It's thirst-quenching and delicious. Cooling and calming. But it can take a toll on your wallet if you’re not careful. We’re talking about iced tea! Another great reason to make your own iced tea is so you can customize it to your palate’s delight. This summer, instead of going to a coffee shop or café, try these easy and affordable recipes that are still Instagram-worthy and refreshing.
GENMAICHA MILK BOBA TEA
If you think all green teas are created equally, you’re in for a surprise! Genmaicha is a Japanese green tea blend made with roasted brown rice. It’s my favorite type of tea because it is less bitter than regular green tea, contains less caffeine, can help with digestion, and offers other health benefits. Plus, I enjoy the deep, roasted flavor with nutty undertones, almost like popcorn. In this recipe, we combine genmaicha with boba, or chewy tapioca balls, to create the perfect blend of sweet and savory.
You can find boba at Asian grocery stores or online.
Ingredients
- 1 genmaicha tea bag
- 1 cup hot water (not boiling)
- 2 Tbsp. boba
- Ice
- Milk of choice to taste (we used soy milk)
- Sweetener of choice to taste (honey, sugar, sugar substitute)
Instructions
Steep tea in hot water 1-3 minutes, depending how strong you want the tea. Remove tea bag. Let tea cool while you prepare boba according to package directions. It may come with or call for additional sweetener.
Add ice to cup, then boba, then tea. Finish with milk and sweetener to taste. Stir and enjoy!
MAMAKI HIBISCUS PINK DRINK
The mamaki plant, also called the Hawaiian nettle, is endemic to Hawaii, which means it’s native to our Islands. In addition to using mamaki wood to make clubs and kapa beaters, early Hawaiians made mamaki tea out of its leaves. Today, people drink mamaki tea, which has a mild, slightly sweet flavor, for relaxation. It has also been known to help reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure.
If you’ve ever tried a certain pink drink at a popular coffee chain, you’ll know how delicious it is, tasting like a strawberries and cream popsicle in drink form. For this recipe, we substituted a mamaki and hibiscus tea blend for the passion fruit tea. You can experiment with blending loose leaf mamaki and hibiscus tea leaves, or you can buy premixed tea bags; it’s up to you! Mamaki and hibiscus tea is available at local supermarkets, specialty tea shops, health food stores, and online.
Ingredients
- Ice
- 2 cups prepared mamaki and hibiscus tea
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup sparkling strawberry water
- Sweetener of choice to taste
- Fresh strawberries, sliced for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Add ice to two glasses. Divide the prepared mamaki and hibiscus tea evenly between the glasses.
Pour sparkling water followed by coconut milk. Next, add sweetener, adjusting the amount to taste. Finally, add fresh sliced strawberies.
Stir to combine and serve immediately.
FRESH PINEAPPLE TEA
Pineapple tea is popular at cafés and fancy brunch spots for a good reason: It’s a tropical delight! While many recipes call for plain black tea as the base, we used a pineapple-infused black tea. This, combined with fresh pineapple, resulted in a delightfully pineapple-forward drink. The pineapple juice was so sweet that it didn’t take much additional sweetener to reach the perfect sweetness level.
We also found that the cold-brew method of preparing the tea results in less bitter tea. But if you’re in a rush, you can brew it in hot water and add ice. Finally, if you make your own fresh pineapple juice, feel free to use it. But if not, buying prepared is fine.
Ingredients
- 4 pineapple black teabags
- 4 cups cold water
- Fresh pineapple
- 6 oz. pineapple juice
- Sweetener of choice
Instructions
In a large pitcher, add water, tea bags, and fresh pineapple. Let steep in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Remove tea bags and add pineapple juice and sweetener to taste. Add pineapple for garnish and serve!
ICED LAVENDER MATCHA LATTE
Though lavender and matcha may not seem like a match made in culinary heaven, the earthy and floral flavors complement each other perfectly. Plus, matcha’s potential health benefits, like lowering blood pressure and improving concentration, combined with lavender’s relaxing properties, make for a pleasant and potentially restorative drink.
We’ve discussed the different grades of matcha powder before, and coffee shops typically use premium grade. You can find matcha powder at most grocery stores, tea specialty shops, and online. Lavender syrup is always available online, but I’ve had luck finding it at big box retail stores and off-price retail stores as well. If you can’t find it, you can make your own.
Ingredients
Matcha tea
- ½ Tbsp. matcha powder
- 1 oz. hot water
- Sweetener of choice
- Ice
- 1 cup milk of choice (we used soy)
Lavender cold foam
- 3 Tbsp. heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp. milk (whole, 2%, or skim)
- ½ oz. lavender syrup
Note: As you may have noticed, the lavender syrup is practically clear. So how do cafés get that beautiful lavender color? It depends, but some places use food coloring. Since we’re not using food coloring in our drink today, it won’t be a stunning lavender color, but it will still taste good! If you want to add food coloring, add one drop of red and one drop of blue to your lavender cold foam ingredients before frothing.
Instructions
Whisk matcha in a w-shape in hot water until fully dissolved. Stir in sweetener. Fill a glass with ice and add milk. Then, add matcha.
To make the lavender cold foam, combine heavy cream, milk, and lavender syrup in a glass. Froth for 15-25 seconds until light and foamy.
Top matcha with foam. Stir and enjoy!
Time to sit back, relax, and drink some delicious, homemade iced tea.
The café is open
Here are some nibbles and sips to add to your café life menu:
