Starbucks Iced Green Tea Copycat Recipe

The Starbucks iced green tea recipe is one of the simplest drinks on their menu, and it’s easy to make at home for a fraction of the price.

It’s just brewed green tea over ice, lightly sweetened with their classic syrup. Clean, slightly grassy, and refreshing on a hot afternoon.

Why I Love This Recipe

This is the version I keep coming back to on warm days. The tea itself has that mild, grassy flavor that feels light without being boring, and brewing it at the right temperature keeps it from going bitter.

The homemade simple syrup dissolves cleanly into cold liquid, so you get even sweetness in every sip rather than a sugary puddle at the bottom.

It also takes about 10 minutes of actual effort. The rest is just waiting for things to chill.

Recipe Ingredients

• 4 Tazo Zen green tea bags – This is the exact blend Starbucks uses; it has lemon verbena and spearmint, which give the drink its signature flavor
• 4 cups water (for brewing) – Use filtered water if your tap water tastes strongly of chlorine
• 2 cups cold water – Added after brewing to cool the tea down quickly
• 4 tbsp simple syrup – Store-bought works, or make your own with equal parts sugar and water (recipe in the notes)
• Ice – Plenty of it; Starbucks fills the cup to the top
• Mint leaves – Optional garnish, but a sprig makes it feel finished

Variations / Substitutions

• Different tea bags – Any Japanese-style green tea (like Sencha) will work; the flavor will be slightly more grassy and less minty than the Tazo Zen version.
• Honey instead of simple syrup – Stir in 2 to 3 tbsp of honey while the tea is still warm so it dissolves fully; the flavor will be a little floral.
• No sweetener – Skip the syrup entirely for an unsweetened version, which is also on the Starbucks menu.
• Brown sugar syrup – Swap the classic syrup for brown sugar simple syrup for a slightly richer, more caramel-edged sweetness.
• Lemonade blend – Replace the 2 cups cold water with 2 cups lemonade to make a Green Tea Lemonade, another Starbucks staple.
• Peach flavor – Add 2 tbsp of peach syrup to lean into a fruitier drink.

If you like this one, the Starbucks Passion Tango Iced Tea Copycat Recipe follows the same method with a different tea blend.

How To Make Iced Green Tea

Step 1: Brew the Tea

Bring the 4 cups of water to 175°F (80°C), which is just before a simmer. Drop in the 4 Tazo Zen green tea bags and let them steep for 3 minutes exactly.

Green tea turns bitter fast if the water is too hot or steeps too long. At 175°F, the water looks calm with just a few small bubbles forming at the bottom of the pot, not a rolling boil.

Step 2: Cool the Tea

Remove the tea bags without squeezing them, then pour in the 2 cups cold water. Stir once and let the tea come to room temperature, about 15 to 20 minutes, then refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes until fully cold.

The tea should look clear and pale green, not cloudy. If it looks slightly hazy, that is fine and totally normal for green tea.

Step 3: Sweeten and Stir

Pour the chilled tea into a large pitcher. Add the 4 tbsp simple syrup and stir for about 20 seconds until fully combined.

Taste it here. If you want it sweeter, add 1 more tbsp of syrup and stir again. You are in charge of the sweetness level, and this is the right moment to get it where you want it.

Step 4: Pour, Garnish, and Serve

Fill 2 tall glasses to the top with ice. Pour the sweetened green tea over the ice slowly, filling each glass to about 1 inch from the rim. Lay a few fresh mint leaves across the top of each glass and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• Do not squeeze the tea bags. Pressing them releases bitter compounds from the leaves. Just lift them out and let them drip for a few seconds.
• Make the simple syrup ahead. Combine equal parts sugar and water in a small saucepan, heat over medium until the sugar dissolves (about 3 minutes), then cool completely before using. It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• Use a thermometer if you have one. Green tea temperature really does matter. If you do not have one, let boiling water sit off the heat for 3 to 4 minutes before adding the bags.
• Double the batch. The brewed, unsweetened tea keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed pitcher. Sweeten each glass individually so everyone can adjust to taste.

Scale it to your cup size:

Cup Size	Brewed Tea	Cold Water	Simple Syrup
Tall (12 oz)	3/4 cup	1/4 cup	1.5 tbsp
Grande (16 oz)	1 cup	1/3 cup	2 tbsp
Venti (24 oz)	1.5 cups	1/2 cup	3 tbsp

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store brewed, unsweetened tea in a sealed pitcher or jar for up to 3 days. Add syrup and ice only when you are ready to drink it.
• Serve Cold – This drink is served cold and does not reheat well. Make a fresh batch if you want hot green tea.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tea does Starbucks actually use for their iced green tea?

Starbucks uses Tazo Zen green tea bags, which blend green tea with lemon verbena, lemongrass, and spearmint. You can find them at most grocery stores.

Can I make this the night before?

Yes. Brew and chill the tea the night before, then add ice and syrup right before serving so the ice does not water it down overnight.

How many pumps of syrup does Starbucks use?

A Grande gets 3 pumps of classic syrup, which is roughly 3 tbsp. The recipe above is calibrated to that level of sweetness across 2 servings.

Will this work with green tea I already have at home?

Yes, any green tea bags will work. The flavor will differ from the Starbucks version if they are not Tazo Zen, but the method is exactly the same.

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