Homemade Peach Iced Tea
This peach sweet tea is the perfect refreshing summer drink, made with homemade peach simple syrup and freshly brewed black tea for a naturally sweet peach flavor. Serve it over plenty of ice for backyard barbecues, porch sitting, or any warm afternoon when you're craving a classic Southern-inspired beverage.
Equipment
- 1 Small saucepan
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 Fine mesh strainer
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Large Pitcher
- 1 Measuring cups and spoon set
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
Ingredients
For the Peach Simple Syrup
- 1 cup organic cane sugar about 200 grams
- 1 cup water 240 grams
- 2 ripe peaches, peeled and diced about 300 grams
For the Sweet Tea
- 2 family-size black tea bags or 6–8 regular black tea bags or 2–3 tablespoons loose leaf black tea
- 4 cups water for brewing about 960 grams
- 4 cups cold water about 960 grams
- Ice for serving
Optional Garnishes
- Fresh peach slices
- Lemon slices
- Fresh mint
Instructions
- Make the peach simple syrup – In a small saucepan, combine the organic cane sugar, water, and diced peaches. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Mash the peaches – Reduce the heat to low and gently mash the peaches with the back of a wooden spoon to release their juices into the syrup.
- Steep the syrup – Remove the saucepan from the heat, cover, and let the syrup steep for 25–30 minutes so the peach flavor fully develops.
- Strain the syrup – Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or jar, gently pressing on the peaches to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard the solids.
- Brew the tea – Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags or loose leaf tea, and steep for 25–30 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea.
- Remove the tea – Remove the tea bags or strain out the loose leaf tea. Try not to steep the tea longer than 45 minutes, as it can develop a bitter flavor.
- Combine the tea – Pour the brewed tea into a large pitcher and stir in the remaining 4 cups of cold water until well combined.
Notes
Storage – Store leftover peach sweet tea in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Give it a quick stir before serving if any natural separation occurs.
Expert Tip – Homemade peach simple syrup gives this tea a fresh peach flavor without leaving pulp in the finished drink, creating a smooth and refreshing glass every time.
Troubleshooting – For a bolder tea flavor, use loose leaf black tea or steep closer to 30 minutes. Avoid steeping longer than 45 minutes to prevent bitterness.
Serving Suggestion – Serve this peach sweet tea over plenty of ice alongside your favorite summer meals, picnics, or backyard cookouts for a refreshing seasonal drink everyone will enjoy.