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Refreshing Cherry Pie Iced Tea

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A sweet and tangy iced tea with cherry pie flavors, cinnamon, and vanilla, perfect for cooling down on hot summer days.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 black tea bags (Assam or English Breakfast preferred)
  • 1 cup frozen tart cherries (or fresh cherries in season)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (brown sugar as alternative)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 6 cups water
  • Ice cubes for serving

Instructions

  1. Bring 6 cups (about 1.4 liters) of water to a rolling boil in a large saucepan (6-8 minutes on medium-high heat).
  2. Remove from heat and steep 4 black tea bags in the hot water for 5 minutes without oversteeping.
  3. In a small saucepan, add 1 cup frozen tart cherries and 1 cinnamon stick with 1 cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes until cherries are soft and release their juice.
  4. Stir in 1/3 cup granulated sugar into the hot cherry mixture until dissolved. Remove from heat.
  5. Remove tea bags from brewed tea. Pour cherry syrup through a fine mesh strainer into the brewed tea, pressing gently to extract juice without cherry bits.
  6. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
  7. Transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until well chilled.
  8. Serve over ice cubes, garnished with fresh cherries or lemon slices if desired.

Notes

Do not oversteep the tea to avoid bitterness. Simmer cherries gently to prevent cloudy syrup. Use fresh lemon juice for best flavor. Chill tea for at least 1 hour before serving. Adjust sweetness to taste. Cinnamon stick can be left in pitcher for stronger spice but remove before it becomes overpowering. For caffeine-free version, substitute black tea with rooibos or hibiscus tea. Sweeteners like honey or maple syrup should be added after tea cools.

Nutrition

Keywords: iced tea, cherry pie iced tea, summer drink, cherry iced tea, cinnamon iced tea, refreshing drink, sweet tea, homemade iced tea

Find it online: https://emacrave.com/refreshing-cherry-pie-iced-tea-recipe-easy-sweet-summer-drink-ideas/