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McDonald's Sweet Tea Recipe
McDonald's Sweet Tea
By Todd Wilbur

Recipe Type: Drink
Calories: 20
Cook Time: 1 hour 36 minutes
Recipe Rating: 4.2 (29 reviews)
 

I know, it's just tea. Tea and sugar, plain and simple -- probably the easiest recipe on earth! But I have been getting so many requests to clone the sweet tea that McDonald's is heavily pitching these days for a buck a cup that I just can't ignore this product. Of course there are many ways to brew ice tea, but all you'll need to clone tea like Mickey D's are a few standard-size Lipton tea bags and a way to boil 2 quarts of water. There's a whole cup of sugar in there, so this tea is pretty sweet if you drink it straight. McDonald's serves the real stuff from a room-temperature jug into a cup filled with ice. This dilutes the tea so it's not so crazy-sweet when you take a big swig to wash down the nuggets.
2 quarts water
3 Lipton tea bags (standard size)
1 cup granulated sugar

1. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.

2. When the water hits a rolling boil, take it off the heat, add the tea bags, and cover the saucepan. Allow the tea to steep tea for 1 hour, and then remove the tea bags.

3. Add 1 cup of sugar to a 2-quart pitcher, then add the tea. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour the tea into a glass filled with ice to serve.

Makes 2 quarts.
        
Janet  
Submitted on 03/04/13
Wow, before i even comment on the awesomeness of this recipe, I'll like to add that the world is just full of buffoons! I am specifically talking to the two idiots that gave this recipe a star because of minute objections like "who wouldn't know how to make sweet tea" and "why would this be listed as a top secret recipe" etc Common!!! are you that dense? Thanks Todd! This recipe was helpful as i have been looking to replicate the McDonald's sweet tea i so heavily inve
Mandy C.  
Submitted on 07/24/12
This will make sweetened tea, not sweet tea. For true sweet tea, add the sugar to the boiling water first, then the tea bags. It's a fine distinction, but important as that it what keeps it from being bitter.
Ray  
Submitted on 07/05/12
With this recipe I ended up using 2 cups of sugar instead of one. With 1 cup it was watered down. I used deer parks filtered water for the tea. After the adjustments it seemed just like a McDonald's sweet tea.
Judy in Saint Petersburg, Florida  
Submitted on 07/29/09
Always use this recipe with 3/4 cup of sugar. I have never been able to make good tea until now. Great southern tea with no bitter taste
Glen M. Kowalski  
Submitted on 06/09/09
This is a very consistent recipe, and it tastes like southern sweet tea.
Paul  
Submitted on 03/23/09
Cutting down the amount of sugar makes the trick, or adding a little water. I served it to 4 people. Out of those 4, only one person liked it, the others thought there was way too much sugar. I would go for 3 1/2 stars, but 4 would do.
Valerie  
Submitted on 01/03/09
I used to spend about $4 dollars a day on teas at McDonalds cause they are so awesome. Now it's so much cheaper, I couldnt ever figure out how they made it taste so good. Thanks a bunch it tastes great.
Mary Close  
Submitted on 12/05/08
I used less sugar just for my own preference, and it was great. My daughter says it tastes exactly the same as McDonalds. Also, it's very easy.
AOG  
Submitted on 10/26/08
Love this easy to make tea. Save money and don't forget the real lemons.
Thick Stick (Seattle)  
Submitted on 10/03/08
You know, I stop by the McD's in Lakewood, here in Washington, and they have a 32oz sweet tea for $1.00 Its great... I get it all the time.. cheap and tastes good. I will be making my own now... Thanks Todd.
sanbin  
Submitted on 09/21/08
love how simple the recipe is as I love the Mickey D. tea
Jeannette  
Submitted on 09/16/08
I am from the south but have lived in the North for many years. This is how I always make my tea and everyone loves it. Now that I am watching my weight I use splenda just like sugar and it is just as good try it! Keep up the good work.
Jeanine  
Submitted on 09/16/08
I LOVE this tea !!!!!! I just made some and it's great !!!
Jenny  
Submitted on 09/09/08
This tea is great! I used less sugar than called for and it was still a little too sweet for me, but the flavor is perfect. I always keep tea around the house, so from now on this is the ONLY way I'll be making my tea. Great job, Todd!!
TLC  
Submitted on 09/08/08
Living in the Seattle area it is very hard to find true Southern Sweet Tea. I have found one McDonalds in my area that serves it but, it is way too far to drive on a daily basis. This recipe tastes just like it! I am thrilled! Thank you.
Grandma  
Submitted on 09/08/08
Well, this is the way I have been making tea for over 50 years, except I put the sugar over the tea bag and then add the water. This is the way almost the "sweet tea" is made in southern Oklahoma.
Carolyn Beale  
Submitted on 09/06/08
LOOOOVVVVVVVVEEE, this Recipe!! the tea is out of this world!!, I buy this tea all the time on my way home from work,it wakes me up after a hard day!!,Now i have the recipe I can have it ready for me when i arrive home,the kids love the tea as much as i do!!now they have it ready for them as well!!!!. Thank-you so very much for having this on your site.
Doug  
Submitted on 09/05/08
The McDonald's sweet tea is TOO sweet! Our house much prefers the sweet tea from Sonic, Arby's, and White Castle. I made this recipe with a little more than half a cup of sugar. PERFECT!!
Ann  
Submitted on 09/04/08
Being from the south, I have always loved sweet tea. So glad to find the recipe that makes it taste the way I remember it. Thanks, TSR
Linda  
Submitted on 09/04/08
The big tip here is to "boil" the water, on the stove top. The steeping definitely develops the "bouquet" and strength. For some reason, the microwave, or Tea Makers, just don't create the same "gusto" of tea. Thanks for this one.
MariAnnaW  
Submitted on 09/04/08
Oh yeah...nothing like sweet tea on a hot day! You can make this less sweet if you like, or just put it over lots of ice to cut the sweetness. Perfect!
Mary  
Submitted on 09/04/08
It is too sweet for me, but the tea flavor is good. Reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup or less.
VicciL  
Submitted on 09/04/08
Having family in the south that are died in the wool sweet tea drinkers I can tell you this is right on the mark! The only thing they do different is put the sugar in while the tea is still hot for better disolving. This is a winner Todd!!
June Slay  
Submitted on 09/03/08
I know it taste good, but just how sweet can you go? I typically will use 3/4 cup - 1 cup sugar to a gallon of tea and have rave complients on nothing like my sweet tea.
Joyce  
Submitted on 09/03/08
I have an easier recipe that gives the same if not better sweet tea. Put 3 Family size teabags in your coffee maker(like a Mr. Coffee), add 12 cups of water and brew. Meanwhile put 2 cups sugar in a one gallon pitcher. When the coffee is done pour over the sugar and add 12 cups more water to the same teabags and brew. Pour this into to gallon container. Stir and let sit until room temperature and refrigerate. Much easier than steeping for 2 hours.
Jesse  
Submitted on 09/03/08
I'm a little disappointed that this would be listed as a "Top Secret" Recipe.
Brad  
Submitted on 09/03/08
Wow. A recipe for sweet tea. Who the he!! would ask for this recipe. If you cannot make tea, you shouldn't be in the kitchen. Next week, we'll get a recipe for milk.
Angie  
Submitted on 09/03/08
It is the same as McDonald's sweet tea, but as a girl raised on TRUE, SOUTHERN, SWEET TEA, McDonald's is NOT sweet enough. Now, all y'all KNOW what I am talkin' about that was raised on sweet tea! ONE CUP of sugar?! COME ON! Sweet Tea WAS my Koolaid! Everyone LOVES my sweet tea, but you would truly die if you knew how much sugar I put in it to make it sweet like my grandma's! And, she should know, she was born and raised in Tennessee! No fault to you, Todd, you made a perfect clone once again! I live in Indiana, so it is very hard to find a true Southern tea up here! I still give it a 5 rating because, honestly it tastes just like McDonald's! Just add some more sugar, if you like it sweeter like me, and you are good to go!
swinn  
Submitted on 09/01/08
I think that the best way to make great Southern tea is to boil the water with the sugar to fully dissolve the sugar and then pour it over the tea bags. It makes it that much better!