Honey Iced Tea: Brewing, Sweetening and Flavor Ideas
Honey iced tea is a summer staple with a smoother, more floral taste than tea sweetened with sugar. The trick is getting honey to blend into cold tea, which is easy with a honey syrup or by stirring it in while the tea is still warm. This article covers hot-brew and cold-brew methods, ratios for black, green and herbal teas, flavor variations and which honeys pair best. For a lemony twist, see honey lemonade.
For general education only, not medical advice. Our honey is a food and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Why honey in iced tea
Honey adds a rounded, floral sweetness that softens tea's bitterness and tannins. Different honeys bring different notes: citrusy orange blossom lifts green tea, clean clover suits classic black tea, and bold buckwheat stands up to strong brews.
Hot-brew method
Bring four cups of water to a boil and pour over eight tea bags. Steep three to five minutes for black tea or two to three for green, then remove bags. While the tea is warm, stir in two to four tablespoons of honey until dissolved. Add four cups of cold water and refrigerate. Serve over ice.
Stirring honey into warm tea ensures it dissolves fully.
- 8 tea bags
- 4 cups boiling water
- Steep 3 to 5 minutes
- Stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons honey
- Add 4 cups cold water and chill
Cold-brew method
Place eight tea bags in two quarts of cold water and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Cold brewing extracts fewer bitter tannins, producing a smooth, mellow tea. Sweeten with honey syrup made from equal parts honey and warm water, since honey will not dissolve in cold tea.
Ratios by tea type
Starting points per quart:
| Tea | Steep | Honey |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 3 to 5 min hot or 8 to 12 hr cold | 1 to 2 tablespoons |
| Green | 2 to 3 min at 175°F | 1 tablespoon |
| Hibiscus | 5 to 10 min | 2 tablespoons |
| Rooibos | 5 to 7 min | 1 tablespoon |
| Peppermint | 5 to 7 min | 1 tablespoon |
Green iced tea with honey
Brew green tea at about 175°F to avoid bitterness, then stir in a little honey while warm. Add lemon or mint. The NIH's NCCIH notes green tea is safe in moderate amounts as a beverage. Our article on green tea with honey covers more.
Herbal iced teas
Caffeine-free herbal teas make great iced tea for evenings and kids over 12 months. Try hibiscus tea with honey for a tart, ruby drink, rooibos tea with honey for a smooth, nutty one, or peppermint for a cool finish.
Flavor variations
Add sliced peaches and a sprig of basil for peach honey tea, a cinnamon stick and orange peel for a spiced version, or fresh ginger slices for warmth. Muddle berries in the glass before pouring tea.
Southern-style sweet tea with honey
Classic Southern sweet tea is very sweet. For a honey version, stir about a third to half a cup of honey into a gallon of strong black tea while warm. Many people prefer less as their taste adjusts.
Avoiding cloudy tea
Iced tea can turn cloudy when hot tea is chilled quickly or when water is hard. Let tea cool to room temperature before refrigerating, or try cold brewing, which rarely clouds. Cloudiness does not affect safety.
Storage
Keep iced tea in a covered pitcher in the fridge and drink within three to four days for the best flavor. Sweetened tea can spoil faster than unsweetened.
Which honey for iced tea
Raw Clover Honey, harvested in New York State, is the classic choice for black iced tea. Raw Orange Blossom Honey, from Florida, is lovely with green tea and lemon. Raw Buckwheat Honey suits strong, malty black teas.
Sugar awareness
A tablespoon of honey has about 17 grams of sugar. The American Heart Association suggests limiting added sugars, so keep honey modest if you drink several glasses a day.
The takeaway on honey iced tea
Honey iced tea is easy: dissolve honey in warm tea or use honey syrup for cold brew, chill, and pour over ice. Match the honey to the tea for the best flavor.
Honey iced tea concentrate
To save fridge space, make a concentrate. Steep twelve tea bags in four cups of boiling water, stir in a third of a cup of honey, and chill. When serving, mix one part concentrate with one part cold water or sparkling water over ice. The concentrate keeps about four days and makes honey iced tea by the glass in seconds.
Sun tea and safety
Sun tea, brewed in a jar on a sunny porch, is a nostalgic method, but the water only gets warm, not hot, which is not ideal for food safety. Cold brewing in the refrigerator gives a similar smooth flavor more safely. If you make honey iced tea in a dispenser for parties, clean the spigot well between batches.
Decaf honey iced tea
For an evening glass, use decaf black tea or caffeine-free herbal teas. Decaf black tea brews and sweetens the same way, so the same honey ratios apply.
Sweeten your pitcher
Try Raw Clover Honey or Raw Orange Blossom Honey in your next batch. Save with a 3 jar or 6 jar pack of any honey, and orders over $50 ship free. Visit our shop.
Sources
Outside health sources we used for this article. They open in a new tab.
- Green Tea: Usefulness and Safety · NCCIH (National Institutes of Health)
- How much sugar is too much? · American Heart Association
- Honey: nutrient profile · USDA FoodData Central
Frequently asked questions
- How do I sweeten iced tea with honey?
- Stir honey into warm tea, or use honey syrup for cold tea.
- How much honey per quart of iced tea?
- About 1 to 2 tablespoons.
- Can I cold brew tea and add honey?
- Yes. Use honey syrup since honey will not dissolve in cold tea.
- Why is my iced tea cloudy?
- Chilling hot tea quickly or hard water. Let it cool first.
- How long does iced tea last?
- Three to four days in the fridge.
- Which honey is best for iced tea?
- Clover for black tea, orange blossom for green tea.
- Can I make herbal iced tea with honey?
- Yes. Hibiscus, rooibos and peppermint all work well.
Al Safa Honey is a food producer, not a medical provider. Nothing here is medical advice, and these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Talk to your doctor about any health concern. Never give honey of any kind to a baby under 12 months old.
