Simple Sugar-Free Keto Sweet Tea Recipe

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Introduction

When following a keto diet, it may feel like there’s an endless list of things you need to avoid, especially when it comes to drinks loaded with added sugar and high fructose corn syrup. As a result, many on a keto or low-carb diet find themselves sticking to water for most of their meals.

While water remains the healthiest choice, the craving for something different can strike at anytime. And when it does why not consider trying a delightful alternative: Keto sweet tea?

Tea is a fantastic option for a keto diet since it is naturally sugar-free when unsweetened. However, not everyone enjoys the taste of plain tea, and using sugar to sweeten it is not an option on keto. But guess what? We can absolutely enjoy sweetened tea on a keto diet, and this keto sweet tea recipe is living proof of that! This is simple so let’s get into it.

Ingredients

All Ingredients

Nutrition Facts

8 servings per recipe
2 servings of tea bags (2 x) @ 2 each 0.5 4
Total Fat 0g 0% 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0% 0g 0%
Trans Fat 0g 0% 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0% 0mg 0%
2 servings of tea bags (2 x) @ 7 mg each 1.75 mg 14 mg
8 servings of water (8 cups) @ 9.5 mg each 9.5 mg 76 mg
2 servings of tea bags (2 x) @ 0.7 g each 0.18 g 1.4 g
12 servings of lakanto classic monkfruit sweetener (½ cup) @ 8 g each 12 g 96 g
Dietary Fiber 0g 0% 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g 0% 0g 0%
12 servings of lakanto classic monkfruit sweetener (½ cup) @ 8 g each 12 g 96 g
2 servings of tea bags (2 x) @ 0.7 g each 0.18 g 1.4 g
Protein 0g 0% 0g 0%

Directions

  1. Start by bringing 8 cups of water to a boil.

  2. Steep Your Tea.

    Once you've finished steeping your tea bags or loose leaf, remove them from the water. Be careful not to squeeze them, as doing so can release more tannins into your tea, making it more bitter. Also, keep in mind that these steps affect the strength of your tea. If you desire a stronger taste, you should steep it for a longer duration.

  3. Add Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener and stir until fully dissolved.

    You can then place your tea in the fridge to make chilled tea, or you can add ice cubes and make keto iced tea.

Notes

Tools

  • A pitcher: if you’re using no-boil tea bags, this is where you’ll be making your keto sweet tea.
  • Saucepan, pot, or, kettle: you’ll be needing this to boil water if you’re making tea traditionally.
  • Stirrer or long spoon: you’ll be using this to stir and dissolve your keto-friendly sweetener into the tea.
  • Serving glass: this is where you’ll be serving your homemade sweet tea. Use a tall glass or mason jar if you want to get fancy.

Preparation

  • Make sure to use good quality water as it can significantly affect the taste of your keto sweet tea. If possible, use filtered or bottled water to ensure a clean and fresh flavor.
  • You can also try cold-brewing your tea. Add the tea bags to a pitcher with water and let them steep in the fridge for about 6-8 hours or overnight. Then remove the tea bags and sweeten your tea with your keto-friendly sweetener. Cold brewing makes your tea sweeter and smoother-tasting. This is because tannins, which make the tea bitter, aren’t stepped out of the tea in cold water, unlike when steeping a tea bag in hot water.
  • Once done steeping your tea bags, be careful not to squeeze them as doing so will make the tea bitter. If your tea still bitter and you want to salvage it, Add a pinch of baking soda when you are steeping your tea bags. The baking soda neutralizes the natural bitterness of tea, which is why some tea recipes recommend adding it.

Storage

  • Store any leftover keto iced tea in the fridge in a covered container. It should stay good for a few days, but it’s best to consume it within 2-3 days as the taste might start to degrade after that. Make sure to give it a stir before serving again to redistribute the sweetener, which may have already settled at the bottom.
  • Try to place your tea away from strong smelling items. This is because tea can absorb odors easily, which can affect its taste of your sweet tea.

Serving Suggestions

  • Chill your serving glasses in the fridge before using them to serve your keto sweet tea. Doing this will help keep your tea cold for longer. It also prevents it from quickly melting the ice when poured over.
  • Enhance the presentation of your keto sweet tea by garnishing it with a lemon slice or wedge, lime wedge, or fresh mint leaves. It will give your tea a pop of color and a refreshing aroma.
  • If you’re having keto iced tea, consider using large ice cubes instead of small ones as they melt more slowly.
  • Pair you keto sweet tea with keto-friendly snacks such as nuts, low-carb cookies, or cheese platters.
  • Consider using additional flavorings such as fresh fruit slice (lemon, lime, berries), lemon juice, a dash of cinnamon, or a splash of vanilla extract.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add ice directly to the sweet tea while it's still hot?

While you technically can add ice directly to your keto sweet tea while it’s still hot, it’s not recommended to do so. The ice will quickly melt, diluting the taste of your tea. You should let your keto sweet tea cool to room temperature first before adding ice to it. You can also chill your keto sweet tea in the fridge before serving it, and only add the ice to the glasses before serving.

Can I add milk or cream to my keto sweet tea?

Yes, you can. But not regular milk or cream which are typically too high-carb for a keto diet. Instead, use keto-friendly milk such as unsweetened almond or coconut milk, or keto-friendly cream such as heavy cream.

How can I make the sweet tea stronger or milder in flavor?

The strength of the tea flavor depends on how long your let the tea steep in the water and also the quality of tea you used in the first place. If you want your sweet tea to be stronger in flavor, you can steep the tea bag for a longer time (or use high quality loose leaf tea). If you want a milder taste, you can reduce the steeping time (or use fewer tea bags).

What should people with diabetes know about this keto sweet tea?

This keto sweet tea recipe is made without any added sugar and is low in carbohydrates because it’s sweetened with monk fruit rather than sugar. Everyone’s body responds to foods and drinks differently, so if you have diabetes or other specific dietary needs, please consult a healthcare professional before adding any new recipe to your diet, even a sugar-free one.

Isn't any tea on keto diet good?

No, not quite. Pure loose leaf tea is 100% keto-friendly, but it is best to avoid the store bought drinks from store or pre made teas from the restaurant.
Ready-to-drink teas are sweetened with sugar or fruit juice no matter how “natural” it claims to be on the packaging. Bubble tea even at 0% sugar has a lot of sugar. This is because the syrup to make those fruity blended options contains sugar as a default. Also the boba is mostly carb and sweetened with sugar (typically brown sugar). Teas with a lot of milk- the carbs and natural sugars in milk can add up. This is especially the case as you down many cups. That said, if you still want to fit a milky tea into your keto diet, opt for a keto-friendly milk such as unsweetened almond or coconut milk or better yet heavy cream.

Wrap-Up

With this keto sweet tea recipe, you always have a flavorful, sugar-free option other than water to accompany your meals.

The keto-friendly sweetener, which is Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener in this recipe, is what really allows us to enjoy delicious, sweet tea without ruining our keto diet.

Have you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog? Please rate it below and let us know what you think in the comments! We love hearing from you!

You can also share it on instagram and use the hashtag #buttertogetherkitchen and we will feature you on our page_._ Enjoy!

Looking for more delicious keto drink recipes?

Keto Blueberry Cheesecake Shake

Keto Peppermint Shake

Keto Lemonade

Keto Sorrel Drink

Updated — August 6, 2026: Removed unsupported claims that the tea boosts energy and metabolism, and reframed the diabetes FAQ so it no longer declares the recipe medically suitable for people with diabetes.