Apple Cinnamon Iced Tea
Apple Cinnamon Iced Tea
A chilled black tea infused with crisp apple slices, warm cinnamon, lemon, and a light touch of honey.
Apple Cinnamon Iced Tea takes the familiar comfort of spiced tea and serves it cold, making it especially useful for warm afternoons, brunch pitchers, and make-ahead entertaining. Black tea gives the drink enough body to carry the fruit and spice without becoming heavy.
Fresh apple slices steep briefly with cinnamon sticks after the tea is brewed, so the flavor stays clean and gently aromatic. Honey is stirred in while the tea is still warm, which helps it dissolve evenly and keeps the sweetness soft rather than syrupy.
The key is to avoid over-steeping the tea bags, then give the apple and cinnamon enough time to infuse as the tea cools. A squeeze of lemon brightens the pitcher and keeps the apple flavor crisp.
Serve the tea over plenty of ice with extra apple slices in each glass. For a stronger spiced note, chill the pitcher with the cinnamon sticks still inside and remove them just before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, then remove it from the heat.
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2
Add the tea bags and steep for 5 minutes, keeping the pan covered so the tea stays hot and aromatic.
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3
Remove the tea bags without squeezing them, then stir in the honey until fully dissolved.
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4
Add the sliced apples and cinnamon sticks to the warm tea and let them infuse for 20 minutes.
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5
Stir in the lemon juice, then strain the tea into a pitcher or leave some apple slices in for a fruitier presentation.
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6
Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
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7
Serve over ice with fresh apple slices and, if desired, one of the infused cinnamon sticks in the pitcher.
Ingredients
- Water:6 cups
- Black Tea Bags:6
- Medium Apples, Thinly Sliced:2
- Cinnamon Sticks:2
- Honey:1/4 cup
- Fresh Lemon Juice:2 tablespoons
- Ice:as needed
- Apple Slices for Serving:as needed
Tips & Notes
- Use a firm sweet-tart apple such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Gala for clear apple flavor.
- For a lighter tea, use 5 tea bags instead of 6 and keep the steeping time the same.
- If you prefer a sweeter drink, add more honey while the tea is still warm rather than stirring it into cold tea.
