Description
This Southern Fresh Peach Sweet Tea combines the refreshing taste of raspberry leaf iced tea with a homemade peach syrup sweetened naturally with honey. Perfectly chilled and infused with fresh peach flavor, this sweet tea is an ideal summer beverage that is both invigorating and delightfully sweetened without refined sugars.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Iced Tea
- 4 cups filtered water
- 4 organic raspberry leaf tea bags
- 3-4 cups ice
For the Peach Syrup
- 1 ½ cups filtered water
- 3 medium-size organic peaches, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup mild and light colored honey
Instructions
- Prepare the Tea: In a medium-size saucepan, bring 4 cups of filtered water to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, place the 4 tea bags into the hot water with their tags hanging over the edge, cover the saucepan, and steep for 15 minutes to allow the tea to infuse fully.
- Remove Tea Bags: After steeping, remove the lid and gently squeeze the tea bags to extract extra flavor before discarding them. Carefully pour the tea into a heat-safe large pitcher or a 64 oz (2 quart) mason jar. Let it cool to room temperature if your container isn’t heat-safe.
- Make Peach Syrup: In the same saucepan, combine 1 ½ cups filtered water, thinly sliced peaches, and ¼ cup honey. Heat over medium-high until it reaches a full rolling boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 7 minutes. At around 5 minutes, mash the softened peaches with a wooden spoon or potato masher to release their juices.
- Strain Syrup: Place a large fine mesh strainer over a heat-safe glass measuring cup. Pour the peach mixture through the strainer and gently press the solids with a wooden spoon to extract all the peach syrup. Discard the solids and allow the syrup to cool for 15 minutes.
- Assemble Peach Sweet Tea: Once both tea and peach syrup are cooled, combine them by pouring the peach syrup into the tea pitcher and stir well. Add ice directly to the pitcher or serve over ice in individual glasses. Serve immediately for a refreshing, flavorful drink.
Notes
- You will need: large glass pitcher with lid or 64-ounce (2 quart) mason jar, medium-size saucepan, wooden spoon or potato masher, fine mesh strainer, 2-cup glass measuring cup.
- Cold Brew Option: Steep tea bags in cold water in the refrigerator overnight for at least 8 hours instead of using hot water.
- For a sweeter tea, increase honey to ⅓ cup.
- If using frozen peaches, thaw to room temperature first; increase honey as frozen peaches are less sweet.
- Store peach tea covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days, do not add ice before storing to avoid dilution.
- Use loose leaf red raspberry tea by substituting each tea bag with 1 tablespoon loose tea.
- Homemade filtered water ice cubes in silicone molds help maintain flavor when serving.
- This recipe can be doubled for larger batches.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240 ml)
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
