Peach Tea
Peach Tea is just what you need on a hot summer day! It’s the perfect cold drink made with a combination of homemade peach syrup and freshly brewed iced tea.
Southern Peach Tea
Peach tea is popular drink served in many restaurants in the southern states. Not only is it easy to make, but it’s so tasty!
Most of the time it’s a special menu item during the summer months when peach season is in full effect. More times than not, you’ll get a tall glass of sweet tea when you order peach iced tea in a restaurant.
That’s why we like to make this summer favorite at home. It’s a great way to control the amount of sugar in each serving.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
For the Peach Simple Syrup:
- Peaches: either fresh or frozen peaches work (peeled or unpeeled).
- Granulated Sugar.
- Water.
For the Peach Tea:
- Water.
- Tea: Black tea bags are our favorite for this recipe.
- Peach Simple Syrup.
- Ice: You’ll need plenty of ice for the pitcher and individual glasses.
How to Make Peach Tea:
You’ll find the exact measurements and full instructions in the recipe card near the bottom of the page.
To Make the Simple Syrup:
- Combine peaches, sugar, and 1 cup of water into a large pan.
- Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely and the peaches soften. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Let the mixture steep for at least 30 minutes, then pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Use a wooden spoon to gently press the peach mixture to extract even more peach flavor.
- While the peach syrup cools, brew some tea in a separate pan.
To Make the Tea:
- Bring a pot of 4 cups of water to a boil. Then remove from heat, and add the tea bag(s). Let the tea steep until it reaches the desired strength.
- Place some ice cubes, the remaining water, and frozen peach slices in a large pitcher. Add the brewed tea, and stir to combine.
- Add ice to individual glasses along with a few slices of frozen peaches.
- Pour simple syrup into each glass, and top off with freshly brewed iced tea. Stir, and enjoy!
Peach Tea Tips and Variations:
- Make it Sugar-Free!: Our peach tea recipe can be adapted to a sugar-free version simply by leaving out the sugar or using a sugar substitute.
- Change the Flavor: Peach tea is a common flavor, but some other great options are raspberry, passion fruit, hibiscus, and blackberry.
- Store Bought Syrup: If you don’t have time to make the peach syrup, purchase a bottle of premade, peach flavored syrup. They’re usually available in regular (sweetened) and sugar-free (still sweet but with an artificial sweetener).
- Optional: Place frozen peach slices in individual glasses to keep the tea cold without watering it down.
How to Serve Peach Iced Tea:
Make a Big Batch: Pour all of the peach simple syrup into the pitcher of tea, and stir to combine. Serve in glasses over ice.
Make Individual Glasses: Pour the simple syrup into individual glasses to taste. Then pour in the iced tea, and serve!
We recommend making an extra batch of simple syrup, so there’s always plenty in case someone wants extra in his/her glass. This is especially helpful when making a large pitcher of tea.
Storage Recommendations:
Refrigerator: Store leftover peach tea in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.
Freezer: Pour leftover tea into ice cube trays and freeze. Use the frozen “tea cubes” in your next glass of tea to keep it from getting watered down.
Can you use frozen peaches to make peach tea?
Yes, you use frozen peaches to make peach tea!
Simply swap the fresh peaches for frozen when you make the simple syrup. It’s that easy!
The taste and color may differ slightly, but the tea will still taste amazing! Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy it whenever the mood strikes.
What can you use instead of peach simple syrup to make peach iced tea?
If you’d prefer not to make peach simple syrup to make peach iced tea, purchase a bottle of peach flavored syrup.
Many restaurants and coffee shops use bottled syrup to make peach iced tea, because it’s easy to use and readily available.
Torani and Monin are two brands that come to mind. Both are available online and in speciality stores.
Can you use individual-sized tea bags?
Sure! Individual-sized tea bags work great for this recipe. They’re great if you don’t need to make a big batch of tea or can’t find family-sized (gallon-sized) tea bags.
Use individual tea bags to make 1 cup of tea at a time or use 4 individual bags in place of 1 family-sized bag.
Other drink recipes you may love:
Ingredients
For the Simple Syrup:
- 1 ½ pounds peaches, 2-3 peaches (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar, adjust to taste
For the Peach Tea:
- 8 cups water, divided
- 1 family-sized tea bag, (See note.)
- Several cups of ice, for the pitcher and glasses
Instructions
To Make the Simple Syrup:
- Combine peaches, sugar, and 1 cup of water into a large pan.1 ½ pounds peaches1 cup water½ cup granulated sugar
- Cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely and the peaches soften. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Let the mixture steep for at least 30 minutes, then pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Use a wooden spoon to gently press the peach mixture to extract even more peach flavor.
- While the peach syrup cools, brew some tea in a separate pan.
To Make the Tea:
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Then remove from heat, and add the tea bag. Let the tea steep until it reaches the desired strength.1 family-sized tea bag
- Place some ice cubes, remaining 4 cups of water, and peach slices in a large pitcher. Add the brewed tea, and stir to combine.
- Add ice to individual glasses along with a few slices of frozen peaches.
- Pour simple syrup into each glass, and top off with freshly brewed iced tea. Stir, and enjoy!
- Scroll up and see the post for tips, variations, FAQs, and storage options.
What kind of tea do you recomend? Just normal Earl grey or green tea?
Hi Ara!
I used black tea for this recipe. If you have a favorite tea, I’d recommend starting with it first then experiment with different tea flavors. Have a great weekend! 🙂