Cherry Pie Inspired Iced Tea
A refreshing iced tea that tastes like cherry pie with fresh cherries, warm vanilla, and a hint of tea, perfect for summer gatherings and brunches.
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved Use Bing, Rainier, or sweet/tart mix.
- 4 cups water
- 4 tea bags black tea or green tea Black tea for boldness, green tea for lighter, floral notes.
- 1 cup sugar Or to taste; see notes below.
- 1 tablespoon alcohol-free vanilla extract Use high-quality vanilla for better flavor.
- Ice cubes
- Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan.
- Remove the pan from heat and add the 4 tea bags. Let them steep for 5–7 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea.
- Meanwhile, place 2 cups of pitted and halved cherries in a blender and puree until smooth.
- Strain the cherry puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spoon to extract as much juice as possible; discard the solids.
Combining Ingredients
- Remove the tea bags from the saucepan. Stir in 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon alcohol-free vanilla extract into the warm tea until fully dissolved.
- Pour the strained cherry puree into the sweetened tea and stir to combine.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Chilling and Serving
- Refrigerate the mixture until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
- Serve over ice and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
Notes
For sweetness balance, start with 3/4 cup sugar, chill, then adjust as cold liquids taste less sweet. Make ahead tip: brew the tea and make cherry puree a day before; combine and chill on the day you serve for freshest flavor.