Is there anything better than sipping on some homemade iced green tea on a warm day? What about one that has the added bonus of little bursts of flavor from the addition of blackberry and basil? This refreshing drink is so easy to make, and is a great cooling drink when the warmer weather comes along. Make a big batch and serve at your next picnic or BBQ.
Stuck in the middle of a cold spell? Try this ginger lemon cinnamon tea instead.
Basil and Blackberry Iced Green Tea
My absolute favourite thing about the warmer weather is being able to eat outdoors.
I am all about the simple things in life these days, and eating lunch on a picnic blanket, or dinner in the backyard is absolute bliss in my books.
So fun.
Throw in some Iced Green Tea, and I am one happy girl.
You are going to need:
- water: we want this water to be close to boiling, so you will also need a kettle or a stovetop and saucepan in order to heat it up;
- green tea: I used 3 green teabags for this recipe, but feel free to sub in loose-leaf tea if that is what you prefer;
- pure raw honey: you can always sub in maple syrup or agave syrup if you want to make this vegan, or if that is what you have on hand;
- fresh basil: I would not recommend using dried basil here, as fresh basil has a better flavor for tea;
- fresh blackberries: you can always sub in some frozen blackberries if that is what you have, you will want to let them thaw a little and gently press them to release some flavor;
- fresh lemon and ice: this is completely optional, but really completes the look if you plan on serving it to guests, or at the dinner table.
You will also want to have a nice big pitcher for serving.
Preferably one that will fit into the fridge.
Try this Lemon Ginger Cinnamon Tea Recipe if your picnic day is a wee bit cooler, it will warm you from the inside out!
How To Serve Iced Tea
When the weather gets hotter I like to take my tea in the form of an icy cold drink.
And that's where this delicious Blackberry and Basil Iced Green Tea comes in.
I make up a big batch in a large pitcher and have it on hand in the fridge to sip throughout the day.
Bonus: having a big jug of iced green tea already made up makes it easier to keep up your water intake for the day - I don't know about you, but that's something I really struggle with, especially in the hotter months.
Add some fresh blackberries, ice cubes, and slices of fresh lemon to make it look pretty and you are good to go.
If you plan on making this ahead of time then leave the blackberries and lemons until serving, otherwise, they can become soggy and unappealing.
Substitutions
Mix up the flavours with what you have on hand.
Blueberry or strawberries and basil are just as delicious.
No basil?
Experiment with some mint, thyme, lavender or whatever else you think might work.
TIP: if you experiment and it doesn't work then use the tea as the liquid in your next smoothie and you won't waste a thing!
How do you drink your Iced Green Tea?
I would love to hear from you, so be sure to leave a comment below.
Happy Drinking
xx
Recipe
Blackberry and Basil Iced Green Tea
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Ingredients
- 6-8 cups not quite boiling water depending on how strong you like your tea
- 3 green teabags
- ¼ cup pure raw honey sub maple syrup if vegan
- 3 leaves fresh basil stems removed
- ½ cup fresh blackberries
- slices fresh lemon to serve
- ice cubes to serve
Instructions
- Bring water close to a boil (remove from heat or switch off just before boiling). Add the tea bags to the water and steep for about 6 mins
- Remove the tea bags and stir in the honey whilst the mixture is still warm
- Pop the basil leaves and blackberries into a serving jug, and use the end of a wooden spoon to gently muddle them together (you don't want to be too rough, we just want a nice little infusion of flavour to be released)
- Pour the tea mixture over the basil mixture and let the whole thing cool to room temperature. Once cooled, pop into the fridge until ready to serve
- To serve: Pop a few ice cubes into a glass, pour the tea over the ice and garnish with a slice of lemon (i usually squeeze a little bit of lemon into the glass as well for an extra pop of flavour)
JM says
I usually find green tea too bitter, but the sweetness from the honey balances out the tartness of the blackberries. Love it!
Donna1 says
Oh I know, it is definitely a trade off!
Donna1 says
Thanks Keith!
Donna1 says
Happy to help Laura 🙂
Donna1 says
Thanks Gemma 🙂
Donna1 says
Haha yes it is interesting 🙂 I have really started getting into adding more savoury herbs to my drinks (cilantro and dill weed are favourites too), they make such a great twist when paired with the sweetness of the fruit!
Donna1 says
Thanks so much Georgina!