Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 4 cups (960 ml) filtered water
- 4 green tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf green tea)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water (for syrup)
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) passion fruit puree or passion fruit nectar
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) papaya nectar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice (plus 4–8 lemon wheels for serving)
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- 6 cups ice (about 840 g), plus more as needed
Do This
- 1. Heat 4 cups water to 175°F (80°C); steep green tea 3 minutes, then remove bags/leaves.
- 2. Chill tea until cold (ice bath 15 minutes or refrigerate 1 hour).
- 3. Simmer syrup: sugar + 1/2 cup water 5 minutes; whisk in passion fruit, papaya, lemon juice, and salt; cool.
- 4. Fill 4 tall glasses with ice.
- 5. Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) syrup to each glass.
- 6. Top each with 1 cup (240 ml) cold green tea; stir.
- 7. Garnish with lemon wheels; serve immediately.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tastes like a fruity café iced tea: bright passionfruit, mellow papaya, and clean green tea.
- Simple, real-ingredient syrup you can tweak sweeter or tarter to your taste.
- No special equipment required; an ice bath chills everything fast.
- Great for meal prep: brew tea and make syrup ahead for quick iced drinks all week.
Grocery List
- Produce: 2 lemons (you’ll use juice + wheels)
- Dairy: none
- Pantry: green tea bags (or loose-leaf green tea), granulated sugar, fine salt, passion fruit puree or passion fruit nectar, papaya nectar, ice (or water to make ice)
Full Ingredients
Green Tea Base
- 4 cups (960 ml) filtered water
- 4 green tea bags (or 2 tablespoons loose-leaf green tea)
Passionfruit–Papaya Syrup
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) passion fruit puree or passion fruit nectar
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) papaya nectar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
To Serve
- 6 cups ice (about 840 g), plus more as needed
- 4–8 thin lemon wheels (1–2 per glass)
- Optional: a few mint leaves for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat water to the right temperature for green tea
Pour 4 cups (960 ml) filtered water into a saucepan and heat over medium heat until it reaches 175°F (80°C).
If you don’t have a thermometer, heat just until you see tiny bubbles beginning to collect on the bottom of the pan (not a full boil). Green tea gets bitter if brewed with boiling water, so this temperature matters.
Step 2: Steep the tea briefly, then remove it
Remove the pan from the heat. Add 4 green tea bags (or place 2 tablespoons loose-leaf green tea in an infuser).
Steep for 3 minutes exactly, then remove the bags/leaves and discard. Let the tea sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to stop carryover heat from continuing to extract.
Step 3: Make the passionfruit–papaya syrup
In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar and 1/2 cup (120 ml) water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fully dissolved.
Keep at a gentle simmer for 5 minutes (aim for about 200–212°F / 93–100°C).
Remove from the heat, then whisk in 1/3 cup (80 ml) passion fruit puree/nectar, 1/3 cup (80 ml) papaya nectar, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon fine salt.
Step 4: Cool the syrup and chill the tea
Let the syrup cool for about 20 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate until cold (about 30 minutes).
Chill the brewed tea until cold as well. Fast option: set the pot of tea into an ice bath (a larger bowl filled with ice and a little water) and stir occasionally until cold, about 15 minutes. Or refrigerate the tea for 1 hour.
Step 5: Build each glass over ice
Fill 4 tall glasses with ice (you’ll use about 6 cups total).
Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the cooled passionfruit–papaya syrup to each glass.
Step 6: Add tea, stir, and adjust sweetness
Pour 1 cup (240 ml) cold green tea into each glass. Stir well to fully mix the syrup (it tends to sink at first).
Taste and adjust if you want it sweeter: add an additional 1 tablespoon (15 ml) syrup per glass. If it’s too sweet, add a splash of cold tea or a little cold water.
Step 7: Garnish and serve
Slide 1–2 lemon wheels into each glass. Serve immediately while the tea is very cold and the ice is fresh. If using mint, lightly clap the leaves between your hands first to release aroma, then add to the glass.
Pro Tips
- Avoid bitterness: Brew green tea at 175°F (80°C) and steep only 3 minutes. Over-steeping is the fastest way to get a harsh iced tea.
- Chill fast without watering down: Chill the tea in an ice bath before serving, then pour over fresh serving ice.
- Use the right fruit products: Passion fruit puree/nectar and papaya nectar give the cleanest, café-like fruit flavor. If your puree is very tart, you may prefer the full syrup amount; if it’s sweetened nectar, start with less syrup per glass.
- Make it taste “café cold”: A tiny bit of salt (1/8 teaspoon) helps the fruit taste brighter and rounds out sweetness.
- Batch-friendly: Multiply the recipe and mix in a pitcher: start with 4 cups tea + 1/2 cup syrup, then adjust to taste.
Variations
- Sparkling passion papaya green tea: Replace 1/2 cup (120 ml) of tea per serving with chilled sparkling water right before serving.
- Honey-sweetened syrup: Use 1/3 cup (112 g) honey instead of sugar. Warm with the water just until dissolved (do not boil), then add the fruit and lemon.
- Stronger tea flavor: Use 5 tea bags (or 2 1/2 tablespoons loose-leaf) for a more pronounced green tea backbone without increasing sweetness.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store the brewed green tea in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the passionfruit–papaya syrup in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
For best flavor, assemble over ice right before drinking. If you pre-mix a pitcher, expect the taste to mellow slightly as it sits; stir well before pouring because the syrup can settle.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate, per 1 serving (1 cup tea + 2 tablespoons syrup, not including ice): 120 calories; 0 g fat; 31 g carbohydrates; 29 g sugar; 0 g protein; 35 mg sodium.
