Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 4 cups (960 ml) water
- 4 black tea bags (or 4 tsp loose black tea)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (optional, for smoothness)
- 2 large ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
- 1/3 cup (115 g) honey, plus extra for drizzling
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water (for simmering peaches)
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of fine salt
- 2 cups ice cubes, plus extra as needed
- 1 extra peach, sliced, and fresh mint for garnish (optional)
Do This
- Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add baking soda to a heatproof pitcher, pour in hot water, and steep black tea for 4–5 minutes. Remove tea bags or strain loose tea; let cool slightly.
- In a small saucepan, combine sliced peaches, 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup water, and a pinch of salt. Simmer 5–7 minutes until peaches are very soft and syrupy. Cool 5 minutes.
- Blend the peach mixture until smooth, then stir in lemon juice. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer a smoother tea.
- Stir the peach purée into the warm tea until well combined. Taste and add a little more honey if you like it sweeter.
- Refrigerate the honey-peach tea for at least 45 minutes, until thoroughly chilled.
- To serve, fill glasses with ice and peach slices. Pour in tea, drizzle a little honey on top, garnish with mint, and serve immediately.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic Southern-style iced tea flavor with a naturally sweet, fruity twist.
- Real ripe peach purée and honey give it a lush, fresh taste you cannot get from a bottle.
- Easy to scale up for cookouts, porch sittings, picnics, or backyard barbecues.
- Not overly sweet—simple to adjust to your perfect level of sweetness.
Grocery List
- Produce: 3 ripe peaches, 1 lemon, fresh mint (optional)
- Dairy: None
- Pantry: Black tea (bags or loose), honey, baking soda, fine salt, ice
Full Ingredients
For the Black Tea Base
- 4 cups (960 ml) water
- 4 black tea bags or 4 tsp loose black tea (classic orange pekoe, English breakfast, or similar)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (optional, helps smooth out bitterness and gives a softer finish)
For the Honey-Peach Purée
- 2 large ripe peaches (about 12 oz / 340 g total), pitted and sliced (no need to peel unless you prefer)
- 1/3 cup (115 g) honey
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 1 small pinch fine salt (about 1/16 tsp)
To Serve
- 2 cups ice cubes, plus more as needed
- 1 additional ripe peach, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
- Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
- Extra honey, for drizzling into each glass (about 1/2–1 tsp per glass, to taste)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Brew the black tea base
Bring 4 cups (960 ml) of water to a full boil in a kettle or saucepan. Place the baking soda (if using) into a large heatproof pitcher. The baking soda is a traditional Southern trick that softens any harshness in black tea.
Add the black tea bags or loose black tea to the pitcher. Carefully pour the boiling water over the tea, making sure the tea is fully submerged. Let the tea steep for 4–5 minutes. Longer steeping will give you a stronger tea but can turn bitter, so avoid going much over 5 minutes.
When the time is up, remove the tea bags and gently squeeze them over the pitcher, or strain out the loose tea. Discard the tea solids. Set the tea aside to cool while you prepare the peach mixture.
Step 2: Simmer the peaches with honey
Add the sliced peaches, 1/3 cup (115 g) honey, 1/4 cup (60 ml) water, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir gently to coat the peaches in honey.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are very soft, fragrant, and starting to break down, and the liquid is slightly syrupy. You do not want a hard boil—just an easy, steady simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Purée and (optionally) strain the peaches
Transfer the warm peach-honey mixture to a blender or food processor. Add the lemon juice. Blend until completely smooth, 30–60 seconds, venting the blender lid slightly if the mixture is still steamy.
For a silky tea, pour the purée through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl or measuring jug. Use a spoon or spatula to press the purée through, leaving the skins and any fibrous bits behind. For a more rustic tea with tiny peach specks, you can skip the straining step.
Step 4: Combine the tea and peach purée
Make sure your brewed black tea is warm but not piping hot (it can be at room temperature; it just should not be ice-cold yet). Pour the strained peach-honey purée into the pitcher of tea. Stir slowly but thoroughly until everything is evenly blended and the tea turns a rich, golden-amber color with a soft peach hue.
Taste a spoonful. If you would like it sweeter, stir in an extra tablespoon or two of honey while the tea is still slightly warm so the honey dissolves easily.
Step 5: Chill until ice-cold
Cover the pitcher and place it in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 45 minutes, or until the tea is thoroughly cold. This resting time also lets the flavors meld together so the peach and honey fully infuse the tea.
If you are in a hurry, you can place the pitcher in an ice bath in your sink and stir occasionally until cold, then move it to the refrigerator.
Step 6: Serve over ice with a honey drizzle
When you are ready to serve, fill 4 tall glasses with ice cubes. Add a few fresh peach slices to each glass if you have them. For an extra hit of honey sweetness, drizzle about 1/2–1 teaspoon of honey into each glass, letting it run over the ice.
Give the chilled honey-peach tea a quick stir in the pitcher, then pour it over the ice, filling each glass. Garnish with a mint sprig and an extra peach slice on the rim, if you like. Serve immediately while very cold, with a spoon or straw to stir up the honey at the bottom of the glass.
Pro Tips
- Pick very ripe peaches: The softer and more fragrant the peaches, the more intense and naturally sweet your tea will be. If they smell strongly of peach at room temperature, they are perfect.
- Adjust sweetness gradually: Start with the listed honey, then taste after mixing. It is easy to add more honey; harder to tone it down once it is in there.
- Do not oversteep the tea: Going beyond 5 minutes can make the tea bitter. If you prefer stronger flavor, use an extra tea bag instead of extra time.
- Strain for clarity: Straining the peach purée gives you a clear, jewel-toned tea that looks beautiful in a glass pitcher. Leave it unstrained for a more rustic, smoothie-like texture.
- Chill the glasses: Pop your serving glasses in the fridge or freezer for 10–15 minutes beforehand so the ice melts more slowly and your tea stays colder longer.
Variations
- Sparkling Honey-Peach Iced Tea: Make the recipe as written, but when serving, fill glasses halfway with chilled tea and top with cold sparkling water or club soda. Add ice last to preserve the bubbles.
- Spiked Porch Sipper: For adults, add 1–1 1/2 oz (30–45 ml) bourbon or peach schnapps to each glass before pouring in the tea. Stir gently to combine.
- Green Tea Twist: Swap the black tea for green tea bags. Steep only 2–3 minutes to avoid bitterness, then proceed with the peach and honey as directed for a lighter, more floral drink.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store any leftover honey-peach iced tea in a covered pitcher or jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The peach purée may settle at the bottom as it sits; just give the tea a good stir or gentle shake before pouring. For best flavor, add fresh ice and garnishes right before serving rather than storing the tea with ice (which will dilute it). You can also make the peach-honey purée a day ahead and keep it chilled in a covered container, then brew the tea and combine just before chilling and serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate values per 1 of 4 servings: about 95 calories; 0 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 10 mg sodium; 25 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 23–24 g sugars; 1 g protein. Actual values will vary based on the exact sweetness of your peaches and how much extra honey you add to each glass.
Leave a Reply