A bright, refreshing beverage, this Starbucks Iced Black Tea copycat requires only three simple ingredients and can be made at home in about five minutes.
Starbucks Iced Black Tea
Starbucks Iced Black Tea is a cold, caffeinated drink traditionally made from a black tea concentrate mixed with filtered water and ice. At Starbucks the drink is shaken and served unsweetened unless you request otherwise. This homemade version reproduces that clean, brisk flavor using brewed black tea, water, and ice.
Note from Jee
As a certified tea sommelier, I learned that English Breakfast is a blend of black teas and that each brand mixes different leaves. While Starbucks uses its own blend for store-made concentrate, you can substitute most English Breakfast blends at home and achieve a very similar result.
If you don’t have English Breakfast tea bags on hand, any full-bodied black tea — such as Irish or Scottish Breakfast — will work well in this recipe.
Recipe Summary
- This quick copycat recreates Starbucks Iced Black Tea with only three ingredients and yields a grande-size (16-ounce) drink.
- Rather than using a pre-made concentrate, brew hot tea and rapidly chill it by combining it with ice in a shaker to cool and dilute it to the proper strength.
- The recipe is unsweetened by default, but you can customize it with flavored simple syrups such as vanilla or mint.
Ingredient Notes
- Tazo Awake English Breakfast Tea: Starbucks uses its own black tea concentrate, which isn’t sold retail. Tazo Awake English Breakfast is a close, widely available alternative. If you find ready-made bottled concentrates, taste them first — some have an off flavor.
- Water: Use filtered water for the cleanest flavor; Starbucks filters their water extensively for consistent drinks.
- Ice: Ice made from filtered water will keep the tea tasting fresh as it melts.
See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Place the tea bags and hot water into a teapot, cover, and steep. Avoid boiling water; use simmered water (about 190°F / 88°C) for best results. If possible, use an electric kettle with a temperature setting to reach the correct temperature.
Step 2: Add ice to a cocktail shaker, then pour in the hot tea. If you want a sweetened drink, add simple syrup or another sweetener to the shaker with the tea and ice.
Step 3: Shake the mixture to chill and aerate the tea, which creates a pleasant mouthfeel and light foam if you prefer it.
Step 4: Pour the contents of the shaker — ice and all — into a serving cup and enjoy.
Expert Tips
- To use loose-leaf tea, substitute the two tea bags with one heaping tablespoon of English Breakfast loose tea.
- Start with about 2 tablespoons of simple syrup if you want a sweetened version; add more to taste.
- Do not oversteep the tea. Steeping longer than recommended can make the brew bitter.
- If you enjoy foam on your iced tea, shake vigorously; more shakes = more foam. About 40 shakes produces a foamy top.
Starbucks Note
Starbucks iced beverages are typically about half liquid and half ice. For a grande (16 ounces), plan for roughly 8 ounces of tea and 8 ounces of ice.
Related
- Starbucks Iced Green Tea Lemonade
- Starbucks Iced London Fog Tea Latte
- Starbucks Iced Royal English Breakfast Tea Latte
- Starbucks Iced Matcha Latte
- Starbucks Iced Passion Tango Tea
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Starbucks Iced Black Tea Copycat
Ingredients
- ½ cup hot water
- 2 tea bags Tazo English breakfast tea
- 1 ½ cups ice
Instructions
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Put tea bags and hot water into a teapot.
Use simmered water rather than boiling water. If you have a temperature-controlled kettle, set it to about 190°F (88°C).
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Cover and steep for 3 minutes. Discard tea bags.
Steeping longer may cause bitterness.
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Put ice and hot tea into a cocktail shaker. Shake 10 times.
Add ice first, then the hot tea. If using sweetener, add simple syrup to the shaker before shaking.
-
Pour drink into a cup.
Empty the shaker completely into the serving cup, ice and all.
Notes
- If you don’t have English Breakfast tea bags, other black tea blends like Irish or Scottish Breakfast are fine.
- To use loose tea, replace the two bags with one heaping tablespoon of loose English Breakfast tea.
- Avoid oversteeping to keep the flavor bright and avoid bitterness.
- Shake more for increased foam; fewer shakes produce less foam.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.