Some drinks earn their following because of how they taste. Others earn it because of how they look. Strawberry iced tea earns both at once.
The colour is a warm coral-pink — deeper and richer than lemonade, lighter and more luminous than hibiscus, exactly the kind of pink that photographs beautifully and looks even better in person. The flavour is black tea with real strawberries: earthy and bright and sweet all at the same time, without any of the artificial sweetness that bottled strawberry drinks have.
This is made with a homemade strawberry syrup that takes ten minutes and smells like the best kind of summer. It keeps for two weeks and works in everything.
What You Need
For the strawberry syrup (makes enough for 6-8 drinks):
- 200g (1 cup) fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
- 200g (1 cup) white sugar
- 240ml (1 cup) water
For the iced tea (serves 4):
- 4 black tea bags — English Breakfast or Assam
- 1 litre (4 cups) boiling water
- 4-5 tablespoons strawberry syrup, to taste
- Ice
- Fresh strawberry slices and mint to garnish
The syrup works with both fresh and frozen strawberries — frozen are often sweeter and more intensely flavoured than out-of-season fresh.
How to Make It
Make the strawberry syrup:
- Combine strawberries, sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Simmer for 10 minutes until the strawberries are completely soft and the syrup is a deep coral-red.
- Mash the strawberries gently with a fork or potato masher.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean jar, pressing firmly to extract all the syrup.
- Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Make the iced tea:
- Steep the tea bags in the boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Remove without squeezing.
- Add 4 tablespoons of strawberry syrup while hot. Stir well. Taste and adjust.
- Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.
- Serve over ice with strawberry slices on the rim and a mint sprig.
3 Ways to Vary This Recipe
Make it a strawberry lemonade iced tea — add 45ml (1.5 oz) of fresh lemon juice to the batch after cooling. The lemon sharpens the strawberry flavour considerably and gives the whole drink a brightness that makes it taste even more like summer. This is the version that converts anyone who is not sure about iced tea.
Make it sparkling — use half iced tea, half sparkling water in each glass. Top just before serving so it stays fizzy. The carbonation makes the strawberry flavour more vivid and gives the drink a more festive quality that makes it suitable for parties.
Make it a strawberry basil iced tea — add 6-8 fresh basil leaves to the strawberry syrup while it is still warm. Allow to steep as it cools (about 15 minutes), then strain out the basil before storing. The basil adds a subtle peppery note that makes the strawberry taste more complex and less one-dimensional. This is the grown-up version.
What Glass to Use
Strawberry iced tea is at its most beautiful in a tall clear glass with plenty of ice and a strawberry slice on the rim. The coral-pink colour reads vividly against the transparency of the glass and the white of the ice.
For a bridal shower or Mother’s Day table, serve in wine glasses instead of tumblers — the wider bowl makes the colour look even more beautiful and the whole presentation becomes immediately more elegant.
(Shop tall clear glasses for summer drinks on Amazon →)
What to Serve It With
Strawberry iced tea pairs naturally with anything light and slightly sweet:
- Scones with clotted cream and jam
- A simple fruit salad with mint
- Vanilla shortbread
- A spring or summer cheese board
- Any bridal shower, Mother’s Day brunch or garden party that needs a drink that matches the vibe
The Ritual Tip
The strawberry syrup from this recipe is the same base used in the Strawberry Lemonade and the Strawberry Mocktail on this blog. Make a large batch once and use it across three different drinks over the course of a week. Spend twenty minutes on Sunday. Spend the rest of the week opening the fridge and choosing which version you feel like today.
→ See all our iced tea recipes: Iced Tea Recipes: 8 Homemade Versions →
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