Tea, mint, sugar, orange and lemon juices make this a quick and easy, refreshingly delicious drink on a hot summer's day, given to me by a true Southern lady. Goes great with Cajun or spicy foods too. Every time I serve this someone asks me for the recipe!
I'm leaving a second review with a helpful note. We've found the tea tastes much better the second day after preparing. I try to let it in the refrigerator overnight and it's great the next day. It seems to take a while for all the flavors to blend together well. Also, now when I make it, I eliminate the tea bags. The result is a refreshing citrus mint with nice color. I continue to use stevia instead of sugar, thus a caffeine free, sugar free summer drink.
Read MoreIt's best to use no pulp orance juice and strain it before you freeze it.
Read MoreI'm leaving a second review with a helpful note. We've found the tea tastes much better the second day after preparing. I try to let it in the refrigerator overnight and it's great the next day. It seems to take a while for all the flavors to blend together well. Also, now when I make it, I eliminate the tea bags. The result is a refreshing citrus mint with nice color. I continue to use stevia instead of sugar, thus a caffeine free, sugar free summer drink.
Great tea, very refreshing! It makes approx. 2 quarts in case you wonder what size pitcher to use!
Really enjoyed this delightful tea/punch, made one minor adj. added 1/2 cup organic honey & cut back on the sugar content to half. Less sweet, with a milder flavor...perfect!
very nice! it's actually over a quart so cut back on the extra water at the end. next time I would add more lemon juice to "kick it up a notch". it is good as is, I think I will serve it at my next party.
This is a truly wonderful recipe. Old fashioned mint really makes it special.
I served this at a baby shower & it was a very big hit. I immediately had requests for the recipe!
I served this last week to guests and they really liked it. It has a great flavor and is really easy to make.
Refreshing and different. It got mixed reviews, with my party-goers but I really liked it.
I served this with Thai marinated grilled shrimp ( from this website which was GREAT!). the tea was Cool and refreshing...however, I felt the mint overpowered the tea/citrus flavors. Maybe I just used too much mint or the wrong kind ( I used Peppermint from my herb bed) I might try it again with alittle less mint. I switched to white wine after the first glass!
I really liked this. I made it with two mint tea bags instead of the fresh mint and I think it probably made the mint flavor a bit subtler.
Very good and refreshing with the mint aftertaste. Excellent for a summer day or to serve at a shower. I'll probably cut down the sugar a bit next time as I'm not a huge fan of sweet drinks.
I'm pregnant and trying to find fun new drinks to have since I can't enjoy alcoholic fun drinks. This drink is awesome! Great mint flavor and perfectly sweetened. I made the recipe exactly as written and love it!
Delicious fruit tea. Served at a party and it was the first finished. FYI - I used decaf family-size tea bags and only had 1/2 the mint, but it still tasted great (though I'm sure I'd love it more with the full amount of mint).
Super FABULOUS! We LOVE this stuff. Men don't usually like it, but always a big hit with the ladies. Made it again for a mother's day bruch, and was a big hit (as usual). I do steep for longer than it states (tea for 15 min...then remove & continue to steep the mint for another 30 min or so). Better the next day when the flavors can meld together. We also decrease the sugar to about 2/3 to 3/4 cup. Delish!
FANTASTIC! An excellent way to use fresh mint. I don't like iced tea but I LOVE this!! Five stars all the way. The only change I made was to steep it for 15 minutes. I was reading reviews while it was steeping and forgot to set the timer. It wasn't intentional but sure didn't hurt the recipe. Thank you MCBARTKO for sharing such a FANTASTIC recipe!
This was wonderful! I had tea that needed to be drank before we went out of town so I made this for dinner. The ONLY difference I did was add the fresh mint after everything was stirred together. I did NOT steep it with the tea. I don't know if I would like it any differently that way but I REALLY liked it this way. I also used no pulp orange juice. This will be a keeper for dinners with guests now. :-)
This is a fabulous recipe. I LOVE sweet tea and this just added so much more. It was a hit at the last Baby Shower I threw. The changes I made were these: I doubled the water, tea bags, sugar, and orange juice (I used Simply Orange). I also added 3 tbs honey. I used 1/2cup Simply Lemonade instead of 1/4cup of Lemon juice. Even though I doubled most of the ingredients, I still only added 5 cups cold water at the end. I threw a couple other mint sprigs in the punch bowl I made it in and left it in the fridge overnight. The next morning I mixed it again and added fresh lemon slices. It filled a small punch bowl. Enjoy!!
This recipe is amazing! I grow mint every summer just to make this tea. Sometimes in place of the lemon juice I use a scoop of Countrytime Lemonade mix and then cut back on the sugar by 1/4 cup. AMAZING REFRESHING summer drink.
So good! If you love iced tea and morroccan tea, then you will love this. Very refreshing! I only added half the sugar (and made it brown instead of regular white), because I prefer "less sweet" on most everything and it was still yummy!
This was fabulous! I made mine with Bigelow Herbal Taste of The Tropics Tea and put sliced oranges right in the pitcher. It was an absolute hit at my party. Make sure to make extra as it will go fast.
This is wonderful and refreshing! I have mint growing in my yard and am always looking for uses. Thanks!
We have enjoyed this a few times now. Very easy to make but tastes so exotic. My 3-year-old calls it "juice" because it is so good!
Very refreshing and wonderful taste. The mint and citrus flavors compliment each other very well. My husband drank about half of the tea and wanted to know when I would be making it again.
My daughters and I just made this... took us about ten minutes, followed recipe almost exactly... the only thing we changed was instead of using fresh mint we used a mint tea bag. Could add more or use less of any of these ingredients according to taste, but as it is, we really liked it a lot. Will definitely make again! Thanks!
I have made this and frozen it to use later. I have also heated this up for a drink on a cooler day, minus the lemon,orange slices.
Ok I must have done something wrong because mine was not good at all. My rating my be a little unfair because I felt the recipe was unclear, at least for me. I used sprigs of mint but I'm thinking it should actual leaves mine was way too minty. As far as the tea bags, is it supossed to be family sized or regular? I really didn't know. I wish I knew what I did wrong because this sounds like a wonderful recipe, but it just didn't work for me. sorry.
Made this for Thanksgiving and had several requests for the recipes. My suggestion is to make ahead to allow the flavors to blend. Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful! I added Splenda until it was as sweet as I wanted. I also used freshly squeezed oranges. It actually tasted really good hot, but it's even better icy cold. This is going to be a staple for us this summer. Thanks!
I served this tea (with minor alterations) to the guests at my daughter's slumber party, and it was just wonderful. I was looking for something to keep the girls hydrated and refreshed as they gabbed late into the night, and this worked great. I used fresh lemon juice, but only half what is called for, used 2 tea bags of herbal mint tea in place of the fresh mint, and used just a little less than half the amount of sugar. I served a double batch of this punch alongside a popular milk/sherbet punch, and the girls drank all this one first (even though it was much less sweet). What a lovely change of pace from too-sweet punch!
This was really yummy! I will definitely use again. The mint sprigs I found at the store, didn't look so great, so I used four bags of Stash Moroccan Mint Green Tea and one bag of Twinings English Breakfast Tea instead of the tea/fresh mint combo. Also, to cut back on sugar, I used a half and half sugar/stevia blend. It turned out slightly high on the sweet side, so could be turned down a little next time, but we all still enjoyed it.
Very good an refreshing. Served at my boyfriend's graduation party and I had to keep making more it was going so fast.
love this - so refreshing! i've tried it with mango black tea and with cranberry pomegranate tea - both turned out amazing! i did cut the sugar back to 3/4 cup, but that's totally preferance. delicious!
This is a really good tea/punch recipe. I would definitely advise making it a day ahead of time - when I had a glass for myself after making it, I didn't really like it. The next day, I liked it much better, and it received rave reviews at a baby shower. I did use mint tea instead of tea + mint leaves, just because it seemed a little easier. I used store-bought OJ, but next time, I might squeeze it myself because I think it would taste a little fresher. Everyone really enjoyed it. For a twist, I wonder how it would be with lemon sparkling water.
I decreased the sugar my using 1/3 C honey and 1/3 C Sugar. I used one tea bag of "Lemon Ginger Herbal Tea and 2 loose tea canisters of Spiced Tea. My husband and I enjoyed this tea very much.
I made it exact from the recipe. My whole family loves it! Thanks so much for posting.
I made this punch EXACTLY the way the recipe dictates, and after letting it sit for a while I tasted it... it was really good, but a little bit bland... it definitely need a bit more kick... the 5 cups of water at the end diluted to citrus too much... I added more lemon juice (to taste) and it was better.
I love this recipe! After my mom came by and had a glass, I was writing out the recipe for her and my grandmother. I did cut the sugar in half, but my mom has been making hers with the full amount. I think it's a matter of taste. In another cookbook I own they make a similar version, but with grapefruit juice. Next time just for fun I may try that, or doing half grapefruit juice and half orange juice.
I found this tea really refreshing and light. We made it for a BBQ over Memorial Weekend and it was enjoyed by all! In fact, I was going to take a picture of it, but it was gone before I could! So naturally I just made more. :) I do however like my tea a little stronger (more tea like, less punch like), so I added 2 more tea bags to the mix. Also, I recommend juicing your own oranges and not buying the bottled stuff. The bottled orange juice completely changes the flavor, although it can do in a pinch.
This came out pretty good. My pitcher wasn't big enough for 9 cups of liquid so i was about a cup and half short on the water. That might make a big difference. My only complaint is that it was too sweet for my liking and I only added 3/4c sugar... that may be due to lack of water though. But over all... not bad.
It turned out great! :) Mint Extract works 100x better :) it made it taste AWESOME. And I wanna try this with a citrus tea. I did it with black still good
This drink is wonderful. Perfect if you want something refreshing on a hot summer day. I made mine with Lipton Brisk tea, but lemon would be great too. I added a little extra lemon juice since it was a little too sweet. It was also quick and easy too make. Will definitely make again!
Excellent punch. Its amazing how the mint flavor comes through. Was a huge hit at a tea party bridal shower i hosted. Will definitely make this again!
Made this tea punch for a baby shower today and it was a huge hit! I had so many people try to guess what was in in and ask me for the recipe. Like many other reviewers, I didn't put as much sugar as the recipe called for - I think I put about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, instead of a whole cup. It was ever so slightly sweet, but just enough. I love this and will definitely make it again! Thanks for the recipe!
Mmmm, this is yummy! I gave an "American" themed party with an international group of friends here in Cyprus, and everyone liked the punch. There were two true "Southern" Americans (me not included!) in attendance, and they both said it was authentic and they were so excited to taste that flavor again.
Excellent summer drink. We reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup as we don't like overly sweet stuff and it was just right for us.
LOVE this recipe and have made it multiple times. I get asked for the recipe every time I make it.
This recipe is great! I used Lipton Brisk tea bags and only 3 good handfuls of mint sprigs. I also cut down the sugar to a half cup because I had orange juice that had reduced 30% sugar. It tastes really refreshing! Best beverage ever.
loved it. made as directed the first time and then reduced the sugar ALOT for the next go around. Don't get me wrong, it was yummy with the sugar but if it's not needed I don't need it :)
Excellent recipe. The only thing I did different was to decrease the sugar to 1/2 cup. It was plenty.
This is absolutely addicting! I have multiplied the recipe by 1 1/2 so I can have approximately a gallon in the fridge during the summer. My husband and I go through that much in about 2 days when it's hot. The mint is so refreshing. Thanks for sharing MCBARTKO! :)
Summer party for the taste buds! I didn't have orange juice on hand so I juiced 1 apple and added that instead. I also substitute 1/8 cup lime juice and 1/8 cup lemon juice in lieu of 1/4 cup lemon juice. Everyone loved it, including my mint-hating sister!
This is one of my favorite drink recipes! I substitute agave nectar for the sugar and use a chai green tea. So good!
This is delicious! I bought some lemons earlier today hoping that this site would have the perfect citrus drink for a hot summer's day, and this is it! I added only 3 cups of cold water and served with 3/4 glass of crushed ice.
I don't know why this is labeled "punch" - it's simply a refreshing citrus, mint tea. I only had family size Lipton iced tea bags, so I used three of those with the mint. Half a cup agave instead of white sugar. Let it sit overnight for the flavor to blend. I froze the orange and lemon slices to serve as ice cubes. My guests finished the pitcher.
I always gravitate towards recipes that call for mint because it grows rampant beside my house. This was delicious! Very refreshing.
I made some for my teenage nieces at a family gathering. They liked it so much that the adults helped themselves to it and loved it. The only problem was, there wasn't enough of this delicious drink to go around.
This recipe turned out very well for me! I used green tea bags instead of black tea and it tastes wonderful! I'll have to try it with black tea next time and see which one I like better. I used 3/4 c. of OJ instead of the full cup. YUM!
Refreshing and versatile recipe! I've omitted or substituted ingredients when I don't have them on hand (e.g. substituted the mint with mint extract.) I use pulp-free juice and green tea bags and let the punch blend overnight. Makes two quarts. I always receive requests for the recipe.
Made this for a spa night and everyone raved over it. It was a HUGE hit! It's very refreshing. When you look at the bowl you think it's a pineapple juice/orange juice punch. But then take a drink and surprise! :) Thanks for a good recipe! I'll make again and again...especially during the summer!
The various fruit juices give this a flavor that's a bit too complex - seems like too many tastes are competing for center stage. I would eliminate the orange juice next time.
This was delicious!! I made it exactly as the recipe described. My husband loved it, too. This one is a keeper!
This was really good, but I didn't have any fresh mint, so I used 1 mint tea bag & 3 regular tea bags. May add lemon slices next time.
It was great, everyone enjoyed it, even the kids loved it. I would make one change though for next time, cut the sugar into half, it was a little too sweet for my taste buds!!
Super refreshing and light. Per another reviewer's suggestion, I made with two black tea bags, and two mint tea bags (don't use peppermint tea, though) instead of fresh mint. This had a nice, but subtle, mint flavor. I imagine fresh mint would add stronger flavor though. I made a double batch and used reconstituted lemon juice to make things a bit easier. Very good!
Loved this. A great use for all the mint I've grown this year. I will try to make it either sugar-free or with less sugar as, because of dietary restrictions, not everyone could enjoy its refreshing summertime taste
Recently, I've been using fresh mint for the first time and had some leftover. This recipe looked intriguing, and I'm glad I tried it. I made a half-batch to try it but cut back on the sugar to just over 1/4 cup, and the sweetness was just fine for me. I always seem to cut back on sugar in any recipe and it still seems to work. Nice, different tea and very refreshing. I plan to use the rest of my mint on more of this! Thanks for the great recipe, MCBARTKO!
This was really good but a little too sweet for my liking. Next time, I will use less sugar.
The easiest, tastiest and best ice tea I have ever tasted for the last 71 years. The 9.5 cups (or more with ice) does not very last in our house with only the 2 of us. Have made about 5 batches this summer. I use very easy to grow mint from our garden. If it is the only thing you grow, grow mint. The only change I made is I use 2/3 cup Agave instead of sugar as Agave is a lot healthier for you. I also use a 10 cup pump Thermos for easy pouring. Thinking of bottling it for sale LOL
This is a refreshing iced tea that my husband and I love. It doesn't last long at our house! It is absolutely wonderful with spicy foods as suggested. I've prepared it for guests many times and they have all loved it. It helps that I have mint growing rampant out in the yard, but this is a recipe that I would gladly buy it for. Love it!
I tasted this after a couple of hrs of refridgeration--very interesting taste, but I LOVE it! You can distinguish each of the flavors, but perhaps tomorrow they will meld together. Irregardless, the flavors are wonderful, and truthfully, this is quite a healthful treat (minus the sugar!)
I didn't have any lemon or orange juice, so I substituted 1 cup of apple juice instead. I used fresh spearmint and pineapple mint from my garden and about 1/2 cup of sugar. It was delicious!
I really enjoyed this punch. I would make it again but I don’t know if I would make it specifically to serve to company because I think the addition of mint could be more of an acquired taste that not everyone prefers. I myself loved it and I will be making it for myself again.
Love this stuff! I've made it many times. Tried honey a couple times, but I just don't like it as well! Use half the sugar, and don't be afraid to tip in a little extra lemon juice if you need to. For a 3/4 gallon recipe I use 6 cups of boiling water brewed with3 jumbo iced tea bags for 5 minutes, and use the same juice ratios recommended (x1.5 since it's a bigger batch - so 3/4 cups sugar, 1.5 cups of OJ and 1/3 cup lemon juice). Then I add however much mint I feel like cutting - pounded a little with a meat hammer, a TON of ice, and water to the 3 quart line. Sometimes if it's not sweet enough, I get lazy and just dump in a little Country Time powder to get it up to snuff. ;)
very refreshing! I used 2/3 cup of sugar instead of 1 to make it healthier and it was still delicious.
Tasty & refreshing! Even the kids enjoyed it. Nice change from regular iced tea. I normally don't sweeten my tea but this wasn't too sweet at all and I would certainly make again.
I love this tea! However, I did tweak the recipe a little, used fresh ingredients and added a step: -I juiced fresh oranges and lemons -After juicing, I strained the liquid to get rid of all the pulp -I really like a minty flavor, so I used about 20 mint sprigs from my garden -I reduced the sugar to 3/4 a cup because I found 1 cup made the tea too sweet Also, this tea tastes best if you let it cool overnight!
This is a great recipe....I did leave the O.J. and lemon juice out though- and added fresh lemons and add a little Vodka for a nice refreshing cocktail. I also use splenda instead of the sugar!
Three stars because I had to make so many changes to the recipe to suit my taste, but it was a great inspiration for my first homemade iced tea. And putting mint leaves in tea while it steeps is such a good idea, delicious flavour.
Love this tea! It’s a bit sweet for me so we halve the sugar and use fresh squeezed oranges and lemons. I think this tea is super interchangeable depending on the juice or flavor you want to add to it. Great summer time tea and an excellent use for the prolific mint plant in your garden.
Good tea. My guests liked it. I thought it could have had a stronger tea flavor so will steep longer next time. I cut back the sugar as I don't like overly sweet tea and felt the sugar content was just right at 2/3 cup. Will also make ahead next time as flavor intensified in a day.
I've made this a few times and every time it's delicious. I often reduce the sugar and I still like it. Planning to make it for the 4th of July BBbq today.
The stale taste of wilting mint leaves covers up the tartness and sweet flavor of the juices. It has potential, but I did not like it. If I make it again, I think I'll add mint extract rather than leaves, a bit of apple juice, and more lemon/lime juice.
