Texas Tea Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/4/23
Tested by
Sean Michael Johnson
Photo of Sean Michael Johnson
Tested by Sean Michael Johnson
Sean is an award-winning bartender with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the head bartender at the two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gabriel Kreuther, crafting cocktail menus that have caught international attention. To date, he has made over 1 million cocktails, and counting.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Texas tea cocktail garnished with lemon slices in three tall glasses

The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
418 Calories
2g Fat
82g Carbs
7g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 418
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 3%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 18mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 82g 30%
Dietary Fiber 19g 67%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 360mg 1,799%
Calcium 177mg 14%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 946mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The Texas tea is really just a Long Island iced tea with a shot of bourbon. It's a simple twist on a popular mixed drink and one that you're sure to enjoy. Better yet, you can make it as a single drink or mix it up for a party. Be warned, though; it's easy to make it a little too strong if you're not careful.

As with most variations on the Long Island, you're going to pour a lot of liquor into the Texas tea. In total, you'll pick up six bottles, which is practically the entire "well" of the bar going into a single glass. This is why the recipe calls for just 1/2 ounce of each rather than the full 1 1/2-ounce shot used in most cocktail recipes.

"I am a sucker for a Long Island iced tea. Call it a guilty pleasure, if you can begin to understand why a LIIT is good or bad, you are beginning to understand “mixology.” This recipe is great. Great balance, great flavor, great…or did I just have too many?" —Sean Johnson

Texas Tea Cocktail Tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Texas tea cocktail recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

  2. Pour the spirits and sour mix into a collins glass filled with ice.

    Spirits and sour mix being poured into a collins glass filled with ice

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

  3. Stir well.

    Stirred Texas tea cocktail in a collins glass with ice

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

  4. Top it off with cola.

    Cola being added to the cocktail in the glass

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

  5. Garnish with the lemon wedge. Serve and enjoy.

    Texas tea cocktail garnished with a lemon slice

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

Variations

  • There are many variations of this recipe floating around in bars. Some bartenders will skip the gin, and others use another style of whiskey. The point is that it should include whiskey of some sort, but feel free to adjust the recipe to your taste.
  • You can substitute the sour mix called for in this recipe with equal parts simple syrup and fresh lemon juice.

How Strong Is the Texas Tea?

The liquor list for the Texas tea is long, but if you follow the recipe you're only pouring a total of 3 ounces. This is important to keep in mind.


If you overpour, the drink can get out of hand very quickly, and it will be too strong. Before you know it, you'll be drunker than expected and have one nasty hangover in the morning. It happens all the time with the Long Island family of drinks, so here's a little comparison to put it into perspective.


If you pour the Texas tea with 80-proof liquors, a 60-proof triple sec, and 2 ounces of cola, the drink will have an alcohol content of approximately:

  • 1/2-ounce pour of each liquor: 20 percent ABV (40 proof)
  • 1-ounce pour of each liquor: 27 percent ABV (54 proof)


You can see the difference that an extra 1/2-ounce can make. When compared to the Long Island iced tea (which averages 16 percent ABV), that shot of bourbon added has an impact as well.

What is the difference between Texas tea vs. Long Island iced tea?

  • Very simply, the Texas tea adds whiskey to the Long Island iced tea mix.