Almond Iced Tea {& My Extract Addiction}
Give a little twist to your traditional sweet tea with easy Almond Iced Tea. It'll help you flavorfully beat the summer heat!
I'm a big fan of flavored iced teas. Since I don't drink coffee, iced tea used to be my caffeine of choice. {I say 'used to be' because I don't drink caffeine at all anymore ... except on the very rare occasion. Can you believe it?? So my iced tea is made with decaffeinated tea bags now-a-days.} Anyway ... back in my corporate-America days, when everyone else did their morning coffee run I did my morning tea run. In the winter my 'run' was for a chai tea latte. In the other seasons my 'run' was for an iced tea.
A flavored iced tea, to be exact.
See, there was a little coffee shop in the lobby of one of the office buildings I worked in that always had a 'flavor of the day' iced tea. They'd write the day's flavor on their little chalkboard at the front of the shop, and I'd eagerly await reading it on my walk into the office each morning. After checking e-mails and dealing with any urgent issues, it was my little morning treat {and pick-me-up} to make a run downstairs to get a tea.
I loved their blackberry iced tea best. {Hmmmmm ... maybe I'll need to try to copy-cat that!}
Since giving up caffeine, I don't drink as much iced tea as I used to. But when I do, I'm still a sucker for a yummy flavored tea.
Like this Almond Iced Tea that I can easily whip up at home.
With just a bit of almond extract and vanilla extract, you can turn regular ol' iced tea into refreshing almond flavored iced tea. Easy-peasy.
Now, speaking of extract ... when I went to get the almond extract to make this tea I noticed that I ... well ... ummmm ... I may have a small problem when it comes to extracts.
See, I kinda had a hard time finding the almond extract.
'Cause I only have like a ba-zillion different extracts
. There's vanilla, of course. And almond, of course. And rum. And butter. And maple. And root beer. And coconut. And strawberry. 'Cause you just never know when you're going to need them. Right?
. There's vanilla, of course. And almond, of course. And rum. And butter. And maple. And root beer. And coconut. And strawberry. 'Cause you just never know when you're going to need them. Right? Okay, okay, so I only have 12. But still, that's a bunch of extracts.
I was actually a bit surprised to see that I had that many extract bottles lined up in my lazy susan cupboard. I mean, when did they all arrive? Certainly I didn't buy all those!
Did I?
Maybe they multiplied in the night! You know, like mint plants do ... taking over anything and everything in their paths. Yes, that's got to be it.
Sadly, I think I have to take responsibility for all the extracts
that have appeared in my cupboard. I'm admitting to my addiction.And while mixing up this batch of Almond Iced Tea, I used up the last of the almond extract, too. So I guess I get to visit the extract shelf on my next trip to the grocery store!
I'll try to show restraint and only get the almond extract that I need.
But hmmmmmm, I don't have raspberry extract
yet ... and you just never know when you just may need it ...
Yield: 2 quarts
Almond Iced Tea
Give a little twist to your traditional sweet tea with easy Almond Iced Tea. It'll help you flavorfully beat the summer heat!
prep time: 20 Mcook time: total time: 20 M
ingredients:
- 4 tea bags {regular-sized black tea}
- 1/3 c. granulated sugar
- water
- 1 & 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 T. fresh lemon juice {optional}
instructions:
How to make Almond Iced Tea
- Place the tea bags and 2 cups of water in a glass microwaveable measuring cup or bowl; microwave until boiling. {Or, pour boiling water over the 4 tea bags.} Let cool to lukewarm. Squeeze out the tea bags into the tea liquid.
- Place granulated sugar in a 2-quart pitcher. Add about 1/2 c. boiling or very hot tap water; stir until sugar is dissolved. Add tea to the pitcher. Fill the remainder of the pitcher with cold water {to equal 2 quarts total}.
- Stir in almond extract, vanilla extract, and lemon juice {if using}.
- Refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice with a lemon wedge.
TRACEY'S NOTES:
- Decaffeinated tea bags can be used just fine.
- Without the fresh lemon juice, you get a sweeter tea with more-pronounced almond flavor. The lemon tones the almond flavor down just a touch. I like it both ways ... depending on my mood. Try it each way to see which you like best!
Please enjoy these other summer drinks from ...
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