Cherry Pie Iced Tea
A sweet, refreshing cherry pie iced tea made with a homemade cherry pie syrup and Gold Peak Unsweetened Black Tea. Ready in 30 minutes and perfect for summer parties, BBQs, and everything in between.
Ingredients
Homemade Cherry Pie Syrup:
- 1 cup frozen pitted cherries
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon butter extract
- ½ teaspoon cake batter extract (optional)
Cherry Pie Iced Tea:
- 2 cups Gold Peak Unsweetened Black Tea
- 4 tablespoons cherry pie syrup
- Fresh cherries for garnish
Instructions
- Add the frozen cherries, sugar, water, and salt to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
- As the cherries soften, mash them with the back of a spoon to release their juices. Continue cooking and stirring until the liquid has thickened slightly, about 7–10 minutes. The syrup will thicken more as it cools.
- Pour the cherry mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl or jar. Press the solids firmly against the strainer with your spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the cherry pulp.
- While the syrup is still warm (but off the heat), stir in the lemon juice, vanilla extract, butter extract, and cake batter extract if using. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Once the syrup has cooled, stir 4 tablespoons of the cherry pie syrup into 2 cups of cold Gold Peak Unsweetened Black Tea. Stir well to combine.
- Pour over ice, garnish with fresh cherries, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- The syrup makes enough for approximately 2 servings of iced tea. Double or triple the syrup recipe to serve a larger crowd.
- The cherry pie syrup keeps in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Always add the extracts after removing the syrup from the heat to preserve the flavor.
- Adjust syrup quantity to taste - start with 4 tablespoons and add more if you prefer a sweeter drink.
- For a party pitcher, triple the syrup and mix with a large bottle of Gold Peak Unsweetened Iced Tea.