How to Make Sun Tea Recipe

Let’s talk about how to make sun tea recipe the Old Fashioned way outside in the summertime as well as the cold brew iced tea as well! From there you can add fruits, sugar or other sweeteners to make a pitcher of our sweet tea with Lipton tea bags to enjoy with your family and friends this year.

How to Make Sun Tea

This Southern liquid is a delightful and simple way to brew a refreshing batch of iced tea, especially during the warm summer months. This no-fuss method grabs the power of the sun to infuse tea leaves with flavor. This results in a light and naturally sweetened beverage that’s perfect for sipping on a sunny day. Let’s talk about how to make it and some creative variations to try.

In the winter you can make cold brew iced tea without the heat of the sun. We do this often to make our Hibiscus Sweet Tea Recipe. Instead of steeping outside, you just set the bags into cold water and allow the slow, gentle soaking process to happen on your window sill. The result is a milder, less bitter tea with a subtly sweet undertone.

How to Make Sun Tea Inside

Typically you will make tea that involves steeping tea bags in water using the heat of the sun. However, if you prefer to make sun tea indoors, you can achieve a similar result using a slower, cold-brewing method. Takes longer than How to Make Lotus but so worth it for the deep brewed flavor using cold water. Cold Brew Iced Tea Ingredients are;

• Tea bags (black, green, herbal, or your choice)
• Fresh, cold water
• A clean glass jar or pitcher with a lid
• Time and patience

Cold Brew Iced Tea

Choose Your Tea: Select your favorite tea bags or loose leaf tea. You can use black tea, green tea, herbal tea, or any other type of tea you prefer. The number of tea bags you use will depend on the strength you desire, but a general guideline is about one for every 8 ounces of water.

1. Prepare Your Container using a clean glass jar or pitcher with a lid. It’s important to use glass, as plastic can sometimes retain flavors and odors.
2. Add Tea Bags using the desired number into the container. If you’re using loose leaf tea, use a tea infuser or a tea filter bag to hold the leaves.

How many tea bags do you use to make sun tea?

Pour Cold Water in, room temperature is fine too, we use filtered. The number you use varies depending on how intense you want the flavor to be. You should start with the general rule of one tea bag or one teaspoon of loose leaf tea per 8 ounces (1 cup) of water and go from there. If you try this and think it is too “weak” then add a 2nd the next go around.

Cover and Steep in the container placed it in a sunny spot inside your home. While it won’t have the direct heat of the sun, it will still infuse the tea slowly over time. The steeping time will vary depending on your taste preferences and the type of tea you’re using. As a general guideline:

How long do you steep sun tea?

The longer it sits the more intense it will become, to a point. If you hit the max amount of hours you really have soaked all the flavors out of your bags or leaves but within the time limit listed below will vary the intensity of the flavors. Indoors will take twice as long as in direct sunlight. This is how long it should sit indoors;

• Black iced tea indoors: 8 – 12 hours period of time
• Green iced tea indoors: 6 – 8 hours
• Herbal iced tea indoors: 4 – 6 hours
• Sun tea outdoors: this process can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, depending on the intensity of the sunlight.

Strain and Serve once it has reached the desired strength. Remove the tea bags or infuser. If you used loose tea leaves, strain the liquid to remove any remaining leaves. You can sweeten with a simple syrup or honey. Some like to squeeze some citrus for more of a Lime Drink.

Chill and Enjoy after sitting in the refrigerator to chill, or you can pour it over ice for immediate enjoyment. We like to swap this and our Chocolate Stout Cold Brew coffee in the mornings for a delicious start to the day.

What’s the difference between sun tea and cold brew tea?

Making sun tea indoors using the cold-brew method is a great way to enjoy a refreshing and milder version of this classic summer beverage without relying on the sun’s heat. It’s a perfect option for those cloudy or wintery days when outdoor sun tea isn’t feasible.

Downside is the intensity is different, instead it is a milder flavor and takes longer but is better for certain recipes. We share How to Cook Boba for Bubble Tea which we love with a stronger brew.

How to Make Iced Tea in the Sun

You will follow the same steps above by adding cold water with the bags but it will sit outdoors. Cover and Set in the Sun with the lid sealed tight in a sunny spot. The tea will steep as the sun’s warmth gradually warms the water. This process can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours, depending on the intensity of the sunlight.

• 4-6 tea bags or equivalent loose tea – 1 bag per 8 oz. of water is the ratio to start with
• 4-6 cups of cold, filtered water
• A clean glass container with a lid or cover
• Optional: sweeteners (sugar, honey, or agave syrup), lemon slices, or fresh herbs for flavor

Check and Taste after the steeping time. Carefully remove the container from the sun. Taste to see if it has reached your desired strength. If not, you can leave it out for additional steeping. Add Flavor if you like with liquid sweetener, lemon slices, or fresh herbs to infuse additional flavors. Stir to dissolve sweeteners.

Chill and Serve: Once you’re satisfied with the flavor remove bags or strain out loose leaves. Chill the sun tea in the refrigerator until it’s cold. Serve garnished with lemon slices or herbs if desired, and enjoy.

How to Make Sun Tea Better

This popular drink is not only easy to make but also a great way to enjoy your favorite flavors in a refreshing and natural way. Experiment with different leaves and fruits to create your perfect recipe, and savor the taste of summer.

1. Add slices of fruits like oranges, lemons, or berries for a fruity twist.
2. Throw in a few sprigs of fresh mint leaves for a cool, minty flavor.
3. Sweeten your tea with honey and add lemon slices for a zesty and lightly sweetened version.
4. Use chai tea bags or loose tea and add milk or a milk substitute for a creamy, spiced iced chai tea.
5. Mix your sun tea with diced fruits, a splash of citrus juice, and a bit of wine for a refreshing tea-based  Cranberry Sangria.