Cold brew iced tea (easy!)

Is it getting super hot where you are? It’s getting warm in Ottawa, so we’ve started making our daily cold brew iced tea!

Cold brew changed my life forever last summer. When I discovered it, I was like, “How have I never done this before? What have I been doing with my life?”

Guys. It is so easy.

Like, so easy you’ll think you must be doing it wrong because surely something delicious can’t come from so little work, right?!

But it does. Customize it with any tea you like, sweeten it naturally with a little agave nectar (or honey, if you’re not vegan), or don’t. It’s totally up to you!

The best part? No ice needed! Just drink it as soon as it’s ready because it’s already chilled!

Cold brew iced tea will probably also change your life, and I’m not sorry about it.

I’m not even a tea drinker, but you can do this with any kind of herbal tea, black tea, green tea, white tea, a combination of the lot, whatever you can infuse. It’s so stinking customizable that it’s hard not to find something you like.

I enjoy making a jar once per day for my partner, who loves to come back to an ice-cold, caffeine-free tea when he’s been working hard in the garden!

How to make cold brew iced tea

Below you’ll find the recipe for cold brew iced tea (make sure to use fair trade tea!), but in case you don’t believe it’s that easy, I’m also showing you. Check out this YouTube video I put together to show you how I made cold brew green rooibos tea and cold brew hibiscus!

The hibiscus was mostly for the money shot of the beautiful red pigment infusing into the water, but I also love that it never becomes bitter! Heat infusion can make it bitter very quickly, but you can cold brew hibiscus for 24 hours and it’s still so sweet that my partner drinks it without even a splash of natural sweetener. (We like agave, but any liquid sweetener works for cold drinks.)

Honestly, I feel like a cop-out for even presenting this as a recipe. It’s so easy that it doesn’t feel like one! But here it is anyway. 🙂

Super easy Iced Tea Recipe

Print Recipe

Cold brew iced tea (easy!)

The easiest iced tea you'll ever make! Prep takes only 30 seconds! Put it in the fridge overnight for a morning treat or start one every day to make sure you've got ice-cold tea at all times (without any ice)!

Prep Time1 minute min

Refrigeration12 hours hrs

Total Time12 hours hrs 1 minute min

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Halal, Hindu, Kosher, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Allergy-friendly, Dairy-free, Easy, Eco-friendly, gluten free, Organic, Quick, Recipes, sugar free, Sustainable, Vegan

Servings: 1

Equipment

• 1 pint mason jar with lid

Ingredients

• 1 ea teabag of choice (see notes)
• 2 cups cold tap water
• agave nectar or honey to taste (see notes)

Instructions

• Place the teabag in a clean pint mason jar. Fill the jar with water and screw on the lid.
• Refrigerate for 12 hours for a weaker tea or up to 24 hours for a stronger tea.
• If desired, add agave nectar or honey to taste and serve. If you like a more traditional, lemon iced tea, try using a citrusy tea or serving with a lemon slice!

Video

Notes

Teabag vs loose leaf tea: I recommend teabags for their convenience (you just take them out). However, you can use any kind of tea, including loose leaf, for this recipe. If you use loose leaf tea, use about 1 teaspoon per pint and strain well before drinking.

Agave or honey: I recommend agave nectar if you have it, as it’s vegan-friendly and most people can have it. Honey is another great option if you don’t have agave. I don’t recommend granulated sugar for cold drinks, as it doesn’t dissolve very well. However, any liquid sweetener will do fine. Sweetening the drink at all is optional.

What flavour will you make your cold brew? Be sure to let me know in the comments!

In solidarity,

Lia