This ginger iced tea is naturally spicy-sweet, ready in about 15 minutes of hands-on time, and just as good made with honey as it is with sugar. Fresh ginger, mint, and lemon steep together so every glass tastes bright, not flat. It's the kind of pitcher you'll want to keep stocked in the fridge all summer. One reader, Gloria, put it simply: "Adding fresh ginger really elevates the flavour."
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What is iced tea?
The first iced tea recipe written down dates from the 1876 where it was included in a cookbook. The original recipe is non-carbonated and the first recipes are sweetened with sugar. And usually served with lemon. And this ginger iced tea is also flavored with lemon and non-carbonated.
How to Make Ginger Iced Tea (Hot-Brew and Cold-Brew)
This recipe uses the hot-brew method, which is the fastest way to a chilled glass and lets the ginger, lemon, and sugar all dissolve properly. Bring water to a boil, dissolve your sweetener, then steep the tea bags with the ginger, mint, and lemon juice for about 8 minutes. Strain, top up with cold water, and chill for at least 2 hours before serving over ice.
Prefer cold-brew? Skip the boiling step: add your tea, ginger, and mint to cold water and let it steep in the fridge for 6-8 hours, then stir in your sweetener and lemon juice. Cold-brewing gives a smoother, less bitter cup since it doesn't pull as much tannin from the tea leaves - but the flavor is also a little softer, and you'll want loose tea rather than bags for the best result.
Is Ginger Iced Tea Good for You?
Ginger has a long history as a natural remedy for an upset stomach, and many people find a glass of this tea genuinely soothing after a big meal or when they're feeling queasy. It's also a popular pick for easing motion sickness and general digestive discomfort.
That said, this recipe still contains added sugar, so it's a treat to enjoy regularly rather than something to drink without limit, if you want a lower-sugar version, see the honey and stevia swaps below. As with any home remedy, ginger tea isn't a substitute for medical advice, especially if you're pregnant or managing a health condition.
Variaties
Below, I share a basic recipe for ginger iced tea. But of course, you can vary endlessly with this. For example, consider:
- Instead of green tea, you can use white tea. The white is less bitter and got a softer flavor.
- You can discard the sugar or replace it with 4 tablespoons of honey. If you want a sweet taste but no sugar, you can use Stevia. A vegan substitute instead of honey can be 4 tablespoons of maple syrup.
Tips
- Dissolve the sugar in the hot water, before adding the rest of the ingredients. Sugar dissolves best in hot water while stirring. When you add the other ingredients, the stirring becomes a bit more difficult.
- Turn off the heat before preparing the tea. Even better, let the tea cool down to 185 °F (ca. 85 °C). That way, less Tanine will be released in your tea.
- A second tip to get less release of Tanine: don't squeeze your tea bags when taking them out.
- Ginger can be peeled easy by scraping with the back of your spoon. If you can't remove all the skin and have a biological ginger, that's not a problem. It's not a big deal if some skin is still present.
- If you've got a bit of leftover ginger, scrape it and cut in slices. Put in a freezer bag and freeze until you need your next batch of ginger.
Storage
You can prepare this recipe up in front and can store it for a few days. And of course, I've got some tips for you:
- Batching: Prepare a few batches of concentrated tea at once and store them in the refrigerator for up to three days until you're going to serve it. Just before serving, you add cold water to dilute it. This way you don't need as much refrigerator space. And that's a great thing when you're having a party, and you haven't got a lot of cooling space.
- Store in the refrigerator: You can store iced tea covered up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Store in the freezer: Fully prepared iced tea would take a lot of space in your freezer. But a good alternative is to freeze your concentrated ginger iced tea in an ice cube tray and add these to your jar. That way, your jar of iced tea is cooled down really fast.
Other Delicious Drinks
If you prepared this recipe for homemade ginger iced tea, and you like it, you probably want to try these recipes:
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use honey instead of sugar? Yes. Swap the ½ cup sugar for 4 tablespoons of honey, stirred in once the water is off the heat but still hot enough to dissolve it. For a vegan option, use the same amount of maple syrup; for a sugar-free version, use stevia to taste.
- Can I substitute dextrose or another sweetener? Most granulated sweeteners will work in place of sugar, though the exact sweetness and dissolve time may vary slightly - a reader asked this exact question in the comments below, so you're not the first to wonder.
- Is this recipe caffeinated? Yes, if made with green or white tea bags as written. For a caffeine-free version, swap in a caffeine-free herbal or rooibos tea - the ginger, lemon, and mint will still carry the flavor.
- Why is my iced tea bitter? Bitterness usually comes from over-steeping or squeezing the tea bags while removing them. Steep for no more than 8 minutes, let the water cool slightly below boiling before adding the tea, and lift the bags out gently without pressing them.
- How long does it keep? Up to 3 days in the fridge, covered. See the storage tips below for batching and freezing ahead of a party.
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Ingredients
Ginger iced tea
- 6 cups water
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 bags green tea, or white tea
- 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- ½ ounce fresh mint, leaves and sprigs
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Garnish (optional)
- ice cubes
- 5 slices fresh ginger
- 5 fresh mint leaves
- 5 slices lemon
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
Ginger iced tea
- In a small pan, bring two cups of water to the boil.6 cups water
- Turn off the heat and add the sugar.½ cup sugar
- Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Put the tea bags into the water and add the ginger, mint, and lemon.2 bags green tea, 1 inch fresh ginger, ½ ounce fresh mint, 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- Let it come to taste for 8 minutes.
- Take the tea bags out of the water, but don't squeeze them.
- Sieve your tea in a jar.
- Add water until you've got 6 jars of iced tea (about 4-4½ cups).
- Put in the refrigerator and let it cool for at least 2 hours.
Serve
- Add the ice cubes just before serving.ice cubes
- Optional you can add slices of ginger, lemon and mint leaves.5 slices fresh ginger, 5 fresh mint leaves, 5 slices lemon
Notes
Nutrition
Gloria Duggan says
Love ginger tea, hot or cold. This is a great thing to have on hand in the fridge. Adding fresh ginger really elevates the flavour.
Nora says
Yum! This sounds super refreshing! Do you think I can replace the sugar with dextrose? Thank you!
Andréa says
I guess you can, but I've never tried it before.
Jerika says
Love this homemade ginger iced tea!:) This is so perfect for the berrrr months, when we need healthier drink options! Thanks!
Mina says
I prefer this homemade ginger iced tea over the artificial ones! It's healthy and refreshing!
Swathi says
This homemade ginger iced tea looks great refreshing drink. I tried it so good.
Andréa says
It really is!
Mmm says
just gonna try it because I'm pregnant 😂 hope it works fingers crossed! first trimester is really the worst.
Andréa says
It is! I hope it worked out for you!