Ingredients
• 4 cups (950ml) water
• 4 black tea bags (or 2 tbsp loose-leaf—Darjeeling or Orange Pekoe ideal)
• ½ cup (120ml) fresh lemon juice (~3–4 lemons)
• 2–4 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or monk fruit simple syrup (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest (for aromatic lift—optional but recommended)
• Ice cubes
• Sliced lemons & fresh mint (for serving)
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups water to a gentle boil. Remove from heat; add tea bags. Steep 4–5 min (don’t oversteep—bitterness alert!). Discard bags.
- While tea is hot, stir in sweetener until dissolved. Add lemon juice and zest.
- Cool to room temp (~20 min), then refrigerate 1–2 hours (or pour over a full pitcher of ice for quick-chill—add extra ½ cup cold water to compensate).
- Serve over ice, garnished with lemon slices and mint. Stir before pouring—zest settles!
💡 Pro tip: Double-strength tea + extra lemon = no dilution when poured over ice.
PREP TIME & NUTRITION (per 8-oz serving, makes 4):
Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 5 min (+chill) | Total Time: 1 hr 10 min | Servings: 4 | Calories: 35 | Net Carbs: 9g | Fats: 0g | Protein: 0g