Best Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail Recipe + Video
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Our Long Island Iced Tea Recipe makes one of the best cocktails for any party. Learn how to make a Long Island iced tea, plus some fun and fruity flavor variations. With 5 types of liquor, this drink really packs a punch! Learn how to make this classic cocktail right at home!
Let’s talk a bit about this curious cocktail. Have you ever had a Long Island Iced Tea before? For some, it’s quite a delicious drink, but for others, it’s a strong drink that always has them wondering what’s in it.
This simple recipe breaks down all you need to know about what it is and how to make the classic Long Island Iced Tea recipe.
You’ll need to make sure that you have the liquor cabinet stocked, and have fresh ice on hand.
For some, it’s an infamous drink, and for others, it’s a classic recipe that adds an extra kick of fun and mystery to the night.
All I know is that it’s a beloved drink with many ounces of alcohol, with less than equal parts of cola and ice. With minimal prep time, you’ll be cheering with family and friends in no time at all!
Table of Contents
Long Island Iced Tea Recipe
The Long Island Iced Tea is one of the top 5 requested cocktails in the world, and it’s simply because it is everything good tea cocktails should be: delicious, refreshing, and easy to make!
So, what exactly is a LIT drink — and what’s in it?
A Long Island iced tea cocktail is an alcoholic drink that looks and tastes like iced tea. It is classicly made with the following ingredients:
- light rum
- vodka
- tequila
- gin
- triple sec
- a splash of cola
The final splash of cola is what gives the drink the same color as a traditional non-alcoholic iced tea. Some versions also use sour mix.
I like to include freshly squeezed lemon juice and a little bit of simple syrup in my Long Island ice tea recipe to really bring out that sweet tea flavor.
With 5 spirits in one cocktail glass, this drink does require responsible drinking. 😉
Recipe Video
Be sure to watch the video! Look for it in the recipe card, at the bottom of this post.
To learn how to make a Long Island iced tea from start to finish, watch the video in this post!
Another one of our favorite classic cocktails is our creamy and dreamy White Russian cocktail.
If you are looking for a sweet drink that tastes more like a fruit punch than a cocktail, Sex on the Beach is for you.
And a personal favorite is what we like to call a sippin’ drink. Our Tennessee Orange Sweet Tea is perfect for sittin’ on the porch in summer.
How to Make a Long Island Iced Tea
This is a very easy cocktail recipe. The only bar equipment you’ll need is a cocktail shaker, plus tall glasses for serving.
- Add all of the ingredients except the cola and the ice to a cocktail shaker, then shake shake shake to combine!
- Pour the cocktail over ice and add in a splash of cola.
- Garnish and serve with a lemon wedge.
If you want to get a bit fancier, you can garnish your LIT drink with a lemon spiral instead of a wedge.
Tips and Tricks for Making the Perfect LIT Drink
- Use good quality liquor, but there’s no need for top-shelf.
After all, everything is getting mixed together so it’s not like you’ll be savoring those top-shelf flavors!
Grab stuff that is easy to drink alone but isn’t too expensive. Basically, if it’s in a glass bottle, then you’re fine.
- Make your ice from filtered water.
I know, I know… this takes extra time and can be a pain for parties.
But additives like chlorine can leave a lingering taste that will throw off the flavor of your Long Island iced tea cocktail.
- Stick with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Just like with unfiltered ice cubes, bottled lemon juice can create an unpleasant aftertaste.
Have plenty of fresh lemons on hand and keep them at room temperature to get the most juice out of them!
- The colder, the better.
Give your cocktail shaker a good workout — 10-15 seconds is best! And consider throwing your drink glasses in the freezer while you’re measuring out the ingredients.
Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail Variations
There are a few popular variations you can make to this recipe. Swapping the cola for another type of soda or fruit juice is an easy way to change up the flavor of this drink.
- To make a Texas Tea, you will add 1/2 cup of Bourbon Whiskey.
- To make Long Beach Tea, you can use cranberry juice instead of cola. This gives the drink a slightly fruity taste that is a bit more tart.
- For a Miami Tea, you will want to add peach schnapps and eliminate the tequila. You can add a lemon-lime soda like Sprite or 7-Up instead of cola.
- If you want to make a Hawaiian Iced Tea, just leave out the cola and add pineapple juice.
- For a Blue Long Island Iced Tea, you will want to leave out the cola and add a dash of blue curacao instead. Some also leave out the triple sec in this variation. It’s up to you!
There are lots of different ways to change up this Long Island recipe. Just experiment until you find the one that you like the best.
What You’ll Need for This Recipe
- Cocktail Shaker – I like to use the kind with a built-in strainer, otherwise you’ll need one of those as well.
- Jigger – Essential for any well-stocked bar, this quickly and accurately measures liquids for making cocktails. In a pinch, liquid measuring cups will work as well.
Serving Suggestions
This mixed drink is typically made in a Collins glass, but any tall glass that can accommodate a straw will work.
Don’t forget a lemon wedge or spiral for garnish, then pair this refreshing boozy drink with snacks or a meal… to soak up all that alcohol!
Homemade potato chips, sticky chicken wings, and plenty of tacos are always crowd-pleasers. This cocktail goes really well with seafood too.
Want to make batch drinks for a party? Scale up this Long Island ice tea recipe using a large pitcher (don’t forget ice) and stir it really well before serving.
Pour the mixture into each glass and top off with the cola.
And if you need to make a batch ahead of time, combine just the liquor in the pitcher and store it in the fridge.
Stir in the ice, lemon juice, and simple syrup before serving — and again, top off each glass with cola instead of mixing it in with everything else.
Long Island Ice Tea Recipe FAQ
The drink was given its name because it looks like a traditional iced tea when you add the splash of cola. Strangely enough, there is no actual tea in this drink at all!
According to one version found on the Internet, the Long Island iced tea recipe was given its name after the New York town it was first created in. The story says that it was created by a bartender at an inn there.
Another version credits the name to a man who lived in Kingsport, Tennessee who created it during Prohibition. No one seems to be sure.
This Long Island ice tea recipe makes a lightly sweet and tart cocktail, but you can adjust the amount of sweetness with the simple syrup and cola.
A traditional Long Island that includes just a small amount of cola has about a 22% alcohol content by volume.
The ABV (alcohol by volume) is higher than most highball mixed drinks, so the drink has a reputation for being strong. The real reason for the strength is that it includes a combination of several types of alcohol. When you combine many different spirits together, the drink travels through the body pretty quickly.
However, by following the measurements in our Long Island iced tea recipe, the alcohol content is not nearly as high as it would be at a bar — unless you’re adding an ounce of each type!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Best Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail Recipe + Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 ounce gin
- 1/2 ounce tequila
- 1/2 ounce vodka
- 1/2 ounce white rum
- 1/2 ounce triple sec
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 2 ounces cola
- ice
Instructions
- Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in all ingredients (except cola). Shake well. Strain into an ice cube filled tall cocktail glass. Add cola, garnish with lemon wedge.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published July 2013, updated and republished May 2025
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
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So dangerous!
That it is; that it is!
If you use lime juice instead of lemon you get a better color and a nicer bite also i prefer dark rum to white to give it a bit more sweet and then you don't need the simple syrup ; )
If you use Lime juice instead of lemon you get a better bite and nicer color Also i prefer Dark Rum to white for a bit of sweet and then you don't need the simple syrup
Love a good Long Island! This looks like a fantastic recipe; I'll have to try it the next time I'm craving a cocktail.
If there is no tea in the drink, why does it taste like iced tea?
I've had Long Island Iced tea, and it really does taste like iced tea! How can it, when it doesn't even contain tea?
Wow, I haven't had one of these since my 20's. Sounds fabulous!
Keri
http://www.thestylestudiobykb.com
With the inclusion of tequila, this is technically a Texas Tea. No less delicious, mind you.
Too much Coke, you only need a splash for color.
Years ago, my Mom heard me order this drink, and thinking it was really ice tea, ordered it too. It had been a long, hot, tiring day, she was thirsty, ordered another, and wasn't much of a drinker…..'nuf said. The only time I saw my Mom drunk and she was so funny! Going to make one for the memory!
I only use 1/3 of an ounce of the Liquors, The dark rum and only a splash of coke, no syrup and serve in an Iced Collins glass.
By the "World" I take it you mean the USA?
Never too much of anything..I would add some fruit on a small skewer… I Love Long Island Iced Tea and it does almost, taste like Sweet Tea but just a bit…mmmmmmmmm
i dont think that i can make it like this anyway in my lifetime 🙁 it is saddening but i will do try all my best. thank you for teaching.
I order these at the bar but never knew how to make them, now I can stay home and make them myself! They taste so good!
The perfect drink for a summer evening. Highly recommend!
Hi Evelyn!
So glad you enjoyed!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn