Cajun Spiced Sweet Tea
Classic Southern sweet tea lifted with Cajun flair: black tea steeped with cinnamon, cloves, and a whisper of cayenne, sweetened and poured over ice for a warming, refreshing drink.
Ingredients
- 4 bags black tea bags (such as Luzianne or Lipton)
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups cold water
- 6 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 lemon, sliced
- as needed ice cubes
Instructions
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1
In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 whole cloves, and 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes to bloom the spices.
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2
Remove from heat. Add 4 bags black tea bags (such as Luzianne or Lipton) and 6 tbsp granulated sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then let the tea bags steep for 5 minutes. Do not over-steep or the tea will turn bitter.
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3
Remove and discard the tea bags and whole spices. Pour the hot spiced tea concentrate into a large pitcher.
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4
Add 4 cups cold water to the pitcher and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
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5
Fill tall glasses with ice cubes. Pour the spiced sweet tea over the ice and garnish each glass with a slice of sliced lemon. Serve immediately.