How to Make Sun Tea: Our Go-To Mason Jar Sweet Tea Recipe
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I still remember my first memories of sun tea. When I was little, our family would take summer vacations in the mountains. The camp we stayed at sat on top of a steep hill overlooking a beautiful stream. Beside the camp, there was a campfire ring right next to a tree stump, and on the stump, there was always a large glass jar of sun tea that would catch the sun’s rays all day long—slowly staining the clear water into deep amber by the afternoon. Looking back, I remember that glass jar always being on the stump when we were at camp—like a permanent home. Flash forward to today, and we make sun tea at our homes several times a week. If you ever stop by my mom’s home or mine, chances are there is freshly brewed iced tea in the fridge and another one steeping away in the sunlight.
Learn how to make sun tea with our go-to mason jar sweet tea recipe!
Sweet Sun Tea
Ingredients:
9 Black Tea Bags
2 Earl Gray Tea Bags
½ Gallon Water
½ Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
⅔ Cup Finely Granulated White Sugar
Instructions:
Grab a ½ gallon mason jar and fill it up with water. If you do not have a ½ gallon mason jar, then simply measure out ½ gallon of water and place it in a glass pitcher.
Unwrap all of the black and Earl gray tea bags, twirl the tea bag ends together, and place them into the water in your mason jar or pitcher.
Place the mason jar lid (or other covering) on top of your jar or pitcher and set it in the sunlight for a minimum of 3 hours or until the tea is fully steeped to your preference.
After your tea is steeped, squeeze out the tea bags and toss them.
Add your sugar and lemon juice and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Chill your sun tea in the fridge or pour over ice, and that’s how to make sun tea!
The Beauty of Sun Tea
We love sun tea because of its simplicity! Skip the stove and use the sun. Tea leaves release their flavor into water—no matter if it is hot, warm, or cold. Of course, steeping tea in hot water is the quickest way but not the only way to make tea. You can even make mason jar sweet tea without the sun altogether! Not sure how to make sun tea inside? The process is the same! You just need some additional time to let the tea infuse into the water.
Variations
The fun part about making iced tea is that you can be creative with it! Wondering how to make sun tea with flavored tea bags on hand? Use them! Want to add juices or purees to your mason jar iced tea for a punch of fruity flavor? You can do that too! Check out our strawberry and peach puree recipes for a summery take on regular sweet tea!
Strawberry Puree Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Cup Fresh Strawberries
2-3 Tbsp. Sugar
⅓ Cup Water
Instructions:
Slice 1 cup of fresh strawberries and add them to a small saucepan.
Add 2-3 Tbsp. of sugar (depending on how sweet your berries are and if they are in season or not.)
Add ⅓ cup of water.
Simmer this mixture on low heat until it is hot and bubbly. Break up the berries with a wooden spoon or whisk. Continue cooking the mixture until the berries are broken down and the mixture starts thickening.
After the mixture is thick, let it cool until slightly warm or at room temperature.
Add the sauce to a personal blender or a mini food processor. Blend until pureed.
Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature (or chilled) before adding it to your sweet tea.
Add about ⅓ cup of strawberry puree to your sweet tea and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. That’s how to make sun tea with strawberry puree!
Peach Puree Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Cup Canned/Jarred Peaches in Juice or Light Syrup
2-3 Tbsp. Sugar
⅓ Cup Water
Instructions:
Dice 1 cup of canned or jarred peaches and add them to a small saucepan.
Add 2-3 Tbsp. of sugar.
Add ⅓ cup of water.
Simmer this mixture on low heat until it is hot and bubbly. Break up the peaches with a wooden spoon or whisk. Continue cooking the mixture until the peaches are broken down and the mixture starts thickening.
After the mixture is thick, let it cool until slightly warm or at room temperature.
Add the sauce to a personal blender or a mini food processor. Blend until pureed.
Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature (or chilled) before adding it to your sweet tea.
Add about ⅓ cup of peach puree to your sweet tea and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. That’s how to make sun tea with peach puree!
More Recipes
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out our full collection of recipes on our blog!