Almond Iced Tea {& My Extract Addiction}

June 28, 2014
Give a little twist to your traditional sweet tea with easy Almond Iced Tea.  It'll help you flavorfully beat the summer heat!
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Almond Iced Tea ~ put a refreshing and flavorful twist on your sweet tea!   www.thekitchenismyplayground.com


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.

Almond Iced Tea ~ put a refreshing and flavorful twist on your sweet tea!   www.thekitchenismyplayground.com

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?

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.

Almond Iced Tea ~ put a refreshing and flavorful twist on your sweet tea!   www.thekitchenismyplayground.com

But no.

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 ...

Check out these other refreshing drink recipes:
Almond Iced Tea ~ put a refreshing and flavorful twist on your sweet tea!   www.thekitchenismyplayground.com
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almond iced tea recipe, flavored iced tea recipe, ice tea recipe, iced tea recipe
Beverages
Southern
Yield: 2 quarts
Almond Iced Tea

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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}.
  3. Stir in almond extract, vanilla extract, and lemon juice {if using}.
  4. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve over ice with a lemon wedge.
TRACEY'S NOTES:
  1. Decaffeinated tea bags can be used just fine. 
  2. 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!
Created using The Recipes Generator


Please enjoy these other summer drinks from The Kitchen is My Playground ...











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12 comments

  1. Sounds good! cool and refreshing. Blessings, Catherine

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  2. I am bookmarking this page girl! So yummy! Glad I found you via the link up!

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  3. Yum!!! I love extracts too! I think I NEED to make this today! And the little story about the coffee/tea shop...I just loved that!

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  4. Could you add cream and cinnamon as will how do you make a cold chia tea

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  5. Just pinned and will be sharing on FB!! Love this tea!!

    Hugs from Freedom Fridays

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  6. my mouth is literally watering, yummy!
    www.lovemeyeart.com

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  7. Sounds great, I've never thought of adding almond extract but I LOVE it in peach jam and sugar cookies! When I make homemade iced tea I always just dissolve the sugar in with the hot tea before it cools instead of in separate hot water - does that matter?

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    Replies
    1. It really doesn't matter, Karlie ... just so long as the sugar gets dissolved at SOME point. If you love almond extract, do give this a try! It's yummy. :-)

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  8. Great ideas for such refreshing Iced Tea. They all look awesome! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
    Miz Helen

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  9. Congratulations!
    Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Enjoy your new Red Plate and have a great weekend!
    Come Back Soon,
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tweaked the recipe: used green tea, no sugar, and doubled the extracts for 1 gallon of tea. I think I'm in love!

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