Peach Iced Tea Recipe

4.75 from 4 votes

This peach iced tea recipe uses a short-simmered peach syrup made with the skins still on, black tea brewed at the right temperature, and an 8-minute hard stop on steeping. The result tastes like real peach -- not the pink-water version from the grocery store.

Course Drinks, Iced Tea

Cuisine American

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Cooling Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings 4 glasses

Calories 85kcal

Author Zoe Tanaka

Cost $5

Equipment

1 Small saucepan
1 Fine mesh strainer
1 Large pitcher (1 quart)

Ingredients

Peach Syrup

3 ripe peaches halved and pitted -- keep the skins on; overripe peaches work best
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Tea Base

4 bags black tea or 4 tsp loose-leaf black tea
4 cups water just off boil -- 200F / 93C
ice as needed
1 lemon sliced, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make the Peach Syrup

Combine halved peaches (skin on), sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. The skins release color and a deeper peachy-jam flavor that the flesh alone can't match. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the peaches are completely soft.
Press the softened peaches through a fine mesh strainer, extracting all the liquid. The skins stay in the strainer -- discard them. Let the syrup cool to room temperature before using. Warm syrup flattens iced tea.

Brew the Tea

Steep 4 black tea bags in 4 cups of water heated to 200F -- just off the boil, not a full rolling boil. Boiling water makes black tea bitter. Let the bags steep for exactly 8 minutes, then remove them. Do not squeeze the bags.
Once both are at room temperature, combine the cooled tea and peach syrup in a large pitcher. Taste and adjust -- add more syrup for sweetness, a squeeze of lemon if it needs brightness.
Refrigerate until cold (at least 30 minutes), then serve over ice. Garnish with a lemon slice or a thin peach wedge if you have extra. Keeps refrigerated for 3 days.

Notes

Always brew the tea before making the syrup to ensure both are cool before combining.

Use overripe peaches -- the softer and more fragrant, the better the syrup.

Keep the skins on during simmering. They give color and a jammy depth the flesh alone cannot.