following optional items helpful: a juicer for the lemons, a potato masher to help crush the blueberries, a large glass measuring cup, and a fine mesh strainer (if not using tea bags).

To serve this recipe: you will need drinking glasses and a pitcher that is between 68-72 ounces. As pictured with the tea, I am completely obsessed with Bamboo Drinking Straws. I love sustainable products with less material waste; however, I find paper straws useless as they seem to fall apart while drinking. Bamboo drinking straws are just right, easy to clean, and so cute!

How to Make Blueberry Iced Tea

The best way is to make this blueberry tea from fresh blueberries. The process begins by making a blueberry simple syrup. 1 cup blueberries, 1/3 cup honey or sugar, 1/3 cup water, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice should be added to a small saucepan.

Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer. Stirring consistently, use the spoon (you might also find a potato masher helpful) to crush the blueberries. Once the sugar has fully dissolved and blueberries are all crushed, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain.

Bring 4 cups of filtered water to a boil on the stovetop (or in a large glass measuring cup in the microwave). Remove from the heat and add the black tea. Steep the tea in the water for five minutes. Strain it with a fine mesh strainer.

Mix the blueberry simple syrup, brewed black tea, and remaining water by pouring them into a 68-72 ounce pitcher filled with 1 cup ice. Serve/pour over additional ice in glasses. Garnish as desired with fresh mint leaves, sliced lemon, and adding a few fresh blueberries to each glass.

Variations

• Vegan – use sugar or maple syrup and not honey for the sweetener in the recipe.
• Naturally sweetened – use raw honey or maple syrup and not sugar for the sweetener in the recipe.
• Blueberry Iced Tea Cocktails – add a shot of vodka into each glass prior to pouring in the tea. Deep Eddy® Sweet Tea Vodka makes a great option or try Deep Eddy® Peach Vodka for a delicious peach-blueberry cocktail.
• Sparkling mocktail/spritzer – in the end of the recipe, instead of mixing in the remaining 3 cups of water, mix in soda water.

FAQS

More Healthy Beverages

Love beverages recipes that are still delicious, but slightly healthier? Learn how to brew hibiscus tea for a light refreshing drink that helps with sugar cravings OR further your love for blueberries in these refreshing Blueberry Lavender Mimosas!

Here’s to relaxing and feeling refreshed! And of course, to regaining our sparkle together, ✧❈✯✦Jenn✦✯❈✧