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This sweet peach tea is the perfect upgrade to classic southern sweet tea. This recipe has that classic sweet tea base, but with a homemade peach syrup. The result is a smooth, fruity twist that tastes like summer in a glass.
If you love refreshing drinks in the summer check out my Lychee Lemonade and Spicy Paloma (Frozen).
Ingredients for this recipe
- Black Tea Bags – I like using 7 regular or 4 family-size black tea bags for a strong brew that balances out the sweetness. Lipton is my go to but any brand will work.
- Water – You’ll need 7 cups for the tea and 2 more for the peach syrup.
- Fresh Peaches – Sliced and simmered to create a homemade syrup that brings the fruit flavor to life.
- Cane or Granulated Sugar – This adds the perfect sweetness to your syrup without overpowering the tea.
- Peach Slices – Optional, but I love using them for garnish because they’re cute and flavorful.
Tips for making southern peach sweet tea
Pressing the tea bags once they are steeped will make it bitter. This recipe includes the steeping time and trust me it’s more than enough to get that tea flavor.
A trick to mellow out the tea and make it smoother is to add a pinch of baking soda, about 1/8th teaspoon, when finished. It sounds weird but it will remove the bitterness and tannins which is responsible for making it a bit cloudy when brewed.
If you have filtered water, use that for the best taste. But, the water in NYC is just fine once boiled haha. So I’ll use tap a lot of the time.
Use a strainer or cheesecloth to press out the peach syrup juice. This step will ensure you get a nice smooth peach iced tea.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes, but fresh peaches give the best flavor. If using canned, make sure to drain them first. For frozen, let them thaw before cooking.
Absolutely. Just reduce the sugar in the syrup to your liking.
It’ll stay fresh for about 4–5 days in the fridge. Just give it a good stir before serving.
Black tea is traditional, but you can try green tea for a lighter flavor or hibiscus for a floral twist.
Please remember to leave a review if you make this recipe. The feedback helps me to become a better cook and develop amazing recipes for you.
Peach Sweet Tea
Ingredients
Tea:
- 7 black tea bags , or 4 large family size black tea bags
- 7 cups water
- Peach slices for garnish
Peach syrup:
- 3 peaches , cleaned and sliced
- 1 ½ c cane sugar , or granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil. Once boiled, steep the tea bags for about 15-20 minutes.
- While the tea is steeping, make the peach syrup.
- In a skillet add the peaches, sugar and water. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium. Stir occasionally.
- Once the peaches start to get soft (about 5 minutes), mash them up. Then remove from the heat.
- Strain the peach syrup into a bowl and use a spatula or spoon to press all the juice out of the peaches.
- Remove the tea bags from the pot and pour the tea into a pitcher. Add in the peach syrup and stir.
- You can serve immediately over ice or put it in the fridge to cool.
- Drink and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very good but a bit too sweet, will lessen the sugar next time!