I’m excited to share my Summer Peach Tea that uses one simple pantry trick and just a handful of ingredients to make peak peaches shine.

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I’m obsessed with this Homemade Peach Tea because it tastes like a pocket of summer. I start with ripe peaches and finish with fresh mint sprigs for garnish, and somehow the flavors open up so bright and not cloying.

It’s loud with fruity notes but still clean and thirst quenching, the kind you hand someone on a porch and watch their face change. I call it my Summer Peach Tea and I sneak it into every Tea Time Recipes Easy roundup I make.

Give it a try you might find yourself making it on repeat all season.

Ingredients

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Peaches: tender fruit, adds fiber and natural sweetness, vitamins, brings juicy flavor and body.
Black tea: bold flavor, caffeine and antioxidants, tannins give slight bitterness and full tea body.
Sugar: simple carbs, boosts sweetness fast, optional if you want a lighter drink.
Lemon: bright citrus, vitamin C, adds sour zip and balances sweet flavors.
Water: the base for everything, hydrates and helps carry all the flavors.
Mint: fresh herbal aroma, cools the palate, tiny digestion boost and pretty garnish.
Ice: keeps tea cold, dilutes slightly over time and makes it super refreshing.

Ingredient Quantities

8 cups water, divided

4 to 6 black tea bags or 3 tablespoons loose black tea

3 ripe peaches (about 2 cups sliced), plus extra for garnish

1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar, more if you like it sweeter

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or 1 lemon sliced

Ice for serving

Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

How to Make this

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1. Put 2 cups of the water in a medium saucepan with the 3 sliced peaches and 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar, bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring so the sugar dissolves.

2. Cook until the peaches are very soft, about 8 to 10 minutes, then mash them with a potato masher or fork to release all the juice and extra flavor.

3. Turn off the heat and let the peach mixture steep for 10 minutes so it gets extra concentrated, then press it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, using the back of a spoon to get all the juice. Save a few peach slices if you want for garnish.

4. Meanwhile, bring the remaining 6 cups water to a near boil, remove from heat and add 4 to 6 black tea bags or 3 tablespoons loose tea in an infuser. Steep 4 to 6 minutes depending how strong you like it, then remove the bags or strain the leaves.

5. While the tea is still warm, stir in the fresh lemon juice or add the sliced lemon, then mix in the strained peach juice/syrup from step
3. Taste and add more sugar if you like it sweeter.

6. Chill the combined tea and peach syrup in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or cool faster by placing the pitcher in an ice bath for 15 to 20 minutes. If you use ice to chill quickly remember it will dilute a bit.

7. To serve fill glasses with ice, pour the peach tea over the ice, add a reserved peach slice and a sprig of fresh mint to each glass for aroma.

8. For extra peach punch, muddle a couple small peach slices and a few mint leaves in the bottom of the glass before adding ice and tea.

9. Store leftover peach tea covered in the fridge up to 4 days, give it a quick stir before pouring because things settle.

Equipment Needed

1. Medium saucepan (for simmering the peaches)
2. Kettle or large pot (to bring the 6 cups of water near boiling)
3. Potato masher or sturdy fork (to mash the cooked peaches)
4. Fine mesh sieve plus a mixing bowl (to press and collect the peach syrup)
5. Tea infuser or small strainer (if using loose tea)
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons (for water, sugar, lemon juice)
7. Cutting board and a sharp knife (for slicing peaches and lemon)
8. Wooden spoon or spatula (for stirring so the sugar dissolves)
9. Pitcher and glasses (plus ice and a muddler or spoon if you want extra peach punch)

FAQ

Q: How long should I steep the black tea for this recipe? A: Steep 4 to 5 minutes in hot water for a nice bold flavor, 3 minutes if you want it milder. Remove the bags or strain right away so it does not get bitter.

Q: Can I use frozen or canned peaches instead of fresh? A: Yes. Thaw frozen peaches and puree them, or use canned peaches drained and pureed. You might need a little less sugar if canned peaches are packed in syrup.

Q: How do I sweeten it if I don’t want granulated sugar? A: While the tea is still warm stir in honey, agave, or a simple syrup so it dissolves. Taste and add more if you like it sweeter, it's easy to overdo it so start small.

Q: Can I make this ahead and how long will it keep? A: Make it up to 3 to 4 days ahead in the fridge. Keep it covered, and add ice only when serving so it does not get watered down. Give it a quick stir before pouring, the peach bits may settle.

Q: What if my peaches aren’t very sweet or ripe? A: Cook them down with a few tablespoons of sugar and a splash of water into a quick syrup, then mash or blend. That brings out more peach flavor and sweetness.

Q: Can I use a different tea like green or herbal? A: You can, but the flavor will change. Green tea is lighter and more delicate, herbal teas may clash with peach. Black tea gives the classic full body and holds up well to fruit and ice.

Homemade Peach Tea Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Black tea: try rooibos (no caffeine), green tea (steep less so it wont get bitter) or oolong for a milder, floral cup; use the same number of bags or about 3 Tbsp loose.
Peaches: swap with nectarines, thawed frozen peaches, or 1/4–1/3 cup peach jam pureed into the brew but cut back on added sugar since preserves are sweet.
Granulated sugar: use honey or agave (about 3/4 the amount), maple syrup for deeper flavor, or a simple syrup so it dissolves easy; taste and adjust cause liquid sweeteners concentrate differently.
Fresh lemon juice / sliced lemon: replace with lime juice for a brighter tang, a splash of orange juice for sweeter citrus, or bottled lemon juice in a pinch — start small so it doesnt overpower the peaches.

Pro Tips

– Taste and adjust while it’s still warm, cause cold mutes sweetness. Start with less sugar than you think you need, you can always add more, but you can’t take it out once chilled.

– Freeze some of the leftover tea or peach syrup into ice cubes so when you serve it the drink doesnt get watered down and the flavor stays bright.

– If peeling peaches feels like a pain, score the skin and blanch them quick in boiling water then plunge into cold water, the skins slip right off. Or use ripe frozen peaches in a pinch, they still give great flavor.

– Watch the tea steep time, even a minute too long and it goes bitter. If you want it super smooth try cold brewing the tea overnight instead, it makes a gentler base.

– Store syrup and brewed tea separately if you can, that way you can control sweetness and aroma when you mix a pitcher later, plus things settle so give it a stir before pouring.

Homemade Peach Tea Recipe

Recipe by Tessa Jones

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m excited to share my Summer Peach Tea that uses one simple pantry trick and just a handful of ingredients to make peak peaches shine.

Servings

servings

Calories

kcal

Equipment: 1. Medium saucepan (for simmering the peaches)
2. Kettle or large pot (to bring the 6 cups of water near boiling)
3. Potato masher or sturdy fork (to mash the cooked peaches)
4. Fine mesh sieve plus a mixing bowl (to press and collect the peach syrup)
5. Tea infuser or small strainer (if using loose tea)
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons (for water, sugar, lemon juice)
7. Cutting board and a sharp knife (for slicing peaches and lemon)
8. Wooden spoon or spatula (for stirring so the sugar dissolves)
9. Pitcher and glasses (plus ice and a muddler or spoon if you want extra peach punch)

Ingredients

8 cups water, divided
4 to 6 black tea bags or 3 tablespoons loose black tea
3 ripe peaches (about 2 cups sliced), plus extra for garnish
1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar, more if you like it sweeter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or 1 lemon sliced
Ice for serving
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Directions

Put 2 cups of the water in a medium saucepan with the 3 sliced peaches and 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar, bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring so the sugar dissolves.
Cook until the peaches are very soft, about 8 to 10 minutes, then mash them with a potato masher or fork to release all the juice and extra flavor.
Turn off the heat and let the peach mixture steep for 10 minutes so it gets extra concentrated, then press it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, using the back of a spoon to get all the juice. Save a few peach slices if you want for garnish.
Meanwhile, bring the remaining 6 cups water to a near boil, remove from heat and add 4 to 6 black tea bags or 3 tablespoons loose tea in an infuser. Steep 4 to 6 minutes depending how strong you like it, then remove the bags or strain the leaves.
While the tea is still warm, stir in the fresh lemon juice or add the sliced lemon, then mix in the strained peach juice/syrup from step
Taste and add more sugar if you like it sweeter.
Chill the combined tea and peach syrup in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or cool faster by placing the pitcher in an ice bath for 15 to 20 minutes. If you use ice to chill quickly remember it will dilute a bit.
To serve fill glasses with ice, pour the peach tea over the ice, add a reserved peach slice and a sprig of fresh mint to each glass for aroma.
For extra peach punch, muddle a couple small peach slices and a few mint leaves in the bottom of the glass before adding ice and tea.
Store leftover peach tea covered in the fridge up to 4 days, give it a quick stir before pouring because things settle.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.