Raspberry Iced Tea

Raspberry iced tea is a refreshing, bright drink that makes a warm day taste special. Fresh or frozen raspberries and sugar elevate plain black tea’s flavor profile. That said, if you want to convert this recipe into a sipper during the cooler months, add warming spices like cinnamon and serve it hot.

This drink is an easy intro to the world of tea recipes, which range from simple to more intricate, like the delicious pink drink popularized by Starbucks.

Ingredients for Raspberry Iced Tea

• Sugar: Good ol’ granulated white sugar is perfect for raspberry iced tea because it doesn’t add a unique flavor apart from sweetness. If you’d like, feel free to use agave or another sugar alternative.
• Tea: Plain, black tea is best here because it provides a bold, slightly bitter taste that plays well with the tartness of the raspberries.
• Raspberries: Interestingly, raspberries actually belong to the rose family and come in red, gold, black and purple. If you want to use fresh raspberries, the season typically runs from June to October.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the sugar tea

In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the sugar and simmer it until it dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tea bags, steeping for five to eight minutes. Discard the tea bags and pour in an additional 4 cups water.

Step 2: Simmer the raspberries

In another saucepan, bring the raspberries and remaining water to a boil. Reduce the heat and uncovered, simmer for three minutes.

Step 3: Strain

Strain and the discard raspberry pulp. Add the juice to the tea mixture and serve in chilled glasses over ice.

Editor’s tip: To strain all the bits and pieces of the pulp, your best bet is to use cheese cloth, also known as muslin.

Raspberry Iced Tea Variations

• Stir in some herbs: There are plenty of kitchen garden herbs that pair wonderfully with this raspberry iced tea. Mint, basil and rosemary all balance and enhance the natural flavors of many berries.
• Blend different flavors: If you feel inspired to experiment, add pomegranate, lemon zest, ginger or make this rhubarb mint tea.

How to Store Raspberry Iced Tea

To store raspberry iced tea, simply transfer it to a carafe or jug—preferably glass—and keep in the fridge for up to three days. After this time, the tea will likely still be drinkable, but the flavors begin to change and the tea may even start to ferment slightly.

Can I freeze raspberry iced tea?

To freeze this recipe, pour the tea into a freezer safe, airtight container. Keep it in the freezer for up to three months and when ready to enjoy, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight.

Raspberry Iced Tea Recipe Tips

Is raspberry iced tea the same as raspberry leaf?

Not surprisingly, one uses the leaf of the raspberry bush while the other uses the fruit. Both are healthy, but many people drink raspberry leaf tea in service of specific health benefits.

What is raspberry fruit tea good for?

Like all berries, raspberries are high in antioxidants and relatively low in sugar. Black tea is also high in antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. That said, the sugar in this raspberry iced tea recipe makes it more of a treat and less of a health aid.

What fruit pairs well with tea?

If you’re looking to expand your fruit tea vocab, it’s helpful to start with the kind of tea you want to drink. For example, if you want to pair fruit with a grassy, green tea, think sweet flavors like peach, blueberries or even, fragrant coconut milk. For more inspiration, check out our tea recipes.