Description
Cherry Pie Iced Tea is a refreshing and uniquely flavored beverage that combines homemade cherry syrup with unsweetened black tea. Infused with vanilla, butter, and optional cake batter extracts, this iced tea offers a sweet and aromatic experience perfect for warm days or whenever you crave a fruity twist on classic iced tea.
Ingredients
Scale
Syrup Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen pitted cherries
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon butter extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cake batter extract (optional)
Beverage Ingredients
- 2 cups Gold Peak Unsweetened Black Tea
- 4 tablespoons cherry pie syrup (prepared)
- Fresh cherries for garnish
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a small saucepan, combine the frozen pitted cherries, granulated sugar, water, and a pinch of salt to begin creating the cherry syrup base.
- Heat and Mash: Heat the mixture over medium heat, mashing the cherries gently as they start to break down to release their juices and flavors.
- Thicken Syrup: Continue cooking until the liquid thickens slightly but is not yet syrupy, as it will thicken more once cooled.
- Strain Syrup: Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing the cherries to extract every drop of juice, then discard the solids to get a smooth syrup.
- Add Flavors: While the syrup is still warm, stir in the lemon juice, vanilla extract, butter extract, and optionally the cake batter extract, then allow the syrup to cool completely.
- Mix Beverage: In a glass or pitcher, combine four tablespoons of the prepared cherry pie syrup with two cups of cold unsweetened black tea and stir well.
- Serve: Pour over ice and garnish with fresh cherries for an attractive and refreshing presentation ready to enjoy.
Notes
- You can adjust the sweetness by varying the amount of sugar or syrup quantity added to the tea.
- The cake batter extract is optional but adds an extra layer of nostalgic flavor reminiscent of baked goods.
- Syrup can be stored refrigerated for up to one week to make iced tea quickly when desired.
- For a sparkling version, mix the syrup with chilled sparkling water instead of tea.
- Use unsweetened tea to control the overall sweetness of the drink.
