Easy Homemade Strawberry Iced Tea

By Rebecca St.Clair

Looking for the ultimate summer refreshment? This easy homemade strawberry iced tea recipe is made with sweet strawberries, brewed tea, and a little splash of lemon for a light, fruity, and delicious drink. It’s a simple way to enjoy seasonal berries while creating a refreshing homemade drink from scratch.

This fresh strawberry iced tea recipe is a delicious twist on classic iced tea. It’s easy to prepare and perfect for summer entertaining. If you’ve been searching for a fruity iced tea recipe with fresh strawberries, you’ll love this one!

Sweet, refreshing, and bursting with berry flavor, this strawberry iced tea is the perfect homemade summer drink. Made with fresh strawberries and naturally sweetened, this easy iced tea recipe is great for family gatherings, cookouts, and relaxing afternoons on the patio.

How to store homemade strawberry iced tea

Fridge

• Pour the cooled iced tea into a pitcher or airtight container.
• Keep it refrigerated for 5 days.
• If you’ve added sliced strawberries, remove them after 12–24 hours.
• Fresh fruit left in the tea too long can become mushy and may shorten the tea’s shelf life.
• Avoid storing the tea with ice cubes in it.
• Add ice when serving to prevent dilution.
• Natural fruit pulp and sweeteners may settle at the bottom. Give the tea a quick stir before pouring.

Freezer

Yes! Strawberry iced tea freezes well.

• Pour into freezer-safe containers, leaving some room for expansion.
• Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before serving.

Freshness Tips

• Add fresh lemon slices just before serving rather than during storage.
• If using fresh mint, remove it after a few hours to prevent bitterness.

Sweetness for homemade strawberry iced tea

While the strawberries add flavour and sweetness to this iced tea recipe, I used honey for a little added sweetness. You can of course use sugar or you favourite sweetener. Since not all sweeteners have the same level of sweetness, I’ll leave a chart below to how to substitute out some common sweeteners.

Since not everyone likes the same amount of sweetness, I suggest giving it a test to find you desired level of sweetness.

How to make homemade strawberry iced tea

1. Add 8 cups of water to a large sauce pot and bring to a low simmer.
2. Cut 1 lemons in half and add it to the pot.
3. Remove from the heat and add in 4 tea bags.
4. Cover and allow the lemon and tea to steep and cool. About 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cut 4 cups of fresh strawberries or add the same amount of frozen strawberries to a sauce pot.
6. Simmer on low heat until the strawberries are very soft.
7. Purée with a stick blender or mash them.

8. Once cool, squeeze the remaining juice left in the lemons, removing any seeds. Remove the leftover lemon along with the tea bags.

9. Strain the strawberry purée through a sieve in to a pitcher. Press the berries to extract as much juice as possible.

10. Add in the prepared tea.

11. Stir in 1/4 cup of honey (depending on how sweet you like your tea). Add ice to fill. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.