Sweet Peach Iced Tea is a must-make summer drink indulgence. It’s a tasty way to cool down on a hot day, and the perfect excuse to sit for a few minutes to savor the peachy flavor.
Sweet Tea Made with Peaches
It’s certainly no secret we love our sweet tea in the South. In fact, I can’t image visiting friends, family or any local restaurant without it as an option on the drink menu. It’s as inherently Southern as buttermilk biscuits, fried chicken and gravy. Summer peaches provide the ideal opportunity to add a little spunk to our beloved sweet tea using fresh peach puree for flavor.
Helpful Tips for Making Peach Iced Tea
- Use high quality tea specifically designed for making iced tea.
- Consider your water quality. If you have hard water, make iced tea with filtered or bottled water instead.
- Bring water to a boil then remove from the heat to add the tea bags to steep. Don’t boil the bags in the water on the stove top or it could make the tea bitter.
- There are many strong opinions regarding the perfect length of time to steep tea. This tea is best, if the flavor is concentrated to provide the perfect balance with the peach puree. Feel free to adjust the time steeping longer or for less time, to suit your personal taste.
- Add the sugar while the tea is still warm so it will fully dissolve before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Allow the tea to cool for an hour at room temperature before refrigerating to prevent it from becoming cloudy.
- Choose firm, ripe peaches free of blemishes.
- Don’t skip straining the peach puree.
- Chill thoroughly and serve with frozen peach slices in place of ice cubes within 48 hours of making.
When is Peach Season?
North Carolina peach season runs from June through September with peak season falling in July. Georgia peaches begin making their appearance around mid-May running through August for the very best timeline to enjoy. My peaches and cream poke cake and peach cobbler are among some of our favorite summer desserts. For more peach inspiration, you may also enjoy my Parade article featuring 16 Ways to Use Peaches that Aren’t Dessert.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Peach Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 4 large peaches divided
- 4 family size tea bags (Or 6 cup size tea bags)
- 4 cups water plus additional cold water to fill pitcher
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Halve 2 peaches and remove the pit. Cut into ½ inch slices. Place in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 4 hours until solid or overnight.
- On the stove top, bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and add 4 family-size tea bags. Cover and steep for 5-7 minutes. Remove the tea bags adding 1 cup of granulated sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Peel and pit the remaining 2 peaches. Cut into cubes. Place into a stand blender with ½ cup fresh lemon juice.
- Puree the peaches until smooth then push through a fine mesh sieve to remove the pulp. Mix with the tea. Pour into a 2.5 quart pitcher adding enough cold water to fill ¾ from the top. Stir until fully combined. Chill well.
- To serve, add frozen peach slices to the pitcher and glasses in place of ice cubes. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired.
- Store chilled. It's best used within 48 hours of making.
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