The Best Peach TeaFresh vs. CannedWhat It TakesIngredient SubstitutionsRecipe VariationsPerfect PairingsMore Easy Drinks to TryHow to Make Peach TeaWatch How to Make It The very first time I tried Starbucks Peach Tea, I knew I had to make this at home. My love affair with peaches is second only to tropical fruit. Honestly, though, aren’t peaches tropical?😉 Who doesn’t like the refreshing kick of a cold caffeinated drink on a hot day? Add the awesome fruitiness of peaches, and you have a drool-worthy peach tea that will refresh you on even the hottest of days.
The Best Peach Tea
The tea plant was introduced to North Carolina in the late 1700s, and iced tea has been enjoyed in the United States since the early 1800s. It seems only natural to add peaches to this unique historical drink. Peach season lasts from mid-June to mid-September, and it’s my favorite time of year. Summer! And time to take advantage of having fresh peaches available to delight in this incredibly refreshing tea. The expression Georgia Peach refers to more than just fruit, but it also reveals how important peaches are to the culture in Georgia. In fact, Peach County, GA hosts the annual Georgia Peach Festival. That’s a festival I would love to go to!
Fresh vs. Canned
It’s incredible! I could hardly believe my eyes when I read that canned peaches are just as nutritious as fresh. This is actually a relief, considering that good, fresh peaches have such a short season. While I especially love fresh peaches, it’s nice to know I’m not compromising nutrition for my family when it’s necessary to use canned.
What It Takes
Peaches – the sweet and unique flavor of peaches is the perfect match for the pleasant bitterness of black tea. Fresh Lemon Juice – Lemon adds a bright, citrusy flavor to savory and sweet dishes alike. Sugar – An easy way to sweeten up your life. Black Teabags – Caffeine is one of my favorite drugs (and it’s legal), and black tea has plenty, thank you very much.
Ingredient Substitutions
Peaches – Fresh peaches are available in the northern hemisphere from the middle of June until the middle of September. If good, fresh peaches are not available, frozen peaches, canned peaches, or even peach juice or nectar are a far better option than mediocre peaches. Replace the four fresh peaches with a 16-ounce bag of frozen peaches or a 16-ounce can of peaches. Sugar – Southerners love their sweet tea, and I am all for that. Northerners have the tendency to prefer their tea as is, with no sugar. So sorry, but if that is your preference, then no worries, just leave it out. Black Tea Substitute – Green tea or white tea also makes wonderful iced tea. My personal favorite is green tea. Just a note of caution, though: personal experience has taught me that if the water is too hot, green tea will become bitter. After boiling the water, let it cool down to about 150-180°F/65-82°C before adding the teabags. Teabag Substitute – If you prefer loose leaf tea, replace each bag with two generous teaspoons of leaves.
Recipe Variations
Cold Brew Peach Tea This method gives a different twist to tea. It’s super easy, just put all the ingredients except the sugar in a glass pitcher and store it in the fridge overnight or 12 hours. Add simple syrup to taste for the desired sweetness. Crown Royal Peach Tea Crown Royal has created a peach whiskey, yum!!!! Add a shot to your tea, then kick back and relax. Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to any particular brand. There are peach schnapps, peach brandy, peach vodka, spiced rum, and a variety of other peach wines and liqueurs that would beautifully accent this already delicious peach tea. Spice It Up Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger all combine well with peaches and are exquisite in tea. You can also use a ready-made peach cobbler, apple pie, or pumpkin pie spice mix.
Perfect Pairings
Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb Chicken Sandwich Homemade Pizza Rolls Ham and Cheese Sliders
More Easy Drinks to Try
Jamaican Sorrel Drink Lemonade Tropical Sangria Southern Sweet Tea
How to Make Peach Tea
Prep the Peaches
Get it together – Get your ingredients together, then wash and cut the peaches in half. (Photo 1) Prepare the peaches – Remove the pits and cut peaches into wedges.
Make the Peach Syrup
Heat the peaches – Place the peaches in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat with 1 ½ cups of water and lemon juice. (Photo 2) Add the sugar on top, but do not stir. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes without stirring. Remove from the heat. (Photos 3 & 4) Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Discard the solids (or save for jam). Cool – Allow to completely cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (Photo 5)
Make the Tea & Put it All Together
Ready the syrup – When ready to make tea, pour the peach syrup into a pitcher and set it aside. (Photo 6) Heat the water – Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, add the tea bags, and steep for 3-5 minutes. Mix the peaches and tea – Once brewed, remove the tea bags and transfer the tea to the pitcher. Stir to combine and refrigerate until cool. (Photos 7-9) Serve – Once cool, stir before adding ice cubes and peach slices and serve.
Watch How To Make It [adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”p7Cux5GU” upload-date=”2021-07-15T07:00:00.000Z” name=”Peach Tea (Sweet)” description=”This Peach Tea combines the sweetness of peaches with the refreshment of a good iced tea. Not only that, if you make it at home, it is full of vitamins and antioxidants! And now, you can make it just as good, or even better, at home than you can buy at a fancy restaurant or the store.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]
