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Long Island Iced Tea Recipe

Long Island Iced Tea Recipe

By What’s Baking

A deceptively smooth, potent cocktail blending five spirits with citrus and cola for a dangerously delicious drink that tastes remarkably like its non-alcoholic namesake.
Difficulty:
Beginner
Prep Time:
3 mins
Cook Time:
Serves:
1 cocktail
A tall, ice-filled Collins glass showcases a gradient from amber to deep caramel as sunlight illuminates the Long Island Iced Tea from behind. Condensation beads on the glass surface, suggesting refreshing coolness. A lemon wheel and straw rest against the rim, while bubbles from the cola dance upward through the cocktail. The drink sits on a dark wooden bar top with bottles of the five spirits artfully arranged in soft focus behind, suggesting its potent mixture of clear and amber liquors.

Ingredients

<ul class="ingredients-main-list"> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml vodka</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml white rum</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml gin</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml silver tequila</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml triple sec (or Cointreau)</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">30ml fresh lemon juice</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">15ml simple syrup</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">60ml cola</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">Lemon wheel for garnish</li> <li class="ingredients-single-item">Ice cubes</li> </ul>

Equipment

<ul class="equipment-main-list"> <li class="equipment-single-item">Cocktail shaker</li> <li class="equipment-single-item">Hawthorne strainer</li> <li class="equipment-single-item">Jigger</li> <li class="equipment-single-item">Collins or highball glass</li> <li class="equipment-single-item">Bar spoon</li> </ul>
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Directions

<ol class="no-list-style"> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4> Fill your Collins or highball glass completely with ice cubes. The more ice you use, the less the drink will dilute as you enjoy it, maintaining the cocktail's balanced flavors. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4> Add the vodka, white rum, gin, silver tequila, and triple sec to your cocktail shaker. Measure each spirit precisely as the balance of alcohols is crucial to achieving the characteristic Long Island Iced Tea flavor. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4> Pour in the fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. These ingredients are essential to balance the potency of the spirits and create the tea-like flavor profile when combined with cola. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4> Add ice to your shaker and shake vigorously for 10-12 seconds. This both chills the mixture and creates the perfect dilution, softening the edges of the multiple spirits. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4> Strain the mixture into your ice-filled glass, leaving about 2cm of space at the top for the cola. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4> Top with cola, pouring slowly over the back of a bar spoon to create a layered effect. The cola should float slightly on top, giving the drink its tea-like appearance and adding effervescence. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4> Gently stir once or twice to integrate the cola without losing carbonation. You should see a gradient from darker at the top to lighter at the bottom. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4> Garnish with a lemon wheel, placing it on the rim of the glass for both visual appeal and an aromatic element that complements the citrus in the cocktail. </li> <li class="MethodStepper"> <h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4> Serve immediately with a straw. The Long Island Iced Tea is best enjoyed while cold and effervescent, with the flavors properly integrated but the cola still fresh and bubbly. </li> </ol>

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

🍽️ Serving Size: 1 cocktail
🔥 Calories: 195 calories
🥑 Fat: 0 g
🧈 Saturated Fat: 0 g
🍞 Carbohydrates: 10 g
🍭 Sugar: 9 g
🍗 Protein: 0 g
🫀 Cholesterol: 0 mg
🧂 Sodium: 4 mg

Chef’s Notes

A few helpful details for making this recipe.

Why does this strong cocktail taste like tea when there's no tea in it?

The magic happens when cola is added to the mixture of spirits and lemon juice, creating a tea-like colour and flavour profile. The caramel notes in cola, combined with the citrus acidity, mimic the taste of sweetened iced tea while disguising the substantial alcohol content.

What's the best cola to use in this notorious five-spirit cocktail?

Classic cola brands like Coca-Cola or Pepsi work best as they provide the right balance of sweetness, acidity and caramel notes. Premium craft colas can elevate the cocktail further with more complex flavour profiles, but avoid diet options as they alter the taste and mouthfeel.

How can I create a less alcoholic version while maintaining the signature flavour?

For a lighter version, reduce each spirit to 10ml instead of 15ml and increase the cola to 90ml. Alternatively, create a "Half Island" by using only two or three of the spirits while maintaining the same total volume of alcohol. The lemon juice and cola are essential for the authentic taste.

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