Peach Iced Tea Recipe

Prepare peaches

Wash the peaches, remove pits, and roughly chop the flesh (skin can remain on for color and flavor). You should end up with about 2 cups chopped peaches.

Make syrup

In a small saucepan combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Add the chopped peaches. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until peaches are very soft and syrup is fragrant and slightly thickened.

Finish syrup

Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Using a fine mesh sieve, press the peach mixture with the back of a spoon to extract as much syrup as possible into a bowl. Discard solids (or save for yogurt). For a clearer syrup, strain again through a fine mesh or cheesecloth. Cool syrup to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator if not using immediately.

Steep tea

Bring 4 cups water to a near-boil (about 205°F / 96°C). Remove from heat and add 4 black tea bags. Steep 4–6 minutes depending on desired strength (4 minutes for lighter, 6 for stronger). Avoid oversteeping to prevent bitterness.

Cool tea

Remove tea bags, gently squeezing once to release remaining liquid. Let the brewed tea cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes), then transfer to the refrigerator to chill or add a few ice cubes to speed cooling. If you prefer, brew the tea ahead and chill completely.

In a pitcher, combine the chilled black tea and peach syrup. Start with 1/2 cup peach syrup for a balanced sweetness and peach flavor for the recipe's yield. Taste and add more syrup if desired (up to 3/4–1 cup for sweeter drink). Stir well to combine.

Fill glasses with ice (about 1 cup ice per 8-ounce glass). Pour peach iced tea over the ice. Garnish each glass with a peach slice and a sprig of fresh mint, if using.

Serve immediately. Store any leftover peach syrup separately in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and combine with chilled tea as needed.