It’s so easy to make Pressure Cooker Blackberry Iced Tea.
Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker iced teas have become increasingly popular because of how easy and quick they are to make.
I mean, is there anything an Instant Pot can’t make?
And it’s blackberry season, so of course, I needed to make some Instant Pot Blackberry Iced Tea.
Enjoy some Instant Pot Blackberry Iced Tea
The great thing about this recipe is that you’re not only brewing some delicious iced tea quickly and easily, you’re also making a delicious homemade blackberry simple syrup.
It’s so much better than making it with blackberry tea bags.
Making it like this is a lot like how they serve a blackberry iced tea at Chili’s, Olive Garden, Logan’s Roadhouse, and even Starbucks!
It’s not quite a copycat recipe, but this is a premium iced tea that’s restaurant / coffee shop quality that you can easily make at home.
You’ll love how easy it is to make this recipe.
It’s one of our favorite easy pressure cooker recipes.
You can even make the iced tea boozy by adding some sweet tea vodka too! So many options!
A delicious fruity iced tea recipe for summer
As part of my summer drinks collection, I recently shared my Sweet Tea Margarita recipe so to continue with that theme, I’ve added my Instant Pot Blackberry Iced Tea to the list.
It’s a flavorful non-alcoholic beverage that can be enjoyed by all ages when you are next entertaining guests.
Optionally, you can also spike it with some sweet tea vodka
If you didn’t know, blackberries and basil are a wonderful flavor combination.
So I’ve not only included basil sprigs as a pretty garnish but also added chopped basil to the blackberry ice tea mix in the Instant Pot.
What’s the result?
A flavorful burst of blackberries to be served immediately over ice or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If blackberries aren’t your favorite fruit, you could swap them out for another seasonal fruit but I dare you to try this recipe first- you won’t be disappointed.
Ingredients:
- Water
- Black Tea bags, we used organic
- Fresh Blackberries
- Fresh Basil
- Honey
- Fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Baking soda
- Optional: Sweet Tea Vodka
To make the drink, you will need: a pressure cooker, measuring cup and spoons, saucepan, spoon or spatula, fine mesh strainer, cutting board and knife, and a heat resistant pitcher.
And of course, you’ll need your favorite beverage glasses.
How to avoid over-steeping tea
As you may know, over-steeped tea has the tendency to taste bitter.
So to combat this, simply add a pinch of baking soda prior to brewing and then make sure to immediately remove the tea bags once the pressure is fully released.
I found this to work really well, leaving perfectly brewed tea, ready for the addition of the remaining ingredients.
Can I serve the iced tea with alcohol?
Yes! In fact, we really like to add in some sweet tea vodka.
It’s the perfect liquor to mix into an iced tea recipe.
It’s got a little sweetness, and a little lemon flavor to give you a little somethin’ somethin’ to kick the drink up a notch or two.
In case you’re wondering what sweet tea vodka tastes like, well, it kind of tastes like what it sounds like.
Sweet tea with vodka.
Some flavored vodkas taste more like vodka than whatever flavor they’re labeled, but sweet tea vodka is pretty right on.
We like the sweet tea vodkas from Firefly, Deep Eddy, Sweet Carolina, and Seagrams.
Do you have a favorite? Let us know in the comments.
If you don’t have sweet tea vodka, a lemon vodka is an excellent choice too.
Or even plain vodka!
What alcohols go well with tea?
If vodka isn’t your jam, we also like adding light rum to the drink.
We’ve even made it with whiskey or tequila!
And my goodness, blackberry bourbon tea is delicious!
Have fun and see what suits your palate the best.
Just remember to keep it so that you’re adding about one ounce of liquor per serving.
You can add more, but with iced tea, it can be a bit overpowering if you add too much.
Less is more.
If it’s not enough, you can always add a bit more to the individual glasses.
If you find that you added too much liquor to your glass, you can always add a touch of club soda, more iced tea, or even a splash of sweet and sour mix until you get the dilution the way you like it.
What an easy pressure cooker recipe!
If you’re just learning to use a pressure cooker, you’ll want to file this iced tea recipe under easy pressure cooker recipes.
It’s so simple to make, and it’s a great recipe to use to get familiar with your pressure cooker.
If you haven’t used an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker to make beverages before, here’s a safety tip.
Add the alcohol after you’re done using the pressure cooker.
You do not want to add alcohol to the Instant Pot. It’s a safety issue.
Once you master this recipe, and that will happen quickly, feel free to experiment making it with other fruits.
You may easily substitute the blackberries for other berries and fruit.
If you can reduce the fruit into a homemade simple syrup, it’s going to be a great choice for the recipe.
We particularly like berries and stone fruits as they make really great simple syrups.
How to make iced tea in the pressure cooker:
The way this recipe works is that you’re going to brew the tea in your pressure cooker, and make the homemade simple syrup in a saucepan while the tea is brewing.
So you start by adding the water, tea bags (remove the tags), and half a cup of the blackberries to the pressure cooker.
Give them a good stir, and then put the lid on and lock it.
Switch the vent so that it is in the sealing position and set the Instant Pot on Manual for 5 minutes.
If you’re using a different type of pressure cooker, set the timer for 5 minutes.
You shouldn’t need a special setting.
(While this is happening, you’ll make the simple syrup in a saucepan.)
When the cook time on the pressure cooker is complete, allow the pressure to come to a natural release for 10 minutes.
That means that you simply allow the pot to sit for 10 minutes without opening the vent.
The pressure will let itself out gradually.
After 10 minutes, move the sealing vent to (guess what?) the vent setting to release any remaining pressure.
Strain the hot tea mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large, heat-safe pitcher or beverage dispenser and sweeten it with the blackberry simple syrup.
Let the drink cool just a bit, and add the sweet tea vodka (optional), blackberry simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice and stir it well.
Fill some glasses with ice and enjoy!
The drink will last a couple of days in the refrigerator.
Make the homemade blackberry simple syrup
While the tea brews in the pot, it’s time to make the blackberry simple syrup.
In a sauce pan, add the rest of the blackberries, basil, honey, and water.
Turn the heat to medium.
While cooking the berries, be sure to press the berries to release their juices.
I like to do this by pressing the berries against the side of the sauce pan with the back of my spoon.
Or sometimes I use a potato masher.
The idea is to make sure that the berries have thoroughly released their juice to make a nice, flavorful blackberry syrup.
You’ll want to cook the syrup mixture for about 4-5 minutes.
Be sure to stir the mixture frequently.
You’ll know that it’s done when the honey has melted and the mixture starts to thicken.
When that happens, remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside.
Can I double the blackberry simple syrup recipe?
If you love this blackberry syrup recipe, why not double or even triple the recipe?
It stores well for up to a month in the refrigerator and goes great in so many drinks.
It’s also delicious to drizzle on ice cream, pancakes, and all kinds of yummy desserts.
If you make more than you need for this serving, you can also add a splash of plain vodka to the syrup to help preserve it.
Pour the rest in a well-sealed bottle and it may last up to two months.
More great summer cocktail recipes to try:
Blackberry Peach Vodka Cocktail
Pumpkin Spice Vanilla Espresso
Malibu Rum Mardi Gras Jello Shots
Zero Calorie Sparkling Slushies
Try it and share!
Please let us know how you enjoy our Instant Pot Blackberry Iced Tea recipe.
If you make it yourself, please let us know on Pinterest that you tried it and tag us with #champagneandcoconuts on your Instagram photo.
If you haven’t had a chance to make it yet, be sure to save the recipe on Pinterest so you’ll remember where you found it.
Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Blackberry Iced Tea with Sweet Tea Vodka
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoons
- Saucepan
- Spoon or Spatula
- Fine Mesh Strainer
- Heat resistant pitcher
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Beverage Glasses
Ingredients
- 8 c. water
- ¾ cup sweet tea vodka
- 6 organic black tea bags paper tags removed
- 1½ c. fresh blackberries divided
- 2 T. fresh basil chopped
- ½ c. honey preferably local
- ½ c. water
- 2 T. fresh lemon juice
- Fresh blackberries for garnish
- Fresh basil sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Add water, tea bags, and a half cup blackberries to the pressure cooker and stir to combine. Add lid and lock into place. Switch the vent to “Sealing” and set the “Manual” setting to 5 minutes.
- While the tea is brewing, add remaining blackberries, basil, honey, and water to saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, gently pressing on the blackberries to release their juices while continually stirring the mixture to combine, for 4-5 minutes. Once honey is completely melted and the mixture starts to thicken, remove from heat and set aside.
- When cook time on the pressure cooker is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release to release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully strain hot tea mixture with a fine mesh strainer. Pour the reserved liquid into a large, heat-resistant pitcher and sweeten with the blackberry honey simple syrup, to taste. Add the sweet tea vodka and fresh lemon juice and stir to combine.
- Serve immediately over ice with fresh blackberries and a sprig of fresh basil for garnish. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Jennifer. I love to cook and entertain. I have a lot of fun sharing traditional food and drink recipes as well as putting a new spin on the classics. I strive to provide easy to make recipes that are perfect for the home cook, bartender and entertainer.
I saw this recipe recommended the other day, and it was so easy making iced tea in the instant pot! I would have never thought of doing that! But it was so good, and adding the blackberry – and the sweet tea vodka- was so good.