Refreshing Blackberry Earl Grey Iced Tea

5 from 10 votes
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This blackberry iced tea combines the rich flavor of Earl Grey tea with fresh blackberries, lime, and herbs – for a super easy drink worthy of any warm Summer’s day. This iced Earl Grey is not only sure to impress, but it is also naturally sweetened with unrefined sugar and uses just 5 ingredients!

close up of a blackberry iced tea in a glass decorated with edible flowers and herbs

This summer is officially the year of sharing all my favorite iced Summer drinks with you – including old and new, like this blackberry drink. This blackberry Earl Grey iced tea is perfect for getting your tea fix during the hot summer days, with a fruity, herbal, citrus twist!

Honestly, now is the perfect time to share these drinks with you too – Especially as the UK is going through a heatwave right now and it seems many of my friends in the US are also experiencing a very hot week ahead of us. So, let’s get right to it!

top view of a glass of blackberry iced tea with ice

For other Earl Grey-inspired Summer treats, you might like this Vegan Earl Grey Blueberry Tart or even Raw Vegan Berry Cheesecake.

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The ingredients

ingredients to make blackberry iced tea
  • Blackberries – Wild blackberries are usually more tart, so I prefer to use store-bought ‘sweeter’ varieties. Rinse them thoroughly before using them.
  • Earl Grey – I love the unique flavor of Earl Grey with its’ bold, yet refreshing flavor that combines black tea with bergamot orange. You could also try this with other black tea varieties, to experiment.
  • Fresh Limes – Make sure to use fresh and not bottled, for superior flavor.
  • Sweetener – I’ve used maple here as an unrefined, vegan sugar. You could also use other liquid or granulated sugars. Go sugar-free with a sweetener like erythritol (adapt the amount used depending on what you choose and your sweet tooth)
  • Herbs – Blackberry pairs amazingly with fresh herbs. Some of my favorite options include mint, basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Here, I used rosemary.

The step by step instructions

Step 1: First, steep the tea in boiling water. You can do this use loose tea or tea bags and then allowing it to cool to room temperature (or chill in the fridge).

Note* You could also make cold brew Earl Grey by brewing it in cold water overnight (for between 10-12 hours is best).

Step 2: Add the blackberries, lime juice and sweetener to a large cup (or two smaller cups) and mash.

steps for making blackberry iced tea

Note** If you want to avoid berry seeds then you can blend this concoction first and strain through a fine mesh sieve, into the cup/s.

Optional step 3: Pour the tea over the berry mixture and stir well. Serve with ice cubes and garnish with your favorite herbs.

Recipe variations

For a Blackberry Earl Grey Mocktail: Brew your tea at double strength, as you’ll only need a few tbsp in this mocktail. Add the remainder of the ingredients to your glass and muddle, allowing the fruit and sweetener to macerate as the tea cools slightly. Add 3-4tbsp of Earl Grey tea and then top up with soda water.

You can, optionally, add in a little vanilla extract too.

Top view of a blackberry iced tea in a glass decorated with edible flowers and herbs

An Earl Grey Cocktail/ Alcoholic version: rum, bourbon, vodka, whiskey, and gin all work well with black tea varieties. Simply omit some brewed tea in place of a little of your favorite alcohol.

How to store

The plain cold brew/ brewed and cooled Earl Grey tea can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days. I like to make a big batch at the beginning of the week then make the individual cups of blackberry iced tea with the remainder of te ingredients as I go along, so it’s nice and fresh!

Recipe notes

  • If you decide to make a large pitcher of the blackberry iced tea, then it’s best to serve the ice in the individual glasses and not the pitcher, so you don’t dilute the entire jugful.
  • You could also make brewed Earl Grey ice-cubes, to pop into the drink.
  • You could also experiment with making this same drink with other fruits – such as peach.

If you try this Earl Grey blackberry lime drink, let me know your thoughts and any questions in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.

Blackberry Iced Tea

5 from 10 votes
By: Samira
This blackberry iced tea combines the rich flavor of Earl Grey tea with fresh blackberries, lime, and herbs – for a super easy drink worthy of any warm Summer's day. This iced Earl Grey is not only sure to impress, but it is also naturally sweetened with unrefined sugar, uses just 5 ingredients, and is fully vegan!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2 people

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 Cup Blackberries
  • 1 lime fresh
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup or your favourite sweetener
  • 2 Cups hot water or cold brew in cold water for 10-12 hrs
  • 1-1.5 tbsp earl grey tea or your favourite black tea (or 1 teabag)
  • Ice Cubes
  • edible flowers or herbs optional

Instructions 

  • First, steep the tea in boiling water. You can do this by using loose tea or tea bags and then allowing it to cool to room temperature (or chill in the fridge).*
  • Add the blackberries, lime juice and sweetener to a large cup (or two smaller cups) and mash.**
  • Pour the tea over the berry mixture and stir well. Serve with ice cubes and garnish with your favorite herbs.

How To Store:

  • The plain cold brew/ brewed and cooled Earl Grey tea can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days. I like to make a big batch at the beginning of the week then make the individual cups of blackberry iced tea with the remainder of the ingredients as I go along, so it's nice and fresh!

Video

Notes

Note* You could also make cold brew Earl Grey by brewing it in cold water overnight (for between 10-12 hours is best).
Note** If you want to avoid berry seeds then you can blend this concoction first and strain through a fine-mesh sieve, into the cup/s.

For a Blackberry Earl Grey Mocktail: Brew your tea at double strength, as you’ll only need a few tbsp in this mocktail. Add the remainder of the ingredients to your glass and muddle, allowing the fruit and sweetener to macerate as the tea cools slightly. Add 3-4tbsp of Earl Grey tea and then top up with soda water. You can, optionally, add in a little vanilla extract too.
An Earl Grey Cocktail/ Alcoholic version: rum, bourbon, vodka, whiskey, and gin all work well with black tea varieties. Simply omit some brewed tea in place of a little of your favorite alcohol.
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Shelf life: 5 Days

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 95kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 3mg, Potassium: 196mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 154IU, Vitamin C: 25mg, Calcium: 54mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

5 from 10 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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