In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil.

Once boiling, remove from heat and add the black tea bags. Steep for 5 minutes.

After steeping, remove the tea bags and stir in the granulated sugar until dissolved.

Add the fresh lemon juice and vanilla extract to the sweetened tea, mixing well.

Allow the tea to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill.

Serve over ice cubes and garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint if desired.