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    Home » Recipes » Drinks » How to Make Sun Tea (and Is Sun Tea Safe?)

    Published: Aug 11, 2022 · Modified: Sep 6, 2023 by Sarah Baumeister · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    How to Make Sun Tea (and Is Sun Tea Safe?)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Learn how to make sun the easy way, using tea bags, a glass jug, and just a few hours of time. This safe sun tea method creates a lightly flavored tea that isn't bitter and is ready to be enjoyed all summer long!

    glass of sun tea with a straw with jug in the background.

    Sun tea is so simple to make it almost shouldn't be called a recipe. But here we are!

    A southern classic, sun tea is a simple, hands-off method for brewing tea. My grandmother often has a jug going in the window. Black tea, green tea, oolong tea, you can choose whatever you want for this method! Like a cross between brewed tea and cold brew tea, sun tea uses the heat of the sun instead of hot water to extract the flavor from the tea leaves.

    What is Sun Tea

    Also called sunshine tea, the concept behind sun tea is simple. You add tea bags or loose tea to water and allow it to sit in direct sunlight for several hours. The result? Delicious brewed tea without bitterness. It is perfect for serving over ice and can be sweetened or flavored after the initial brewing stage.

    overhead showing tea bags just placed in water

    Best Jar for Sun Tea

    For sun tea you will want to use a glass jar. The reason for this is the fact that the tea will be sitting in sunlight for several hours, and while it won't get hot, it will get warm. Plastic could potentially leach harmful chemicals into your tea or alter the flavor. While the plastic likely won't get hot enough to have anything unsafe happen, glass is still your best bet for smoothest taste.

    Glass does a good job of allowing air to circulate, as well.

    What You'll Need

    ingredients for sun tea on a white background.
    • Tea bags (or loose leaf tea)
    • Water

    How to Make Sun Tea

    To a very clean glass jar, add 8 cups of cold, filtered water.

    Add tea bags. If using loose tea, either wrap in cheesecloth or place in a steeper.

    beginning of the steeping process.
    water and tea bags placed in the window sill ready to become tea.
    sun tea with tea bags in glass jug sitting on window sill

    Set jar in a sunny spot for 3-4 hours, until the color and flavor has reached your desired level of strength.

    Remove tea bags and enjoy right away over ice, or place into the fridge to chill.

    lid on glass jug of sun tea in window

    Is sun tea safe?

    There is some controversy surrounding the safety of sun tea. The thought is that it is sitting at a temperature for several hours that is warm, but not hot enough to kill off potential bacteria.

    As long as you don't add any sweeteners or fruit during the time in the sunshine, you should be fine. Bacteria loves sugar. Most people consider the acidity in tea to be enough to keep bacteria at bay.

    If you are still concerned, you can totally brew the tea completely in the fridge, it will just take more time and will no longer be "sun tea."

    glass of iced tea with a straw and lemon wedge.

    How to sweeten and add flavorings

    After your tea has reached the desired strength you want it at, you can sweeten it or add cut up fruit before refrigerating.

    Sun tea can be sweetened with regular sugar, honey, stevia, agave, or whatever you generally use to sweeten your drinks. I like using my homemade demerara simple syrup.

    Some fruit you can slice and add are lemons, limes, strawberries, cucumbers, or herbs like mint. Use whatever sounds good to you!

    Mix in lemonade to make a classic arnold palmer.

    finished jug of tea.

    Storage

    Once your sun tea is done "brewing," store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. You can add fruits or sweeteners to the entire pitcher, or flavor individually when pouring yourself a glass, it's up to you!

    glass of sun tea with ice and a straw.

    How to Make Sun Tea

    Sarah Baumeister
    Learn how to make sun tea safely for your next batch of iced tea! It's so easy and gives a wonderful, mellow flavor.
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 minute min
    Additional Time 3 hours hrs
    Total Time 3 hours hrs 1 minute min
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 cups
    Calories 1 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 cups water
    • 4-5 tea bags

    Instructions
     

    • To a very clean glass jar, add 8 cups of cold, filtered water.
    • Add tea bags. If using loose tea, either wrap in cheesecloth or place in a steeper.
    • Set jar in a sunny spot for 3-4 hours, until the color and flavor has reached your desired level of strength.
    • Remove tea bags and enjoy right away over ice, or place into the fridge to chill.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 1kcalSodium: 12mgCalcium: 7mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tiffany Pasquale-Ferrell says

      August 12, 2023 at 12:47 pm

      4 stars
      Can you provide the link of where you got your glass jar with the lid. It’s exactly what I’m looking for.

      Reply
      • Sarah Baumeister says

        September 06, 2023 at 1:48 am

        Mine is from Target, but it is many years old. I found two different options that are very similar, I will email you!

        -Sarah

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! I am a wife, mother, and believer. I have been cooking since I could stand and am excited to share my love for being in the kitchen with all of you. You will find a variety of recipes here from healthy family dinners, to ways to prepare venison, to soups, to baked goods, we love it all!

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