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    Recipe Idea Shop » Recipes » Beverages

    Homemade Iced Mint Tea With Peppermint or Spearmint

    by Kathy Owen · Sep 11, 2024 · Updated: Jan 15, 2025 · "As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases"

    Homemade Iced Mint Tea is the epitome of summer. Refreshing, delicious, and easy to make, you can have this every day and not feel guilty because it's not bad for you. And it's so easy! Grow your own mint on the patio, porch, or in the garden; it's prolific!

    Just skip the sugar and this iced mint tea is a delightful no-calorie option. When you want something more than a glass of cold water, this fresh mint tea could be the perfect thing to hit the spot. 

    iced mint tea
    Refreshing Homemade Iced Mint Tea. Easy, cheap, delicious. No calories!
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A perfect, cool, refreshing drink on a hot summer day or even a warm spring day, but you can enjoy this tea any time of year once you learn this very easy recipe to make it yourself at home. 

    Homemade Iced Mint Tea

    Even if you're not normally a tea drinker, you may want to try this one. Here are some other variations on mint iced tea that you might also consider: 

    • sweet mint tea
    • chocolate mint
    • Moroccan mint tea
    • pineapple mint
    • mint syrup 
    • peppermint leaves in tea
    • peppermint tea bags

    I switched to growing spearmint instead of peppermint in my potted kitchen garden. Peppermint doesn't fare well on my porch. And the spearmint is growing like a weed. I like spearmint better than peppermint anyway. Which do you prefer?

    Peppermint or Spearmint?

    Spearmint has a mild flavor that's sweet and cool. Peppermint is loaded with menthol which gives it a sharp, spicy flavor.

    Which mint is better for you? That's a great question! Both mints are good for you. Here's what Medical News Today says about spearmint:

    "It is often used in medicine for its claimed therapeutic properties. Spearmint contains vitamins, antioxidants, and vital nutrients. Its aroma is very similar to that of peppermint. It contains less menthol than peppermint, but it is rich in limonene, dihydrocarvone, and cineol."

    Is Mint Tea A Weight Loss Drink?

    Are you wondering how to make mint tea for weight loss? Iced Mint Tea is an excellent option to lose weight, too. Zero calories. That's right. ZERO.

    Unless you add sugar, it's only 8 calories a cup. I prefer it plain, that is, without sugar. Even with sugar, it's a whole lot better for you than a commercial soft drink with all its sugar and chemicals. The mint is good for settling your stomach, too.

    This iced mint tea recipe works great as a weight-loss drink, but you can use mint for tea even if you're not watching your calories. 

    How to Make Homemade Iced Mint Tea

    It's super easy to make, either by boiling the water or heating it in the microwave. I'm usually lazy and do it in the microwave, heating it on high for 2 minutes (some recipes say to steep it for 5-6 minutes) until the water is boiling. Your microwave may take a different amount of time because each appliance differs.

    You don't have to chop the leaves. Just take a few leaves (maybe 6), rinse them off to make sure they aren't dirty and put them in a cup of water. Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

    Steep the leaves for about 2 minutes. Remove the leaves from the cup and pour the tea over a glass of ice. Yum! Delicious Iced Mint Tea. Serve it with Watermelon Olive Mint Salad and capitalize on the delicious flavor.

    If you prefer to boil your water and make a larger amount in a teapot, simply put the mint leaves in the teapot and fill it with boiling water. Let steep for two or three minutes and remove the leaves. (I find that if you steep it too long, it gets a bit too minty and kind of bites back at you.)

    What You Need

    Le Creuset Enamel On Steel Demi Tea Kettle, 1.25 qt., Caribbean

    If you like sugar in your tea, add a teaspoon of sugar (or better yet, honey) to the pot or cup while adding the leaves. Stir to dissolve the sugar, and pour the tea over a glass of ice. Voila! Iced Mint Tea with sugar.

    No special tools are needed for this recipe. A teakettle for boiling water is helpful; we have a Le Creuset model. A lovely decorative teapot and beautiful iced tea glasses (affiliate link) for serving are nice.

    Ingredients

    • water
    • spearmint or peppermint leaves
    • ice cubes
    • sugar (optional)
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    A glass of homemade iced mint tea filled with ice and garnished with fresh mint leaves sits on a wooden outdoor table in sunlight.

    Homemade Iced Peppermint or Spearmint Tea

    refreshing mint tea

    Author: Recipe Idea Shop

    Rate this Recipe Print Pin Save Saved!
    Prep : 1 minute min
    Cook : 10 minutes mins
    Total Time: 11 minutes mins
    Course : Beverages
    Cuisine : American
    Servings : 2

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 cups water
    • 6 spearmint or peppermint leaves
    • 2 cups ice cubes
    • 1 teaspoon sugar optional

    Instructions
     

    • Bring the water to a boil.
    • Put the mint leaves in a teapot.
    • Pour the boiling water over the leaves into the pot.
    • Steep for 2-5 minutes.
    • Remove leaves.
    • Add sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves, if you are using sugar.

    Nutrition (may vary depending on ingredients and amounts used)

    Calories: 10kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.03g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 127IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    Like this recipe?We Have More Here!

    Mint is a terrific communicator. It really droops if you need to water it. Take a look:

    potted mint wilted becasue of lack of water
    Potted spearmint droops when it needs a drink.

    More Recipes That Use Mint

    • Watermelon Olive Mint Salad
    • Minty Watermelon Tomato Cucumber Salad
    • Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

    homemade iced tea recipe

     

    A glass of homemade iced mint tea with ice cubes and fresh mint leaves on top, placed on a wooden surface. Text at the bottom reads Homemade Iced Mint Tea Recipe.
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    About Kathy Owen

    Kathy Owen acquired the blog, Recipe Idea Shop in 2024. She was raised on a farm in Arkansas where having a big garden and good food to eat was the norm. She shares recipes for homemade comfort food and new trending dishes.

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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