Sun Tea Recipe

During the hot summer days, a glass of ice tea is so refreshing and the best summer recipe. If you have ever had Sun Tea then you know how great it taste. The tea bags are heated up by the sun and the water and the outcome is best tea you have ever tasted.

It takes a little longer than just boiling water, but it is worth it. Drink Recipes complete any meal and some of our other favorites include Watermelon Drink Recipes, 47 Best Birthday Drinks and Easy Summer Drinks Recipes.

Why We Love Sun Tea

There is nothing better than enjoying a glass of iced tea on a warm summer day. Making Sun Tea is so refreshing and delicious. All it takes is a few simple steps and sunshine to create a large batch of the best iced tea.

If you like it sweet, you can even add in some sugar or simple syrup to make sweet tea. Add a slice of lemon and some honey and you will never make tea any other way.

Ingredients

• Water – Use filtered water or bottle water
• Black Tea Bags – Feel free to make it with other flavors of tea or loose-leaf tea
• Honey – Optional sweetener. You can also substitute with agave or a sweetener of choice
• Lemon Slices – We like to serve with lemon slices on the side

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

How to Make Sun Tea

Step 1 – Fill a large dispenser with the water. 

Step 2 – Add 8 tea brew bags to the dispenser.

Step 3 – Cover the dispenser with lid and sit it out in the direct sunlight or sunny spot on windowsill to allow the tea to steep into the water. Generally, it will take 3-4 hours for the tea to fully brew but this will depend on how hot it is and how big your dispenser is. 

Step 4 – Remove tea bags or strain the loose leaf tea with a fine-mesh strainer. Then stir in the honey and lemon slices.  Add honey based on how sweet you prefer your steep tea.  Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.  Pour the tea mixture in a glass or water bottle over ice for a refreshing drink.

Tips for Sun Tea

• Type of Tea – I made this recipe with black tea, but you can easily make it with your favorite types of herbal teas or use a combination to make your favorite flavor.  You can even add in fresh mint.
• Adding Tea Bags – This recipe is for 1 gallon of tea.  You can easily add the number of cold brew tea bags to fill your dispenser or your desired strength.  For example, if your dispenser holds 1.5 gallons then you would add 12 bags of tea, etc. 
• Sweet Tea – The honey sweetener is optional.  I find it’s best to use a liquid sweetener as sugar will not dissolve since the water is not boiling.  
• Cleaning Jar – Before adding your tea bags or loose tea leaves, make sure to clean with warm soapy water. You can also combine 1 ½ teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water to clean the glass jar.

How Many Tea Bags for a Gallon of Sun Tea

For a gallon of Sun Tea we recommend to at least use 8 tea bags. It depends on the strength of your tea and the type of tea that you use, you may require more tea bags.

How Warm Does it Have to be to Make Sun Tea?

It doesn’t have to be a certain temperature outside to make Sun Tea. As long as you have a place to put the pitcher of water and tea bags in the sunlight then you can make Sun Tea.

What is the Difference between Sun Tea and Regular Tea?

Teas brewed by sunlight usually have a milder taste than teas that are brewed by hot boiling water. Sun Tea never gets over 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Even delicate teas such as white tea and green tea are brewed at 150 degrees.

Frequently Asked Questions