Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Raquel · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

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Craving the refreshing taste of McDonald's sweet tea but wanting to enjoy it from the comfort of your own home? Look no further! With this copycat McDonald's sweet tea recipe, you can indulge in the classic flavor anytime you want. Whether it's a scorching hot summer day or you simply need a pick-me-up, this homemade version will hit the spot.

Sweet tea is so refreshing during the warmer months, and it's great to always have a pitcher ready in your fridge if you're an avid tea drinker. By making sweet tea at home, you can control just how sweet you want it to be. I like it over a glass full of ice cubes with a slice of lemon or orange.

Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (1)

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Recreate the beloved taste of McDonald's sweet tea in your own kitchen.
  • Made with simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand.
  • Customize the sweetness to suit your taste preferences.
  • Perfect for quenching your thirst on hot days or with your favorite meals.
  • Enjoy a refreshing beverage without the need to visit a fast-food restaurant.
Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (2)

Ingredients for McDonald's Chilled Sweet Tea

  • Filtered water
  • Family-sized tea bags
  • Sugar
  • Baking soda

Equipment and kitchen tools

  • Gallon sized pitcher
Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (3)

How to make this McDonald's iced tea recipe

Place 4 cups of water in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a rolling boil.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the tea bags to the hot water. Cover and allow the hot tea to steep for 5 to 6 minutes. (Steep tea longer for a stronger tea.)

Meanwhile, add an additional 12 cups of water and a pinch of baking soda to a gallon pitcher.

Remove the tea bags from the saucepot, gently squeezing to remove the excess tea. Discard the tea bags.

In the saucepan, add the sugar and stir until completely blended.

Pour the tea into the gallon-sized pitcher with the water. Stir to combine.

Cover the pitcher and refrigerate. Best if refrigerated overnight.

Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (4)

Tips for the Best Results

  • Use filtered water for the best flavor.
  • Adjust the amount of sugar to suit your preference for sweetness.
  • For a stronger tea flavor, steep the tea bags for a longer time.
  • Serve the ice tea over ice cubes for an extra refreshing touch.
  • Garnish with lemon slices for added zest, if desired.
  • Enjoy this refreshing tea recipe on a hot day as is or with creamer.
  • The most important thing to remember when steeping the tea is that you need to give it at least 5 minutes for a good steep.
Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (5)

For more great summer beverage recipes ideas

  • Peach Iced Tea. This delicious peach tea recipe is both refreshing and tasty.
  • Strawberry Iced Tea - One of my favorite versions of iced t4ea.
  • Easy Homemade Strawberry Lemonade - If you are a lemonade lover, you will love this refreshing twist.
  • Starbucks Dragon Drink - Sweet mango and dragonfruit flavors with creamy coconut milk.
  • Watermelon Agua Fresca - A refreshing and thirst-quenching drink made from fresh watermelon. SO GOOD!
  • Honeydew Agua Fresca - Another variation on a summer melon drink that is so easy to make.
  • Mint Simple Syrup - a great addition to tea or as a flavored water.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Use brown sugar or liquid sweetener as alternatives to white sugar.
  • Experiment with different flavors of tea bags for unique variations.
  • If this tea has too much sugar for you, try using less sugar or a sugar alternative like agave syrup.
  • You can use black tea bags if you like caffeine. Otherwise, you can use herbal tea bags.
  • Mix your sweet tea with homemade lemonade to make your own Arnold Palmer.
Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (6)
Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (7)
Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (8)
Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (9)

FAQs About This Recipe

Can I make unsweet tea instead?

Yes, you can make unsweetened tea if you prefer your tea without added sugar. You can also adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding simple syrup or liquid sweetener.

How long will the sweet tea last in the refrigerator?

It's best to consume the sweet tea within a few days for optimal freshness, although it may last up to a week if stored properly in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Are there any alternatives to using regular sugar?

Yes, you can substitute brown sugar, agave syrup, or a liquid sweetener for healthier alternatives.

Can I make a smaller batch of sweet tea?

Absolutely! Simply adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly to suit your needs.

More great beverage recipes

  • Jameson Whiskey Sour
  • Strawberry Iced Tea
  • Frozen Mango Margarita
  • Peach Jello Shots

📖 Recipe

Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (14)

Sweet Tea Recipe

Raquel Pineira

A delicious and refreshing copycat McDonald's Sweet Tea.

4.98 from 35 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 minutes mins

Course beverages, Drink

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 145 kcal

Ingredients

  • 16 cups filtered water divided
  • 3 family-sized tea bags
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • Pinch baking soda

Instructions

  • 1. Place 4 cups of water in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil.

  • 2. Remove the saucepan from heat and add the tea bags. Cover and allow the tea to steep for 5 to 6 minutes. (Steep longer for a stronger tea.)

  • 3. Meanwhile, add an additional 12 cups of water and a pinch of baking soda to a gallon-sized pitcher.

  • 4. Remove tea bags from saucepot, gently squeezing to remove the excess tea. Discard the tea bags.

  • 5. To the saucepan, add the sugar and stir until completely blended.

  • 6. Pour the tea into the gallon-sized pitcher with the water. Stir to combine.

  • 7.Cover the pitcher and refrigerate. Best if refrigerated overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 37gSodium: 24mgPotassium: 1mgSugar: 37gCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg

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Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (15)
Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (16)

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About Raquel

Southern California mom who blogs about time-saving recipes, entertaining and party ideas.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tamara

    Oh, my! I was never one for tea, but there is something about sweet tea in the summer. My mom always has a pitcher going and it's so comforting.

    Reply

    • Raquel

      Yes, I agree tea is so comforting!

      Reply

    • Raquel

      Thanks so much Ann!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Mcdonalds Sweet Tea Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does McDonald's use sugar in their sweet tea? ›

Some of the other ingredients in the cup include ice, and invert sugar, which “is an aqueous solution of inverted or partly inverted, refined or partly refined sucrose,” according to the Food and Drug Administration. McDonald's also notes that in a large cup of the sweet tea, there are 40 grams of sugar.

Can I buy McDonald's tea bags? ›

No, unfortunately it's not possible to directly buy a box of tea bags from our restaurants or from our suppliers.

Is there high fructose corn syrup in McDonald's sweet tea? ›

High fructose corn syrup also contains fructose and glucose, but is derived from corn and usually does not contain any sucrose. It is not the sweetener in McDonald's sweet tea.

What kind of tea does McDonald's use for their iced tea? ›

McDonald's Iced Tea recipe features a brisk blend of orange pekoe black tea, freshly brewed and served ice cold. Wondering if there are any calories in Unsweet Tea from McDonald's? Unsweetened Iced Tea is a zero-calorie, sugar-free iced tea that pairs perfectly with your menu favorites. *At participating McDonald's.

Is McDonald's sweet tea healthier than co*ke? ›

Sweet tea, made from brewed tea leaves and sweetened with sugar, contains natural antioxidants and minimal additives, making it a healthier choice compared to soda, which is loaded with artificial flavors, colors, and high-fructose corn syrup.

What McDonald's drink has the most sugar? ›

Other CosMc's drink options
  • Large Cold Brew Frappe: 550 and 62 grams of sugar.
  • Large Churro Frappe: 610 calories and 76 grams of sugar.
  • All of the medium and large shakes, the highest being a large Strawberry Shake at 850 calories and 107 grams of sugar.
Dec 19, 2023

Why does iced tea have so much sugar? ›

While iced tea does often contain some sugar for the added flavour, it often comes from the fruits and extracts added to the recipe. Overall, it's also lower in calories and a healthier alternative to most other chilled beverages.

Does McDonald's cook their fries in sugar? ›

The dextrose, a natural form of sugar, is to help achieve a uniform golden color and the sodium acid pyrophosphate prevents the potatoes from turning grayish after they are cooked, according to McDonald's. Fear said these ingredients are of no health concern.

How many cups of sugar are in a gallon of McDonald's Sweet Tea? ›

A gallon of McDonald's sweet tea contains about 1 cup of sugar, giving it a consistent sweetness that's widely recognized.

What is senior tea McDonald's? ›

Because if you're 55 or older, you save 20% on any size Premium Roast Coffee or Tea* every day of the week. *Age 55 and over outside of Quebec; age 65 and over in Quebec. Not valid with any other offer. At participating McDonald's restaurants in Canada.

Is McDonald's Sweet Tea still a dollar? ›

“Attention: Sweet Tea no longer a dollar (2.7 out of 5)”

What makes McDonald's sweet tea so good? ›

McDonald's Southern Style Sweet Tea is made from a briskly refreshing blend of orange pekoe and pekoe cut black tea, sweetened to perfection. Southern Style Sweet Tea from McDonald's is part of the Beverages Menu.

What brand is McDonald's sweet tea? ›

McDonald's uses their own unique tea blend that's not available to the public. However, you can get very close to the same flavor using brands like Lipton or Luzianne. Always use double the amount of tea bags compared to when you make hot tea.

How much sugar do you add to a gallon of sweet tea? ›

Mix the sugar into the hot tea so it dissolves completely.

I like the relatively mild sweetness of a cup of sugar in a gallon of tea, but you could certainly add more (or less) to suit your own personal taste.

Is sweet tea good for you? ›

Health Benefits of Sweet Tea

Like a daily multivitamin, sweet tea contains important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc. While sweet tea won't replace nutritional supplements, getting nutrition from whole food sources like tea is important for a well-rounded diet.

Is there caffeine in sweet tea? ›

Generally, sweet tea brewed from black tea leaves contains caffeine, although in smaller amounts compared to coffee. The caffeine content of sweet tea can range from 15 to 70 milligrams per 8-ounce serving, depending on factors such as brewing time and tea strength.

Is orange pekoe black tea good for you? ›

Just like all black teas, Orange Pekoe contains powerful antioxidants called catechins, theaflavins, and flavonoids, a type of polyphenols. Research shows that these antioxidants help protect your heart by reducing plaque build-up around blood vessels, reduce blood pressure, and lower bad (LDL) cholesterol.

How much sugar is in sweet tea? ›

A gallon of homemade sweet tea often has at least 1 cup of sugar: That means 25 grams of sugar per 16-ounce glass. Vanderbilt University Medical Center registered dietitian Madeleine H.

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