Our Cuppa Tea: 12 Creative Takes on Traditional Iced Tea

Sarah Jones · May 28, 2013

“How does Moses make his tea? Hebrews it.” – @TeaPuns

With Memorial Day over, summer has officially begun and it’s about to get smoking hot! That’s why we’ve partnered with our friends at Target to brew up a dozen iced tea recipes to keep you cool. Make sure you head over to Target to pick up all of your entertaining essentials, and be sure to check out Target’s #SummerUp Pinterest board for more fun and festive summer ideas.

First up, let’s make a super simple iced tea-infused simple syrup to add some unexpected flavor to our favorite summer cocktails.

1. Iced Tea-infused Simple Syrup: Whip up a batch of this simple syrup to take your mixology skills to the next level. Bonus: you only need 3 ingredients!

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 cups water

– 1 1/2 cups sugar

– 1 bag Lipton cold brew iced tea

– Equipment: Large Ball mason jars

In a small sauce pan, mix together water and sugar. Heat until boiling, remove from heat, and add tea bag. Steep for 30 minutes, then remove tea bag and place in syrup in the refrigerator to chill. Use simple syrup in Iced Tea Mint Juleps and Iced Tea Mojitos.

We love storing our simple syrup and other homemade bar concoctions in these large Ball mason jars from Target.

2. Iced Tea Mint Julep: Beyond being the favor drink of the Kentucky Derby, Mint Juleps are a southern summertime favorite.

Ingredients:

– 3 mint sprigs

– 2 ounces bourbon

– 1/2 ounce iced tea-infused simple syrup

– Equipment: set of old fashioned glasses

Place mint sprigs in a flat-bottomed glass; muddle with the back of a spoon or muddler. Add ice to fill the glass, then pour in bourbon and simple syrup. Garnish with another sprig of mint. Makes one drink.

We know the traditional way to serve is in a silver cup, but we’ve found it’s easiest to serve them in the standard bourbon vessel, an old fashioned glass.

3. Iced Tea Mojito: Iced tea-infused simple syrup adds an unexpected twist to our favorite Cuban (and summertime) drink!

Ingredients:

– 3 mint sprigs

– 1 tablespoon lime juice

– 1 tablespoon iced tea-infused simple syrup

– 2 ounces light rum

– Club soda

– Limes for garnish

Place mint sprigs in the bottom of a glass; muddle with the back of a spoon or muddler. Add lime juice and simple syrup, and muddle again. Fill glass with ice and pour rum over. Top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with lime and mint. Makes one drink.

Of course, you can always add a few strawberries to the mix for some extra fruit flavor!

4. Iced Tea-infused Vodka: We’ve taught you how to infuse your simple syrup with iced tea, but did you know infusing vodka is even easier? Just 2 ingredients and 1 hour should do the trick. Once again, we recommend homemade iced tea-infused vodka in large Ball jars from Target.

Ingredients:

– 1 cup vodka

– 1 Lipton cold brew iced tea bag

Place iced tea bag in vodka and steep for one hour. Remove tea bag and throw away.

You can use iced tea-infused vodka as a base in Spiked Iced Tea Lemonade and Thai Iced Tea Shots.

5. Spiked Iced Tea Lemonade: Our take on a John Daly, we combine Pellegrino Limonata with iced tea-infused vodka for a delicious summer sipper.

Ingredients:

– 2 ounces iced tea infused vodka

– 4 ounces Limonata Pellegrino

– 1/2 ounce tea-infused simple syrup

– Lemons to garnish

Fill a glass with ice. Top with vodka, Limonata, and simple syrup. Garnish with a lemon slice. Makes one drink.

So refreshing!

6. Thai Iced Tea Shots: Our favorite sweet tea recipe gets a makeover – in shot form. (Obviously.) Don’t forget to stock up on your shot glasses!

Ingredients:

– 1/2 cup iced tea-infused vodka

– 1/2 cup iced tea-infused simple syrup

– Sweetened condensed milk

– Equipment: shot glasses

Mix together vodka and simple syrup; divide amongst 8 shot glasses. Top with a drop of sweetened condensed milk. Serve cold. Makes eight shots.

7. Green Tea + Ginger Popsicles: Now, time for a little popsicle action! These popsicles really couldn’t be easier to make or more refreshing on a hot summer day. To get those perfect shaped popsicles, make sure you purchase a Norpro popsicle mold from Target.

Ingredients:

– 6 ounces Arizona Green Iced Tea

– 12 ounces ginger beer

– Equipment: Norpro popsicle mold

Mix together green iced tea and ginger beer. Distribute evenly between popsicle molds. Makes 6 3-ounce popsicles.

8. Raspberry Tea Popsicles: For something a little fruitier, we’ll combine fresh raspberries with raspberry tea!

Ingredients:

– 2 cups water

– 1/4 cup Lipton raspberry instant tea mix

– Fresh or frozen raspberries

– Equipment: Norpro popsicle mold

Mix together water and iced tea mix. Fill popsicle molds three-quarters of the way full and then top with raspberries. Makes 6 3-ounce popsicles.

9. Sweet Tea Popsicles: And for a more traditional tea popsicle, go for a simple sweet tea.

Ingredients:

– 2 1/4 cups water

– 1/4 cup instant iced tea mix

– Equipment: Norpro popsicle mold

Mix together water and iced tea mix. Distribute evenly between popsicle molds. Makes 6 3-ounce popsicles.

Of course, we won’t tell if you add a little sweet tea vodka to any of these popsicle recipes! ;)

10. Iced Tea Panna Cotta: Bet you didn’t know it was this easy to whip up a batch of panna cotta. Bonus: This no-bake treat will keep you cool in the kitchen. Stock up your kitchen with these essential clear nesting bowls. We use them in almost every recipe we make.

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 cups 2% milk

– 1 1/2 packets unflavored gelatin

– 1/2 cup Lipton instant raspberry iced tea mix

– 1 cup whipping cream

– Optional garnish: Fresh or frozen raspberries

Place milk and gelatin in a small saucepan. Let gelatin sit for 5 minutes and then heat mixture over medium low, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Add instant iced tea mix, stirring to dissolve, then stir in cream. Divide evenly amongst 6 small glasses and refrigerate for 3 hours.

For more unusual takes on panna cotta, check out our Spiked Oreo Panna Cotta and Raspberry Panna Cotta Cups.

11. Iced Tea Tartlets: Another no-bake treat, these little tartlets really couldn’t be easier to make. Look for pre-made mini or regular graham cracker crusts to reduce prep time.

Ingredients:

– 2 8-ounce packages 1/3 less fat cream cheese

– 1/4 cup milk (any kind)

– 1/2 cup Lipton instant peach iced tea mix

– 6 mini graham cracker crusts

– Optional garnish: peach jam and/or whipped cream

Place cream cheese in a large bowl and beat until smooth using a hand mixer. In a separate bowl, dissolve instant tea mix in milk; add to cream cheese. Continue beating until completely incorporated. Divide evenly among 6 mini graham cracker crusts. Place in the refrigerator for 3 hours to firm up.

Top with peach jam and whipped cream, if desired.

12. Iced Tea Ice Cream Float: Did we just reinvent the root beer float? I think so and it’s mighty delicious. By the way, did you know you can get these adorable striped straws at Target?

Ingredients:

Iced Tea Ice Cream:

– 1 bag Lipton cold brew iced tea

– 1 cup half-and-half

– 1 cup whipping cream

– Sugar

Sweet Tea:

– 1/4 cup instant iced tea mix

– 2 cups water

Place iced tea bag in half and half and let sit for one hour. Wring out iced tea bag and discard. In a separate bowl, whip cream to soft peaks and then gently fold in half and half mixture. Place in freezer for 6 hours, stirring twice to keep iced tea mixture from settling to the bottom. Alternatively, place all ingredients in an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s instructions.