Tall glasses of orange cranberry iced tea
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Orange-Cranberry Sweet Iced Tea Cocktail

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Brew Time:

20 minutes

Yield:

2 quarts

Sit on the porch and watch the sunset with this tasty tea cocktail. Strong tea balances the sweet orange juice and tart cranberry.

Ingredients

  • 1 large navel orange
  • 3 cups water, divided
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 Luzianne® Family Size Iced Tea bags*
  • 2 ½ cups unsweetened cranberry juice, chilled
  • 1 ½ cups orange juice, chilled, preferably freshly squeezed
  • 2 cups vodka, chilled
  • Orange wedges for garnish, optional

Directions

  1. Using a vegetable peeler remove the zest from the orange in long strips. Reserve the orange for another use.
  2. Prepare citrus syrup: Add the orange zest, 1 cup water and sugar to a small saucepot. Stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved, about 90 seconds. Set aside to steep for 20 minutes. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the solids from the liquid, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Place in refrigerator to cool.
  3. While the syrup is cooling make a strong tea. In a pitcher, steep 2 tea bags in 2 cups boiling water for 10 minutes.* Remove and discard tea bags.
  4. Add the chilled fruit juices and the vodka to a large punch bowl. Add tea and chilled citrus syrup to taste, ½ to 1 cup. Garnish with orange wedges. Chill and serve over ice.

If omitting the vodka, increase the cranberry juice to 3 ½ cups and the orange juice to 2 ½ cups. *Alternatively, steep 2 bags of Luzianne® Cold Brew Iced Tea in 2 cups cold water for 10 minutes.