This Long Island Iced Tea recipe is the ultimate summer drink that packs a punch with it’s combination of multiple spirits and flavors.
Long Island Iced Tea is a real crowd-pleaser and a go-to on sunny days when you need a refreshing drink.
While, its origins might be a bit of a mystery, some say it emerged in the 1970s at a bar on Long Island, New York. Wherever it came from, we’re just grateful it exists.
If you’ve had Applebee’s long island iced tea, you might be familiar with their use of sweet and sour mix. However, our version is more similar to a Chi Chi’s long island iced tea (if you remember those) and made with triple sec.
The best part of this drink is that you can tweak it to your heart’s content! Craving a touch of sweetness? Just throw in a splash of lemonade or cranberry juice. Want to go all-out fancy? Jazz it up with fresh fruit slices or sprigs of mint. The possibilities are endless!
So, however you prefer it, you can’t go wrong with a Long Island Iced Tea. Sip, savor, and enjoy the good times!
Jump to:
What is a long island iced tea?
A Long Island Iced Tea is a type of alcoholic cocktail. It is made with a mix of different liquors. The drink is usually served in a tall glass with ice cubes and a slice of lemon.
What does a long island iced tea taste like?
Although the drink has the words “iced tea” and resembles it, it does not taste like iced tea at all. It has more of a sweet and tart flavor to it.
Long Island Tea Ingredients
- Tequila
- Vodka
- White rum
- Triple sec
- Gin
- Simple syrup
- Lemon juice
- Lemon slice
- Ice cubes
- Cola
Long Island Iced Tea Variations
There are many different ways to make a long island iced tea. Here are some of our favorite versions of the long island iced tea.
- Strawberry Long Island Iced Tea: Add strawberry puree or use strawberry liqueur.
- Peach Long Island Iced Tea: Use peach schnapps or use peach-flavored vodka.
- Raspberry Long Island Iced Tea: Add raspberry syrup or use raspberry liqueur.
- Cranberry Long Island Iced Tea: Incorporate cranberry juice for a festive version.
- Blue Long Island Iced Tea: Incorporate blue curacao and lemon-lime or ginger ale soda.
- Top Shelf Long Island: Use top shelf liquors such as Grey Goose vodka, Cointreau, Don Julio 1942, etc.
How to Make a Long Island Iced Tea
Add ice to a tall glass. Pour in tequila, vodka, white rum, triple sec, gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice. Top off with Cola.
Garnish with a lemon slice. Cheers!
Recipe Tips
- Use good quality tequila. Silver, blanco or white are good choices.
- Fresh lemon juice makes all the difference.
- Don’t add too much cola as it will make the drink too sweet.
FAQs
Yes, of course you can. Just multiply the ingredients by the amount of servings and mix in a pitcher.
There is a significant amount of alcohol in a classic long island iced tea. About 2.5 ounces to be exact and is considered to be a strong drink. These will sneak up on you. Consider you alcohol tolerance and drink in moderation.
If you don’t have triple sec on hand you can swap it for Cointreau or Grand Mariner.
Yes, you can use diet cola in place of regular cola for this long island tea.
More Cocktail Recipes
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- Alabama Slammer Cocktail
- Bikini Martini
- Frozen Mango Margarita
- Dole Whip Mimosas
Recipe
Long Island Iced Tea
Ingredients
- ½ ounce tequila
- ½ ounce vodka
- ½ ounce white rum
- ½ ounce triple sec
- ½ ounce gin
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- lemon slice
- ice cubes
- cola
Instructions
- Add ice to a tall glass. Pour in tequila, vodka, white rum, triple sec, gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice. Top off with Cola.
- Garnish with a lemon slice. Cheers!
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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