Classic Southern sweet tea is the ultimate refreshing treat for a hot summer day! The secret to a smooth, never-bitter pitcher is a surprising one: a pinch of baking soda that softens the tannins and keeps the tea crystal clear. Grab your favorite glass pitcher and find a comfy spot on the porch!
More homemade summer drinks:
Before You Get Started
Sweet tea is about as simple as a recipe gets, but a few small choices are the difference between smooth, refreshing tea and a batch that turns out bitter or cloudy. Keep these three in mind before you start:
- Don’t boil the tea bags: Add them to water just off the boil. Boiling water scorches the tea and turns it bitter.
- Add the baking soda: Just a pinch neutralizes the tannins, so the tea tastes smoother and looks clear, not cloudy.
- Sweeten while it’s hot: Sugar dissolves fully in hot tea, so it won’t turn gritty or sink. No simple syrup needed.
How to Make Sweet Tea
Homemade sweet tea is affordable, keeps in the fridge all week, and lets you dial the sweetness exactly where you want it.
Here’s all you need: black tea bags blended for iced tea (I grew up on Lipton, and I love Luzianne too), granulated sugar, a pinch of baking soda, and water.
The ratio for a full gallon is 12 regular tea bags (or 3 family-size) and 1 cup of sugar, and everything scales cleanly from there.
Step 1: Steep the Tea
Bring 4 cups of water barely to a boil in a pot, kettle, or saucepan. Remove it from the heat, then add the tea bags and baking soda to the hot (but no longer boiling) water.
Steep for 4 to 5 minutes, or slightly longer for a stronger brew, but no more than about 10 minutes. Steeping too long pulls out bitter tannins.
⇢ Microwave Option: Heat the water in a microwave-safe glass measuring cup for about 6 to 7 minutes on high, just until it barely comes to a boil.
Step 2: Sweeten While Hot
Remove the tea bags and whisk the sugar into the hot tea until it fully dissolves. One cup makes a moderately sweet gallon.
For a lighter tea, start with ½ cup, and if you like it really sweet, go up to 1 ½ cups. It’s your pitcher, so sweeten to taste.
→ Different Sweeteners to Try: Honey, agave, or a splash of simple syrup all work. Stir them in while the tea is hot so they blend smoothly.
Step 3: Add Water and Combine
Pour the sweetened tea base into a gallon-size pitcher. Add 3 more quarts (12 cups) of cool water and stir to combine.
Step 4: Chill and Serve
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, though overnight is best. Warm tea poured over ice just melts the cubes and waters everything down, so give it time to get cold first.
Serve over plenty of ice with lemon wedges and a sprig of fresh mint.
This is also where you can have a little fun:
- Stir it half-and-half with lemonade for an Arnold Palmer
- Muddle in peach or raspberry
- Add a splash of bourbon for the grown-ups
Making it for a cookout or party? The recipe fills a full gallon and doubles cleanly for a crowd.
⇢ Don’t toss the leftovers. A few cups of sweet tea make a fantastic brine. Use them in my Sweet Tea Brined Chicken for juicy, flavorful grilled chicken.
How to Store Sweet Tea
Always keep sweet tea in the refrigerator. Because it contains sugar, water, and minerals, it shouldn’t sit out at room temperature for more than a few hours, and never overnight.
Stored properly in the fridge, your sweet tea will stay fresh for up to 1 week.
This sweet tea recipe was soooooooooooo yummy!!!!!! It tasted just like my Mama’s sweet tea. She was an awesome Mama, and her memory lives on through cooking. I grew up in GA, so this was exciting to make. Now, I can wow all my friends with a nice glass of southern goodness…
– Andrea
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you put baking soda in sweet tea?
Baking soda neutralizes the tannins in the tea, which cuts bitterness and keeps the tea from turning cloudy. You only need a pinch, about ¼ teaspoon per gallon, and you won’t taste it. It’s the small step that gives Southern sweet tea its signature smooth, clear finish.
Why is my sweet tea bitter or cloudy?
Two things are usually to blame. Pouring boiling water over the bags or steeping too long over-extracts the tannins and turns the tea bitter, so use water just off the boil and pull the bags after about 5 minutes. Cloudiness comes from those same tannins, which is exactly what the pinch of baking soda helps prevent.
Can I use loose-leaf tea instead of tea bags?
You can, though bags are easier to measure and remove. As a starting point, use about 1 tablespoon of loose black tea per 2 cups of water, then adjust to taste. Steep it in a mesh infuser so you can lift it out cleanly at the 5-minute mark.
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Southern Sweet Tea
Ingredients
- 12 regular-size black tea bags (or 3 family-size tea bags)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar (or more or less, to taste)
- 1 gallon water, divided
- For serving: ice; lemon wedges; fresh mint
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water barely to a boil. You can do this on the stovetop, or you can heat the water in the microwave for about 6-7 minutes. Add the tea bags and baking soda to the hot (but not boiling) water and steep for 4-5 minutes.
- Whisk sugar into the hot tea until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Pour tea into a gallon-size pitcher. Add 3 more quarts (12 cups) of water to the pitcher; stir.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Pour over ice and serve with lemon wedges and fresh mint, if desired.
Notes
- Don’t boil the tea bags. Add them to hot water that’s just off the boil. Boiling water burns the tea and makes it bitter.
- The baking soda matters. A pinch neutralizes the tannins, preventing a cloudy look and giving the tea a smoother taste. You won’t taste it in the finished pitcher.
- Dissolve sugar while hot. Whisk the sugar into the hot tea so it dissolves fully. No simple syrup needed, and it won’t settle at the bottom.
- Adjust the sweetness. One cup of sugar makes a moderately sweet gallon. Use ½ cup for lighter tea or up to 1 ½ cups for a sweeter brew.
- Make it your own. Stir with lemonade for an Arnold Palmer, or add peach, raspberry, or mint.
- For a crowd. The recipe makes a full gallon and doubles cleanly.
- Storage. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. Don’t leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours.
Nutrition
Originally published in June, 2020, this post was updated in August, 2026.
I prefer to use loose tea leaves. What would be the amount of tea leaves for this recipe do you think? Can’t wait to try it. Thanks.
Hi, Patti! I’m not familiar with loose tea — it’s not something that I ever use at home, so I can’t say exactly how much loose tea you would need to equal one Lipton iced tea bag. In general, I believe that 1 regular tea bag (NOT the iced tea formulated bag) is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of loose tea. You need a much more concentrated tea, however, for the iced sweet tea, since you’re going to dilute the tea base with ice and water. Instead of the 1:1 ratio, maybe double that? It’s my best guess, but definitely not something that I’ve tried. 🙂
This sweet tea recipe was soooooooooooo yummy!!!!!! It tasted just like my Mama’s sweet tea. She was an awesome Mama, and her memory lives on through cooking. 🙂 I grew up in GA, so this was exciting to make. Now, I can wow all my friends with a nice glass of southern goodness. #southernnector 🙂 Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thank you, Andrea! I’m so happy to hear that it brings back memories of your Mama. Those are always the best recipes!
Can I use decaf tea bags the Southern Sweet Tea recipe?
Hi, Karen! Absolutely! Hope you’ll give it a try. 🙂
Why do you use baking soda in the sweet green tea?
Why do you use baking in your sweet tea?
Hi, Peggy! It might sound weird, but the best sweet tea includes a little bit of baking soda to neutralize the tannins in the tea, prevent a “cloudy” look, and give the tea a smoother taste.
Thank You so much for sharing your sweet tea recipe!
Got up this morning and the temperature outside was only 57 degrees. That’s a bit chilly, even for me. Going grocery shopping very soon, so when it gets warmer, the ingredients will be ready to use.
Again, Thank You. Have a great week!
Sandra W.
I agree — I can only do iced tea when it’s really hot outside. Today it’s over 100 in Virginia. Yikes! Enjoy, Sandra!
how long can unused syrup last, 3 gallon
It should be fine in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. 🙂
Im from East Tennessee and I’ve been making tea since I was little. My family’s recipe is identical to yours, minus the baking soda. I decided to try the baking soda trick, but I didn’t think it would make a huge difference. Oh my!!!!! It made a huge difference! I’m so glad I saw this and I’ll definitely start adding the baking soda to my tea.
Amazing!! I’m so glad to hear that, Kaitlynn. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂