This tea recipe is an easy way to make delicious cold brew tea! In fact, this recipe works especially well if you want a refreshing summer beverage.
I personally love to “dress it up” and add a splash of half and half to give the cold brew tea some creaminess and an extra depth of flavor! Adding half and half may sound odd, but I think it’s actually quite tasty.
Why I love cold brew tea
Smooth: Rather then being slightly bitter, like teas that are brewed with hot water, this tea is smooth and aromatic.
Easy: This recipe is super beginner friendly! I know from personal experience that making new recipes can be intimidating. However, this recipe is so easy and it’s a really hands off way to get a delicious beverage!
Customizable: Another reason to love this recipe is because of how customizable it can be. In this particular recipe, I use Earl Grey and culinary grade lavender extract, but you could certainly use a different type of tea and add in, or omit, whatever you’d like! I go over some other add-in ideas later on in this blog article.
The origin of cold brew tea
If you are anything like me, you may think that coffee is the original beverage that was cold brewed. However, tea is actually the original cold brew drink. In fact, it dates back to the 1600’s and originates in Japan. Click here to find out more.
Is cold brew tea healthy?
I can’t make any health claims myself, but upon doing some research , I have found that cold brew tea may have more active vitamin c. In addition, it also has vitamins d and b complex.
Since the tea leaves are brewed in cold water instead of hot or boiling water, less chemicals are released as well.
Lastly, cold brew tea is said to be easier to digest as well.
Cold brew tea benefits
Like I wrote above, some benefits of this tea are: extra/more active vitamins, less chemicals, and also less caffeine. I will elaborate more on the caffeine content down below! 🙂
How does cold brew tea taste?
It tastes smoother and less bitter then tea brewed in hot or boiling water. To me, that is the perfect flavor profile for tea!
How much caffeine does it have?
The caffeine level in cold brew tea varies, but it is typically around 7-15 mg per 8 ounce cup. To put this into perspective, tea brewed with hot water usually has around 30-50 mg of caffeine per 8 ounce cup. Therefore, this tea has significantly less caffeine.
Ingredient variations
Earl Grey Black Tea-> English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, or another type of black tea. Herbal teas work too!
White sugar-> Honey or maple syrup
Lavender extract-> Chamomile extract
Equipment needed
Large glass jar or pitcher- at least 64oz or larger, with a lid or cover
Measuring spoons
Stirring spoon
Fine mesh strainer- optional, if you are using loose leaf tea instead of tea bags
Funnel- optional, for transferring to smaller glasses
Ingredients
8 cups of filtered water
5 Earl Grey tea bags- or your desired type of black tea
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons of culinary lavender extract– optional
3 tablespoons of sugar- or desired sweetener
lemon slices- optional to garnish
How to Make Cold Brew Tea
Add the tea bags to a clean jar or pitcher that’s at least 64 ounces big.
Next, add the filtered water to the jar.
Then, add in the lavender extract- optional. Note, start with a smaller amount. You can always add more lavender extract later on. Add lid or a cheese cloth and rubber band to the jar.
Next, put the tea in the fridge to sit for at least 8 hours.
After at least 8 hours has passed, taste test the cold brew tea. Add more sweetener or lavender extract if needed and remove the tea bags if the tea tastes strong enough to you.
Serve your cold brew tea over ice with a lemon slice and mint, optional, to garnish.
How to store
Keep the cold brew tea refrigerated and enjoy within 3-5 days of brewing. Avoid leaving it out at room temperature for too long.
If adding milk: You can add milk to your tea to make it more like a latte, one of my favorite ways to enjoy cold brew tea! If you add milk, be sure to drink the cold brew tea within 1-2 days of adding milk and make sure to only add milk to a single portion and not the whole jar of tea.
Common questions (FAQ’s)
Cold Brew Tea
Equipment
- Large glass jar or pitcher- at least 64oz or larger, with a lid or cover
- Measuring Spoons
- Stirring spoon
- Fine mesh strainer- optional, if you are using loose leaf tea instead of tea bags
- Funnel- optional, for transferring to smaller glasses
Ingredients
- 8 cups of filtered water
- 5 Earl Grey tea bags- or your desired type of black tea
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons of culinary lavender extract- optional
- 3 tablespoons of sugar- or desired sweetener
- lemon slices- optional to garnish
Instructions
- Add the tea bags to a clean jar or pitcher that’s at least 64 ounces big.
- Next, add the filtered water to the jar.
- Then, add in the lavender extract- optional. Note, start with a smaller amount. You can always add more lavender extract later on. Add lid or a cheese cloth and rubber band to the jar.
- Next, put the tea in the fridge to sit for at least 8 hours.
- After at least 8 hours has passed, taste test the cold brew tea. Add more sweetener or lavender extract if needed and remove the tea bags if the tea tastes strong enough to you.
- Serve your cold brew tea over ice with a lemon slice and mint, optional, to garnish.
Notes
Can I use loose leaf tea instead of tea bags? Yes! You can use about 1 tablespoon of loose leaf tea per 4 cups of water. Be sure to strain the tea leaves after brewing and before serving.
Can I make the tea without lavender extract? Absolutely! I know that not everyone likes lavender extract, and that is okay!
Can I make this without sweetener? Certainly!
Is this drink kid friendly? While this cold brew tea doesn’t have much caffeine, it still does contain a little. Therefore, it’s probably suited better for teens and adults. However, this recipe can be mortified to be more kid friendly. Just use a caffeine-free, herbal tea, like chamomile.
Additional tips
Shake it up. If the tea is too close to the top of the jar and you don’t want any of the tea to spill while stirring, you can screw the lid tightly on the jar and shake it up instead!
Want more of a citrusy twist? Add lemon juice to taste.
Want it fizzy? You could also add a splash of unflavored sparkling water to add some fizz.
Add half and half. Add a half and half or milk to taste to give your cold brew tea a latte like flavor!
Batch ahead of time. You can batch your cold brew ahead of time and add it to a clear drink dispenser with floating lavender springs and lemon slices. This adds a beautiful touch to picnics, brunches, bridal showers, baby showers, and more.
I hope you all enjoy this recipe! If you have any questions, I’m happy to help! 🙂
Yum, this tea is delicious!!
Our new favorite way to brew tea!😁
My wife and I live in the south and brewed ice tea is a staple at any time of the day. I’ll have to try to put in the half and half and give it a try.
Wow I love the idea to use lavender extract. This sounds so yummy.
This cold brew tea recipe is such a gem—simple, refreshing, and totally customizable! 💛 I love how you broke everything down step-by-step and even included variations and serving ideas. Adding lavender extract and a splash of half and half sounds so dreamy—like a tea latte for summer! 😍 I’m definitely going to try the citrus twist next time too. Thanks for all the thoughtful tips, especially the storage and milk advice. Can’t wait to make a big batch for my next picnic! 🍋🧊🌸
This is a great recipe! I’m excited to get some tea cold brewing as we head into warmer months! It’s so refreshing!
This is a good time to try this tea! Thanks for sharing.
Yum! This looks great! My mother in law would love to have this when she visits. Thanks for sharing.
I LOVE any kind of tea! This is such a cool idea. I’ve only brewed hot tea but now I want to try this method. Thanks for sharing!
This sounds so refreshing! I will have to make this in the summer months. I’m still liking my hot tea now, but it’s getting hot out there already on some days. Thanks so much for a great recipe and all the info about cold brewing!
I’ve never tried cold brew with tea bags, but I’m looking forward to trying now! We often cold brew fresh herbs, especially in the summer🙂