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Homemade Copycat McDonald's Sweet Tea in a pitcher with ice cubes

Copycat McDonald's Sweet Tea

A refreshing and sweet homemade version of McDonald's famous sweet tea, perfect for warm weather cravings.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 cups
Course: Beverage, Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 120
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For Brewing
  • 4 cups Water (for brewing) Heat this water for brewing the tea.
  • 4-5 bags Black tea bags Use 4 bags for smoother tea and 5 for bolder flavor.
For Sweetening and Serving
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar Dissolve while tea is hot for best results.
  • 4 cups Cold water Used to dilute and chill the concentrated tea.
  • Ice Lots of ice for serving.
  • Optional lemon slices For added zest, if desired.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Bring 4 cups of water to a gentle boil, then turn off the heat.
  2. Add the tea bags and let them steep for about 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Remove the tea bags and stir in 1 cup of sugar while the tea is still warm until fully dissolved.
  4. Pour the sweetened tea concentrate into a large pitcher.
  5. Add the 4 cups of cold water and stir. Adjust sweetness by adding more sugar as needed.
Serving
  1. Chill the pitcher in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or serve immediately over ice.
  2. Serve in tall cups filled with ice and add lemon slices if desired.

Notes

For a deeper flavor, consider using brown sugar. If serving later, avoid adding ice to the pitcher to prevent dilution.