Made with fresh blackberries and black tea, this refreshing blackberry iced tea will be much needed during hot summer days. It has just the right amount of sweetness, making the fruity flavors stand out. Add a couple of slices of lemon and mint for an even more refreshing taste!
My favorite part about this blackberry iced tea is that it contains just the right amount of sugar, which allows the flavors of the black tea and the blackberries to truly stand out. Lemon slices add a hint of citrus. It’s the perfect drink to have on a nice sunny day!
How to Make Blackberry Iced Tea
I made this tea the night before to let the flavors of the black tea and blackberries nicely infuse the water overnight. To make this, mash fresh blackberries with granulated sugar. Then, steep English Breakfast tea bags in hot boiled water for about 8 minutes. Pour the hot tea into the blackberry and sugar mixture, and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature. This step is crucial because it helps to concentrate the juices of the berries in the hot tea.
After it has sit at room temperature for 1 hour, pass it through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher to get rid of any chunks of blackberry. I let my tea refrigerate overnight, but 2 to 3 hours should be enough.
When ready to serve, add ice cubes and lemon slices. Garnish with whole blackberries and mint leaves. I am not a huge fan of mint, which is why I only used it as garnish. But if you like mint, I’d suggest adding it to the blackberry iced tea and letting it sit for a few minutes.
I made this refreshing blackberry iced tea to go with my Tropical Shrimp Salad. It was the perfect pairing! I think this could also go very well with some grilled chicken or steak kebabs.
Enjoy! 🙂
And please don’t forget to pin this recipe! 🙂
Kitchen Tips:
- Use fresh blackberries for maximum freshness!
- This will keep in the fridge for about 3 days. Make sure to keep it covered.
- If you think it’s too sweet, simply add more cold water. If you want it sweeter, dilute granulated sugar with some hot water and add it to the tea.
Blackberry Iced Tea
Equipment
- Pitcher
Ingredients
- 5 bags English Breakfast tea
- 5 ½ cups water
- 2 cups fresh blackberries, plus more for garnish
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar - (or more to taste)
- 3 cups cold water
- 1 lemon, sliced
- Mint leaves for garnish
- Ice
Instructions
- In a large heat-resistant bowl, mash or puree blackberries and sugar in a bowl using a fork. Set aside.
- Bring 5 ½ cups of water to a boil, and add tea bags. Cover and steep for 6-8 minutes. Then, discard tea bags.
- Pour tea over blackberry and sugar mixture, and stir. Let sit for about 1 hour at room temperature. No need to cover.
- Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a large pitcher. Add 3 cups of cold water. You can adjust sweetness to taste here. I don't like my iced tea to be too sweet, but if you want more sweetness, simply dissolve the preferred amount of granulated sugar with some hot water and add it to the pitcher.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Add lemon slices and ice cubes right before serving. Garnish with whole blackberries and mint leaves. Enjoy!
Notes
- Any type of black tea will be work. Try it with Earl Grey tea.
Jacqueline Heidle says
I love this tea! I am on my second batch this week! Great way to use all my blackberries!
Tania says
Thanks so much!
Kaye McArthur says
I’m so glad you gave me permission to drink fruit smoothies without the greenery! I love your mixed berry smoothie! I’ve made it so often that I want to experiment with another of your recipes; I think the strawberry mango combination will be my next treat! Thanks so much!
Marian Fluhr says
ok 1 quart water,30 black berries 1 level tablespoon of sugar, I used green tea because I have been told to drink at least 2 cups a day, I added teaspoon of lemon and 2 per cup of mint (fresh),I poured the tea over the berries in a defuseser, and steeped overnight. Then in the refrigerator. Once cold then put a mint leaf in. It is good. Next I will add a little ginger, I will right then.
Tania says
Yum, sounds great with green tea too! Glad you liked it!