No-Sugar-Added Raspberry Iced Tea

This gorgeous raspberry iced tea is perfect for anyone who wants a refreshing summer drink without all the added sugar! Your family and friends will love the beautiful pink color and naturally sweet raspberry flavor that makes every sip feel like a special treat.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 45 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes, Serves: 8 people.

Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly, Nut-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 25 Calories, 6g Carbs, 1g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Water: You’ll need 7 cups total, but we’ll use them in two different parts of the recipe. Don’t worry – I’ll walk you through exactly when to use each amount!

Black tea bags: 6 regular-sized tea bags work perfectly here. I love using classic black tea because it gives the drink a nice bold flavor that pairs beautifully with the raspberries.

Fresh raspberries: 3 cups of fresh raspberries, plus a few extra for garnish if you want to make it look fancy. Fresh berries give the best flavor, but frozen ones work too if that’s what you have!

Fresh lemon juice: Just 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice adds the perfect bright tang. It really makes all the flavors pop!

Ice cubes: You’ll want plenty of ice to serve this refreshing drink nice and cold.

Lemon slices: These are totally optional, but they make such a pretty garnish and add a little extra citrus flavor.

How to Make No-Sugar-Added Raspberry Iced Tea

Step 1: Put 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it’s bubbling, take it off the heat right away. Drop in your 6 tea bags and let them steep for exactly 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and give them a gentle squeeze to get out the extra tea, then toss them out. Let your tea cool down for about 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.

Step 2: While your tea is cooling, grab another medium saucepan and combine your 3 cups of raspberries with the remaining 3 cups of water. Bring this mixture to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Let it simmer for 10 minutes – you’ll see those beautiful berries start to break down and turn the water pink!

Step 3: Take the raspberry mixture off the heat and use a fork to mash up any berries that are still whole. If you have an immersion blender, you can use that instead for about 30 seconds to get everything nice and smooth. Pour the whole mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl, and throw away the pulp that’s left behind.

Step 4: Pour your cooled tea into a pitcher and stir in the strained raspberry liquid and lemon juice. Pop it in the fridge for at least 1 hour until it’s completely chilled. You can make this up to 8 hours ahead if you want to prep it early!

Step 5: When you’re ready to serve, fill 8 glasses (16-ounce size works great) with ice and pour about 3/4 cup of tea into each glass. Add some lemon slices and a few fresh raspberries on top if you want to make it look extra special!

Easy and Quick No-Sugar-Added Raspberry Iced Tea Version

Want to speed things up? You can use 2 cups of frozen raspberries instead of fresh ones – they break down even faster when you cook them! Also, if you’re in a real hurry, you can cool your tea faster by adding a few ice cubes to the hot tea before mixing it with the raspberry liquid. Just remember to use a little less ice when serving since you’ve already added some to the tea!

Serving Ideas

This refreshing iced tea is perfect on its own as a healthy afternoon pick-me-up or evening refresher. It goes beautifully with light summer meals like grilled chicken salads, fresh fruit platters, or crispy vegetable wraps. The gorgeous pink color makes it perfect for garden parties, baby showers, or any time you want to serve something that looks as good as it tastes!

Storage

Keep your raspberry iced tea in the fridge for up to 8 hours for the best flavor and freshness. Store it in a covered pitcher or container to keep it tasting its best. Give it a good stir before serving since the flavors might separate a little bit while sitting. Don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, especially on hot days!

Substitutions

No black tea bags? Green tea or white tea work great too, though they’ll give you a lighter flavor. If you can’t find fresh raspberries, frozen ones work just as well – just thaw them first. Want to try different berries? Strawberries or blackberries are delicious swaps! If you prefer a sweeter drink, add a tablespoon of honey or agave syrup when you mix everything together.

Pro Tips

• Perfect steeping: Don’t steep your tea longer than 5 minutes or it might get bitter. Set a timer so you don’t forget!
• Smooth straining: Press the raspberry pulp gently with the back of a spoon while straining to get every drop of that beautiful pink liquid.
• Make-ahead magic: This tea actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours because all the flavors have time to blend together.
• Ice cube trick: Freeze some of the leftover raspberry liquid in ice cube trays for pretty pink ice cubes that won’t water down your drink!

FAQs

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?

You bet! Bottled lemon juice works fine, though fresh gives you the brightest flavor. Use the same amount – 2 tablespoons.

What if I don’t have a fine-mesh strainer?

No worries! You can use a regular strainer lined with cheesecloth, or even a clean kitchen towel. Just pour slowly and be patient – you’ll get the same smooth result.

Can I make this with decaf tea?

Sure! Decaf black tea works perfectly if you want to avoid caffeine. The flavor will be just as delicious, and it’s great for evening sipping.

How can I make just one or two glasses instead of a whole pitcher?

Easy! Just cut everything in half or by quarters. For 2 glasses, use 1 cup water and 2 tea bags for the tea, and 3/4 cup each water and raspberries for the berry mixture.

I’d love to hear how your raspberry iced tea turns out! Did you try any fun variations or serve it at a special gathering? Drop a comment and let me know – I always enjoy hearing about your kitchen adventures!