McAlister’s Deli World Famous Sweet Tea ™ (Copycat Recipe!) (2024)

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McAlister’s Deli World Famous Sweet Tea ™ is famous for a reason: its tea is strong, sweet, and cold – as sweet tea should be! Next time you’re craving a glass of McAlisters Deli Tea, save yourself the drive and make your own with this easy copycat recipe! You just need 3 ingredients (+ water!)

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Table of Contents hide

1 What Type of Tea Does McAlister’s Deli Use?

2 What You Need to Make McAlister’s Deli Tea

3 Why is there Baking Soda in This Recipe?

5 How to Make McAlister’s Deli Tea

6 How Much Sugar is in McAlister’s Sweet Tea?

7 How is McAlister’s Tea So Good?

8 Is McAlister’s sweet tea caffeinated?

9 Looking for More Easy Copycat Recipes?

10 McAlister’s Deli World Famous Sweet Tea ™ (Copycat Recipe!)

10.1 Ingredients 1x2x3x

10.2 Instructions

10.3 Nutrition

What Type of Tea Does McAlister’s Deli Use?

According to their website, McAlister’s Deli uses high-qualityblack tea leavesto make its McAlister’s World Famous Sweet Tea™.

What You Need to Make McAlister’s Deli Tea

Why is there Baking Soda in This Recipe?

In this recipe, we add baking soda to help take out the bitterness of the black tea and keep your tea fresh for longer.

Trust us, once you try this trick, you’ll swear by this hack! We’re so sure it works that we guarantee your tea will taste just as fresh the next day!

What If I Want to Make McAlister’s Deli Unsweet Tea?

To make McAlister’s Deli Unsweet Tea, you can simply omit the sugar in this recipe!

If you want it sweet but just want to cut down on the sugar, you can also substitute Splenda for the sugar, or just use less sugar to your taste preference!

How to Make McAlister’s Deli Tea

  1. In a medium pot, boil 1/4 gallon of the water on medium-high heat.
  2. Once water comes to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and pour the water into an empty pitcher (I love this specific pitcher).
  3. Add the tea bags and baking soda and allow it to steep for 15 minutes.
  4. Take out the tea bags, then stir in the sugar. Top it off with the rest of the water and stir.
  5. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or until cold. Serve the tea as needed in tall glasses with extra ice cubes. ENJOY!

How Much Sugar is in McAlister’s Sweet Tea?

There is 357 g of sugar in every gallon of McAlister’s Sweet Tea.

1 gallon equals to about16 (8 oz) cups, so each 8 oz cup of McAlister’s Sweet Tea contains approximately 22.3 g of sugar.

How is McAlister’s Tea So Good?

McAlister’s Tea tastes great because the tea is high quality and fresh, and the chain has a lot of experience in making tea – especially their World Famous Sweet Tea™ !

Is McAlister’s sweet tea caffeinated?

Yes, McAlister’s sweet tea is caffeinated because it contains black tea.

McAlister’s Deli World Famous Sweet Tea ™ (Copycat Recipe!) (1)

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McAlister’s Deli World Famous Sweet Tea ™ (Copycat Recipe!) (2)

McAlister’s Deli World Famous Sweet Tea ™ (Copycat Recipe!)

McAlister’s Deli World Famous Sweet Tea ™ (Copycat Recipe!) (3)DWELL by Michelle

McAlister's Deli World Famous Sweet Tea ™ is famous for a reason: its tea is strong, sweet, and cold – as sweet tea should be! Next time you're craving a glass of McAlisters Deli Tea, save yourself the drive and make your own with this easy copycat recipe! You just need 3 ingredients (+ water!)

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Steep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 148 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium pot, boil 1/4 gallon of the water on medium-high heat.

  • Once the water comes to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and pour the water into an empty pitcher (I love this specific pitcher).

  • Add the tea bags and baking soda and allow it to steep for 15 minutes.

  • Take out the tea bags, then stir in the sugar. Top it off with the rest of the water and stir.

  • Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or until cold. Serve the tea as needed in tall glasses with extra ice cubes. ENJOY!

Nutrition

Calories: 148kcal

Keyword authentic recipes, dairy-free, dairy-free recipes, drinks recipe, easy drinks, easy fall recipes, easy recipes, easy snacks, Gluten-Free, gluten-free recipes, gluten-free treats, holiday drink, restaurant copycat recipes, summer drinks, vegan, vegan treats, vegetarian

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McAlister’s Deli World Famous Sweet Tea ™ (Copycat Recipe!) (2024)

FAQs

McAlister’s Deli World Famous Sweet Tea ™ (Copycat Recipe!)? ›

Steep 6 bags of black tea (any black tea, I use the Whole Foods generic brand) in 2 cups of very hot water (just off the boil) for 10 mins. After the 10min steep, mix in 2/3 cup sugar and 1/8tsp of baking soda. (The baking soda is the secret ingredient that makes it incredibly smooth). Don't overdo the baking soda.

How much sugar is in McAlister's sweet tea? ›

Nutrition Facts
Calories 150(628 kJ)
Sodium15 mg1%
Total Carbohydrate39 g13%
Dietary Fiber0 g0%
Sugars39 g
7 more rows

Does Mcalister's do free tea refills? ›

You can redeem one (1) eligible beverage every day and can get unlimited refills of that same beverage each day while in-store.

How much caffeine is in McAlister's tea? ›

According to the ingredients list they use orange pekoe tea. Generally orange pekoe is listed as having about 45 mg caffiene per 8oz of serving. Your milage may vary.

How many calories are in McAlister's unsweet tea? ›

Nutrition Facts
Calories 0(0 kJ)
Sodium15 mg1%
Total Carbohydrate0 g0%
Dietary Fiber0 g0%
Sugars0 g
7 more rows

What kind of sweet tea does McAlister's use? ›

Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM. Specially filtered. Made fresh with Orange Pekoe Black Tea leaves.

What is the healthiest sugar for sweet tea? ›

9 Sugar Alternatives for Tea
SweetenerNutritional Profile
SteviaCalorie-free Doesn't contain carbohydrates or added sugars
ErythritolLow-calorie 70% sweetness of refined sugar
Maple SyrupRich in minerals like zinc and manganese
Coconut SugarContains nutrients like zinc, iron, calcium, and potassium
5 more rows
Mar 12, 2024

Why is McAlister's so good? ›

From our local produce vendors, and genuine Idaho Russet Potatoes to our Rainforest Alliance Certified black tea sweetened with pure cane sugar, we're committed to serving food that is not only craveable but created with the finest and freshest ingredients.

Why did McDonald's get rid of free refills? ›

The fast-food giant first introduced the self-serve drink machines in 2004, allowing customers to have unlimited beverages of their choice. However, McDonald's appears to be distancing itself from the self-service idea as fewer customers prefer dine-in, in contrast to home deliveries or takeaways.

How much caffeine is in sweet tea? ›

Generally, sweet tea brewed from black tea leaves contains caffeine, although in smaller amounts compared to coffee. The caffeine content of sweet tea can range from 15 to 70 milligrams per 8-ounce serving, depending on factors such as brewing time and tea strength.

What is the healthiest McAlister's order? ›

Best: Harvest Chicken Salad Sandwich

"The McAlister's Harvest Chicken Salad sandwich is one of the lightest in calories, saturated fat, and sodium sandwich options on the menu," says Sheri Berger, RDN, CDCES, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant for Health Insiders.

What flavor of tea has the most caffeine? ›

Black tea caffeine: Black tea typically has the highest caffeine content among teas. Oolong tea caffeine: Oolong tea generally has less caffeine than black tea, but more than green or white tea. Green tea caffeine: Green tea usually has less caffeine than black or oolong tea.

Which tea brand has most caffeine? ›

Matcha tends to have the most caffeine out of any type of tea. This is because you ingest whole tea leaves when you drink matcha. After matcha, black tea and pu-erh tea are especially high in caffeine.

Is unsweet tea OK for you? ›

Unsweetened iced tea can be a refreshing and beneficial beverage for lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke. The polyphenols (compounds naturally found in plant foods) and flavonoids in unsweetened tea help relax and dilate blood vessels, helping to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.

Is unsweet tea healthier than soda? ›

For those who are watching their calorie intake, iced tea is the clear winner. A 12-ounce can of soft drinks can contain up to 150 calories, while iced tea contains as little as zero calories for unsweetened teas.

Is Unsweet tea healthier than sweet tea? ›

Unsweetened Tea Can Help Support a Healthy Heart

Making a simple swap of unsweetened tea for sugar sweetened beverages or other beverages with little nutritional value can be one effective strategy to reduce added sugar intake. Plus, tea is one of the best sources of flavonoids in the diet.

Is sweet tea high in sugar? ›

Although sweet tea may be brewed with a lower sugar and calorie content than most fruit juices and sodas, it is not unusual to find sweet tea with a sugar level as high as 22 degrees Brix, or 22 g per 100 g of liquid, a level twice that of Coca-Cola.

How much sugar is in sweet tea? ›

Sweet tea is one tradition we aren't quite ready to give up completely. But with the amount of sugar it has, it's time to consider switching to unsweetened iced tea. A gallon of homemade sweet tea often has at least 1 cup of sugar: That means 25 grams of sugar per 16-ounce glass.

How much sugar is in a 12 oz sweetened tea? ›

Staggeringly, there are 26 grams of added sugars in just a 12-ounce serving of Milo's sweet tea. That means for 32 oz (the same as a large McDonald's tea), there are 69 grams of added sugar. Just let that sink in for a second - it's more than double the daily recommended amount for men, and almost triple for women!

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