Perfect Peach Iced Tea

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Glasses of Sweet Peach Iced Tea with ice cubes and slices of peaches in them

Though I used to despise peaches as a child, I’m quite fond of them now. All it took was one good peach milkshake and my mind was changed. Ice cream has undeniable power over me.

Fresh peaches for making our Peach Iced Tea recipe

Origins of Peach Tea

Sweetened iced tea is a popular beverage in the Southern US and the oldest written recipe is believed to date back to an 1879 cookbook. We couldn’t find any history on the addition of peaches, but they are a common crop in southern states, especially in Georgia.

The following is our inspired take on the peach tea we’ve tried in restaurants including… Sonic. I hate to compare this tea to Sonic’s, because that would mean I would have to admit I go there.

But since the cat is out of the bag, I am fond of Sonic’s unsweetened iced tea with peach and was happy to recreate something so similar at home that was much fresher and made with ingredients I know and trust. This peach iced tea really is perfect.

Bottle of homemade Peach Simple Syrup

How to Make Peach Iced Tea

It starts with peach simple syrup, which has the most gorgeous pink hue. Not to mention, it tastes amazing – like ripe peach liquid candy. If you don’t want that, you’re wrong.

Pouring Peach Iced Tea into a glass of ice cubes and peach slices
Cutting board with fresh peaches, simple syrup, and glasses of Peach Iced Tea

Once your simple syrup is made, all that’s left to do is brew up your favorite black tea. We prefer loose leaf, but bagged tea is fine too. The main flavor here is the peach anyway, but quality tea certainly doesn’t hurt.

Glasses of our simple and refreshing Peach Iced Tea recipe

This peach iced tea is summer perfection. It’s

Perfectly sweet
Mega peachy
So refreshing
Ice cold
Simple to make
& Perfect for hot summer days & BBQs

The beautiful thing is, you can brew the iced tea and keep the simple syrup on hand so each person can decide how much they want to add. Or, you can mix it all together in a tea dispenser for easy serving for parties and such. It really is the perfect summer beverage. Hope you’ll give it a try. Cheers!

More Refreshing Iced Tea Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Glasses of summery Peach Iced Tea

Perfect Peach Iced Tea

3-ingredient peach iced tea that’s perfectly sweet and mega peachy. Perfect for hot summer days and BBQs.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Glasses of our Perfect Peach Iced Tea with peach slices and ice cubes in them
4.91 from 42 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 10
Course Beverage
Cuisine American, Gluten-Free, Southern-Inspired
Freezer Friendly 1 Month (as popsicles)
Does it keep? 4-5 Days

Ingredients

SIMPLE SYRUP

  • 1 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 ripe peaches (thinly sliced // plus more for serving)

TEA

  • 2-3 Tbsp loose leaf black tea (3-4 tea bags // depending on how strong you prefer it)
  • 8 cups filtered water

Instructions

  • Bring sugar, water, and peaches to a boil in a small saucepan. Then lower heat and use a wooden spoon to stir and crush the peaches to infuse the flavor.
  • Once the sugar is dissolved, cover, remove from heat and let steep for 25-30 minutes.
  • In the meantime, brew your tea using either a large pot or a tea maker. I use this loose leaf tea steeper. NOTE: Use less tea if you prefer it weaker or more tea if you prefer it stronger, and try not to let it steep longer than 4-5 minutes or it can get bitter.
  • Once brewed, remove tea bags or strain out loose leaf tea and transfer to a pitcher. Refrigerate to cool.
  • Once your simple syrup is finished, pour into a bottle or container over a fine mesh strainer to strain out peaches. You can reserve the peaches for later use, such as to place over oats or ice cream sundaes.
  • To serve, either set out simple syrup and add as much to the tea as you like, or add all of the simple syrup to the tea and stir. I prefer leaving it separate. Serve tea over ice and fresh sliced peaches. Recipe as originally written yields about 10 servings (with ice and peaches).

Notes

*Peach simple syrup adapted from Foodie Misadventures.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 10 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 87 Carbohydrates: 22.8 g Protein: 0.3 g Fat: 0.1 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 6 mg Fiber: 0.5 g Sugar: 22.8 g

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  1. E.S. says

    Excellent! I have been drinking peach tea all summer and was so excited to make my own now that it is peach season. I used 1 yellow and 1 white peach and it was still a pretty pink color. I wish the peach flavor was a bit stronger, but it was probably the white peach that threw it off (I just have to use more syrup). It was great in oatmeal and, of course, makes an incredible peach tea (be sure to use a nice black or green tea). I have some vanilla ice cream that I know is going to go so well with the syrup and some fresh peaches. Also, the peach syrup is lasting a while in the fridge. Looking at some other peach tea recipes, it looks like the syrup itself lasts a week or two but it’s only the tea that goes bad quickly in 4-7 days. Hummingbird nectar lasts 2 weeks in the fridge, so I am guessing a flavored simple syrup stores similarly. Can’t wait to make some more (with all yellow) and maybe try freezing it! :)

  2. Megan says

    Is this supposed to thicken up like a syrup? I measured out all ingredients, but it turned out to be a thin liquid. What did I do wrong?! Smells delicious!

  3. Heather says

    What type of black tea would you recommend using? I’m partial to Harney and Sons, but I’m not sure what type of black tea to use — English Breakfast, earl gray, black currant…? What would you recommend?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Heather, it’s a flexible recipe and should work with almost any! Assam or English Breakfast would be our top choices.

  4. Jill says

    I used 4. Peaches peel and all I want mine to really taste peachy. 2 peaches won’t do it. I also used 2 cups sugar and m2 cups of water as I wanted more syrup. Used 2 large tea bags. It was so good.

  5. Lindy Lumbert says

    great recipe. thanks.
    I made my simple syrup from xylitol instead of white sugar. I use equal amounts of water and xylitol and just let it melt in a saucepan.
    It keeps indefinitely at room temperature.
    Xylitol is made birch tree bark and is even safe for diabetics.

    Then I freeze the peach pulp in ice cube trays. I add the peach at serving time.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Lindy! xo

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lana! We’re not familiar with artificial baking sweetener, but let us know if you do some experimenting!

  6. Deana says

    Peach Syrup was super easy! I added extra peaches as it was in a reject fruit box and peaches on top needed to be used straight away, I’d do this again and reduce sugar just a little next time. I did however do cold brew tea (thanks to comments on tea ratio) and added lemon but you don’t need to, it’s great without :)

  7. Hannes Olsson says

    I don’t think you need to use organic sugar. Works fine with the regular stuff because it tastes the same. Organic peaches and tea however I feel is a must, because they taste so much better.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Hannes! Feel free to use regular sugar, it definitely tastes the same. The only reason we call for organic cane sugar is to ensure it’s vegan friendly! Hope this helps.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Aga, we haven’t tested it that way, but we think it would be okay! Probably not as flavorful. Let us know if you try it!

  8. Liz says

    I used tinned peaches and I put all of the peach juice in the pan as well as the one cup of water and it has worked perfectly well. However, you might not want to add all of the sugar if you are putting in all of the peach juice from the tin as it is already quite sweet. Very easy to make. Great for a nice fruity summers day!

  9. Isaac Dear says

    Delicious tea! A couple of tips from my experience: 1) splurge for good-quality tea. You can use cheap stuff, but it’s noticeable. 2) You MUST add around 2-3 tsp of lemon juice to the tea, it adds a lot of flavor.

  10. Cathy Farris says

    Not at all hard to make. My partner has been drinking nothing but Snapple Peach Tea, so I decided to try and make it from scratch, as right now the peaches are at their peak. The end product is delicious!

    • Diego josephia says

      I will give you 4 stars for now, the syrup is amazing, just the tea portion either failed because of the tea itself, or something in the recipe soo i will repeat it with pickwick english tea lets see if i taste a difference

  11. Jack says

    I made this recipe just last night for a friend, I would recommend making it 100%! Personally when i next make it I will be using 5 peaches in place of 3 :)

  12. Alyssa says

    I’ve made this recipe twice now & love it! I use 1/2 cup of honey instead of cane sugar & an extra peach for more peach flavor. It’s sooo good! Thanks for the recipe :)

  13. Leah says

    We follow the specific carbohydrate diet and cannot eat sugar. Do you think honey would work as a substitute?

    This sounds so delicious and refreshing!!

  14. Minnie says

    Thanks for sharing this recipe! Next time I’d probably chop up my peaches even smaller than thinly sliced but it was nice to not have to peel them. I’d also like to try it again with honey or maple syrup instead of sugar. Really good!!

  15. Carol says

    With 25 lbs of peaches on hand, I confess I was first attracted to this recipe because it did not require peeling the fruit. Instead of making a whole pitcher of tea, I put it in a jar and used it like I would honey—a glass at a time (excellent, too in hot tea). The lovely mess of peach flesh left in the pan was heavenly on toast. When I make it again, I will triple the recipe, can the syrup and continue to cook down the remaining peaches in the pan to create lovely preserves. I love the fact that this allows me to use the whole fruit—everything but the pit.

  16. Kelly says

    Made this with half a cup of local honey instead of sugar as I don’t love using straight sugar in anything – and it came out so delicious. Thanks so much!

  17. Claire says

    Yum! This was my first time making a simple syrup, and I love how, well, simple, it is! I halved the recipe and mixed the syrup into the tea, but next time I’d keep it separate to control the level of sweetness. Very delicious and refreshing. My boyfriend and I both enjoyed it during these hot summer days!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Claire! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo

  18. Meena Gehani says

    I love this tea. I made it with only half the amount of sugar and added four very ripe peaches!

    Its so refreshing! Never buying the bottled stuiff again.

  19. Stephanie Burns says

    Hey! Just made this and it’s the best recipe I’ve come across – thanks so much!
    I was wondering if there’s anything I can use the peaches for once they’ve finished with the syrup? I’d hate to waste them by throwing them out if there’s something else I could use them for?

  20. Kelsey says

    I’m not a tea drinker but used the peach syrup part of the recipe to make the base of a pitcher of iced drinks with soda water added to share at a party. Also added some pineapple and fresh lime for a bit of zing to cut through the sweet. :) worked lovely. Didn’t realise simple syrup was SO easy to make, will definitely be trying again with whatever stonefruit is available locally at the time

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Asjad, we’re sorry, but we cannot offer personalized nutrition advice. We would recommend speaking with a nutritionist for information on helping your son’s condition through diet.

  21. Shaista says

    Hey, I’ve tried the recipe and clearly done something wrong. I used 2 ripe peaches, 1 cup (250ml) of water and I cup (200gms) of sugar. However, the taste is more sugary than peachy. How do I fix this :(

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      If you prefer a stronger peach flavor, ensure your peaches are ripe. And next time cut back on sugar and increase the amount of peaches!

  22. Kitty McIntyre says

    Absolutely delicious. Much nicer than the horrible stuff you get in bottles in the uk. Very fresh and so refreshing and so easy to make. Will have again

  23. Carrie Camp says

    The recipe is super easy and very peachy .I will keep the receipt for further makings. Thank you for sharing.

  24. Frances Dow says

    Just made this and it is absolutely amazing!

    Had one in the sunshine and have just had another, with some added bourbon!

  25. Tracey says

    Is it wrong to say I’d like to bathe in this? Lol. Seriously, I’ve made this a gazoodles of times and I can NOT keep this in my fridge between my husband, 17 yo daughter and college son!! It’s a beautiful, delicious simple thing. I adore beautiful, simple and delicious in all areas of my life but am grateful for my recipes that fit those criteria!!?

    OH!! Just fyi and something I do…I’ll make up the simple syrup, strain very well and add to ice cube trays then just pop out when needed!! ?

    Sometimes if I have some vanilla ice-cream in the freezer I will take the left over strained pulp from the peaches (add or not depending who’s eating it) add some crushed pecans and a touch of brown sugar to that leftover deliciousness and top that ice-cream. Soooooooo good!! ?

    Have a lovely blessed day, Ms Mimimalist Baker!!?

  26. Jessica Handshoe says

    This is so refreshing and delicious! I modified the recipe with a touch of lemon juice and about a quarter cup of sugar. (I’m a southern sweet tea girl.) Instead of thinly slicing the peaches, I cut up the two ripe peaches and stuck them in my Bullet smoothie processor. Everything else, I stuck to the recipe! It came out like a better version of Snapple Peach Tea. Delicious!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure, but I would think it should work! Let us know if you give it a try!

    • Tracey says

      Yes, for me anyway it works!! I make sure the simple syrup is strained very well and add to ice cube tras. Pop out how many you need!! ??

  27. Devin says

    How much does this recipe yield? I’m looking to make 3 gallons of it and need to know if I need to double or triple the recipe.

  28. Hadiya says

    Hi! This recipe looks great. My only question is, can I replace cane sugar with normal granulated sugar? Will it affect the syrup drastically?

  29. Gaby says

    I had my first peach tea last Friday 10/21/16 It was lipton brand, I found it a little to sweet (30 g sugar) but so good. Only issue is I just recently foind out I have bad acid reflux and was told on ist of foods to avoid was teating :( I am gong to nutritionist soon so hopefully I can work this recipe into my diet. I can’try wait.

  30. Jahnavi says

    Just waiting for the peach to infuse the simple syrup in 30 minutes. Amazing post by the way.
    P.S I will return with a taste tested update

  31. Jahnavi says

    Just making the simple syrup right now, waiting for it to seep for 30 minutes can’t wait to see how it turns out! P.S I will return with a taste test update

  32. Jill says

    Has anyone ever tried freezing, canning, storing this simple syrup away to give as gifts later in the year and if so how does it work? If not how long does it last? My son and I are going peach picking tomorrow and this sounds delicious!

  33. Colleen says

    Excellent! The tea is cooling right now, and the peachy simple syrup is perfect. Using homegrown peaches that are sweeter than sin ;)

  34. Andrea says

    Hi, I was wondering if you could let me include one of your pictures from this post in my free ebook that I’m working on? It would only be one picture, for display (no recipe reposting), plus I will credit you and include a link to this post. :) Thanks in advance!

  35. C. Mayo says

    This simple peach syrup is absolutely heavenly! My first taste of the syrup was definitely one of those “Oh… my… goodness… where have you been all my life?” moments; I just wish the syrup was concentrated enough to support my gallon-a-day sweet tea habit!

  36. Traci says

    This is fantastic! As peaches are out of season right now, I used a pint of fresh raspberries! Can’t wait to try different fruits like a blueberry/lemon mixture and can’t wait for peach season!

  37. Susie says

    Hi! I just made this iced tea for lunch and I just wanted to tell you how wondefully awesome it is! My parents loved it, and it went really well with the moroccan chicken and veggies cous cous I made!

    Thanks for sharing your recipes, I love your cooking <3

  38. Emma says

    I’m… a Snapple addict. It’s embarrassing.

    Also I still dont like eating peaches whole because they’re fuzzy on the outside. Nectarines all the way!

    Can’t wait to try this syrup using lots of other fruits too. :D
    Thanks!

  39. Mrs Christy Glaze says

    I’m diabetic, but I love peaches. Can you make the peach syrup with just the peaches? The only time, since there has been Luzianne, that I haven’t bought it, was when that other tea bag company had Peach tea bags. I came right back when they quit making them. Y’all should make them.

    • Sweetboia’lamode says

      I believe you could make the syrup simply without sugar and it’s a unsweetened sweet tea, or use a sugar substitute that you’re allowed to have

  40. Sabina says

    Hi, i just made your pech syrup, and it doesn´t look that clear as yours. Do you think a might boil it for too long ?I´m afraid that it will be more like a jam than syrup. I made double batch, but i think it´s not that problem. But tastes good!

  41. Sarah Acey says

    I think English tea bags might be stronger…. I used 4/5 tea bags and this just made a really strong tea flavour drink! The peach syrup was delicious though so I’ll try it again soon :) thanks for the recipie!

  42. Erin says

    We tried this and it was so amazing! I am wondering, have you ever tried it with different fruit? We might try a mango version and a peach raspberry version.

  43. Anna says

    This looks so amazing, and I can’t wait to try it. I have one question though… Do you store the leftover syrup in the fridge? Or can it stay out of the fridge?

  44. Mai says

    I made this with strawberries because I didn’t have enough peaches and it was amazing. I’m making this for our Christmas lunch and I’m sure everyone will like it :)

  45. Evelyn D says

    This sounds great and I’m anxious to try it. I’m curious to know if canned peaches can be subbed for the fresh ones, and about how much syrup (per 8 or 16 oz of tea) gives that true peach flavor. I would like to make this in gallon quantities so there’s enough for gatherings!

    • Anna says

      I just tried it today with canned peaches (since there are no peaches in the market yet). It doesn’t have the beautiful pinky color. It looks like the syrup in the can of peaches with heavy syrup. It’s a light peachy color. :(

      • Dottie Sorrells says

        Most of the color and flavor comes from the peelings. My mother actually puts the pits in with the liquid and cooks it along with the peelings for a beautiful color. She does this for jams and jellies.

  46. Ash says

    I’ve been wanting to make my own for a while and this is the first and last recipe I will be using! The results were great, I love that everybody can adjust the syrup for preference, but more importantly now I have yummy peach leftovers to justify having ice cream ;)

  47. Alyssa says

    This looks absolutely amazing. I’m be making a trip to my local produce stand ASAP to get more peaches!

    I am wondering, do you know approximately how long the syrup will stay good if it is in the refrigerator? I would love to make some and keep it on hand for a while!

  48. tasos says

    Thank you for the recipe. It’s excellent!
    However I modified that a little bit. I replaced sugar with honey, added a little bit of
    orange blossom water and used jasmine tea pearls instead of black tea! Cant stop drinking it!!!

  49. De says

    Made this and finally tried it. I used bag green tea because that’s all I had, but it was soooo good!!! Thank you!! Definitely will have to pull this out if I have friends over for an end of summer shindig :)

  50. inkandnonsense says

    I am a huge fan of peach iced tea! Loving this recipe, cannot wait to try this, my other half is sure to love it too. Great post ! :)

  51. Ann Lanphere says

    I love your blog on peach tea. That is one of my favorite summertime drinks. Thanks for the great recipe.

  52. Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog says

    I have a new found love of peaches as well and have been on a serious peach kick lately, so this fits in perfectly, will definitely need to try this :)

  53. Athena P. says

    PERFECTION. I’ve been craving peaches lately. Going to have to try this this week. Beautiful post, as always. Thanks!

  54. Adrian says

    whoa, this looks really good! just made a rhubarb simple syrup for cocktails and such, but this looks so delicious i am thinking more fruit syrups are in my foreseeable future! cheers

  55. Claire says

    This looks amazing! Definitely one to make, especially as I have all the ingredients :)

    Any idea how long the peach syrup keeps?

  56. Kelli H says

    Looks delish, Dana. I love peaches. Have you ever heard the song Peaches by The Presidents of The United States of America? I used to love that song as a kid.

  57. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says

    My nanny used to make the most bad ass peach iced tea, and I never got the recipe! This is TOTALLY like it! Awesome :)

  58. Candace @ The Wheatless Kitchen says

    So simple, and so genius. I too love the Sonic tea (don’t tell anyone), but am so excited to make my own now! This sounds amazing :)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      it’s our little secret :D I’m pretty sure I wear oversized shades when I go there. No one must know!

  59. Medha @ Whisk & Shout says

    Wow, this is gorgeous! Biting into a fresh peach makes it feel like summer, but this sounds like an amazing (and drink-able) way to beat the heat too :) Can’t wait to try!

  60. Abbie @ Needs Salt says

    This tea looks PERFECT. everything about it. I’ve got to try it this summer.
    Ice cream has a huge effect on me, too. ha.
    Pinning!

  61. Laura @ Raise Your Garden says

    Simple, yet profound………I can’t wait to try this.

    You know, I had my first peach when I was 25 and loved it. I had no idea what I was missing out on!

    I don’t like admitting I like the Olive Garden tea, but there it is I do (or maybe I just like the free re-fills)

    Can wait to quench my thirst with this =)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      haha, it’s the guilty pleasures in life we’re most embarrassed to tell people about! Glad I’ve encouraged you to come out of the closet with your olive garden tea affection :D

        • Stevie E says

          This mixes up very peachy and juicy and delicious. Note to Sandy: it’s the glycemic surge that your doctor is concerned about, because foods or drinks that cause sudden great spikes to the blood sugar level are what feed cancer. You can however, have it all without using artificial sweeteners which are also not good for you. Try Lo-han, AKA monkfruit extract sweetener. It has no funky or bitter aftertaste at all, tasting so much like sugar without the high glycemic index. I believe there are a couple of other types of sweeteners available on Amazon that are also safe for you. Read the reviews to learn about them–they’re very helpful. And, there’s an all-natural supplement that, taken 15 minutes before ingesting any high glycemic index food, also prevents the surges, known generically as berberine. One brand name version is called Glyco X. It’s even beneficial to type 2 diabetics. Check Amazon for that, too. But it’s best to avoid high sugar foods as much as possible.