Classic Long Island Tea is a great, basic cocktail that allows you to create hundreds of variations! While it looks like a big, frosty glass of iced tea, in reality it contains some pretty serious ingredients like gin, tequila, rum, and vodka.
It's refreshingly perfect for summer sipping! This recipe is for adults age 21 and older. Please drink responsibly.
Table of Contents
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Despite the large amount of liquer in it Long Island Iced Tea is not a booze-forward drink.
- Serve it at summer parties, pool parties, and cookouts.
- I like to dilute it with club soda. I like the sparkle as well as the fact that it's not as strong.
Ok. This Long Island Iced tea is a cocktail that comes with a lot of controversy.
I've always understood that it was created during prohibition because it resembled tea. I remember my dad making them during the summer pool parties in the 1960s... but some people say that it wasn't invented until the 1970s... and many people put this drink in the category of those "Frat Boy Drinks" that are disgusting.
Whatever. I like it.
I think Long Island Iced Tea is a classic, cocktail and I think it's worth knowing how to make. Since this is my blog I get to say what I want.
A Long Island Iced tea is the basic for all of my favorite drinks at Logan's Roadhouse. It's very versatile and you can add a variety of flavored vodkas to tweak it perfectly for you.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
🤫 Cook's secrets -
Make Long Island Iced Tea in a pitcher! Just click on the servings in the recipe below and adjust the serving size up to about 10. You'll get the measurements for a pitcher full of Long Island Tea!
🍴 Equipment
- jigger or measuring cups
- cocktail shaker
- strainer
- hurricane or highball glasses
Marye's Tip
Try floating a few drops of Angostura bitters or rhubarb bitters on top.
💭 Things to know
- Keep your cocktail shaker and glasses in the freezer for a very well chilled cocktail.
- I like to make Long Island Iced Tea in pint Mason jars, leaving out the ice, add twist on tops, and stick the jars down in an ice chest. This keeps everything very cool and makes it easy for guests to get their own drinks.
- For best results use high quality ingredients.
👩🍳 FAQs
This cocktail was originally a mixture of clear spirits shaken together to resemble iced tea so you'll find a ton of recipe versions. In its most basic form it's made up of equal amounts of the big four - gin, vodka, tequila, and rum with a little Coca Cola added for color and flavor.
One glass of Long Island Tea contains four standard sized drinks. With 4 to 5 shots per cocktail it's one of the strongest cocktails made - there's usually no actual tea in it at all! Order it "Extra Long" and you'll get even more alcohol.
It actually does taste very similar to iced tea - sweet and tangy!
📚 Related recipes
📞 The last word
This cocktail recipe is my own twist on the classic. I use Sweet Tea vodka to give it more of a Southern tea flavor but you can use your favorite vodka, plain or flavored.
Serve it over ice in a high ball or hurricane glass garnished with a lemon or lime wheel.
Anyway...learn to make this and you'll have the basics for almost any Roadhouse Tea type drink. Be careful though - this is one drink that packs a punch.
Cheers. y'all!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Classic Long Island Tea
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- Cracked ice
- ½ ounce gin
- ½ ounce tequila
- ½ ounce white rum
- ½ ounce Triple Sec
- ½ ounce Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka, (or vodka of choice)
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 2 ounces cola drink
Instructions
- Add everything but the cola to a shaker.
- Shake gently until well chilled.
- Strain into a glass.
- Add the cola.
- Garnish with lemon or lime wedge.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published Jan 31, 2015. Last updated May 21, 2024 for editorial improvements.
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Long Island Iced Tea
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Jerry says
Perfection. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Sophia says
I love Long Island Ice Teas!
What I can't understand is how they taste like there is no alcohol in them at all yet there is so many kinds of different alcohols in them. Any idea why?
Marye Audet says
I have no clue. It's MAGIC!