Iced Tea with Peach & Honey
A smooth, naturally sweetened iced tea with fresh peach flavor and floral honey notes. Steeped black tea is combined with homemade peach puree and honey, then chilled and served over ice for a refreshing summer mocktail. This recipe yields enough for a pitcher and can be made ahead for easy entertaining.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Wait
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Makes
- 1 pitcher (about 48 fl oz / 1.4 L); 4 servings
Steps
Before you start
- Choose ripe, fragrant peaches for the best flavor—canned or frozen peaches work well if fresh ones are not in season
- Have a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth ready for straining the tea
- Chill your serving glasses in the freezer while the tea brews
Brew the black tea
- Bring 3 cups (710 ml) of water to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Pour the hot water over 5 black tea bags (or 1.5 tablespoons / 7.5 g loose leaves) in the saucepan.
- Steep for 3–5 minutes until the tea is dark and fragrant.
- Do not over-steep or the tea will become bitter.
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Ready when: Tea is dark amber in color
Tip: Remove tea bags early if you prefer a lighter, less astringent brew; over-steeping will make the iced tea taste tannic.
Strain and cool the tea
- Strain the brewed tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl or pitcher.
- Discard the tea bags.
- Let the tea cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Tea feels tepid to the touch
Puree the peaches
- Combine 12 oz (340 g) of pitted, chopped peaches with 3 tablespoons (64 ml) of honey in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
- If the mixture is very thick, add 2–3 tablespoons of cold water to loosen it.
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Ready when: Mixture is silky and free of large peach chunks
Tip: Frozen peaches work equally well and may even puree more smoothly than fresh; thaw them first and drain any excess liquid.
Combine tea and peach puree
- Pour the cooled black tea into a 2-quart (1.9 L) pitcher.
- Add the peach-honey puree and 1.5 cups (355 ml) of cold water.
- Stir well to combine thoroughly.
- Add 1.5 tablespoons (22 ml) of fresh lemon juice and stir again.
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Ready when: Tea is evenly blended, with no distinct streaks of peach puree
Tip: Stir from the bottom of the pitcher to make sure the peach puree does not sink to the bottom. The lemon juice brightens the peach flavor and prevents oxidation.
Chill the iced tea
- Refrigerate the pitcher for at least 30 minutes until well chilled.
- The tea will taste better cold and the flavors will develop further as it sits.
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Ready when: Tea is cold to the touch, around 40°F (4°C)
Serve over ice
- Pour the chilled iced tea into glasses filled with ice cubes.
- Stir each glass gently and serve at once.
- Optionally, garnish with a thin peach slice or fresh mint sprig.
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Tip: Fill glasses with ice just before serving so the ice stays cold and the tea doesn't become diluted. The amount of ice 'to taste' depends on how strong and cold you prefer your drink.
Good to know
Tips
- For a stronger peach flavor, add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of peach extract or 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of peach schnapps (alcohol-free varieties exist) when you combine the tea and puree.
- If your peaches are very tart or not very sweet, taste the tea after chilling and add an extra tablespoon (15 ml) of honey or a touch more lemon juice as needed. Sweetness preference varies widely.
- Make this tea in a pitcher so you can serve it cold without diluting it with ice left sitting in the pot—keep the pitcher in the fridge until ready to serve, then pour into ice-filled glasses just before drinking.
- For a sparkling version, substitute half the cold water with chilled sparkling water or ginger ale; add the sparkling liquid just before serving so it stays bubbly.
Make ahead
The iced tea (before adding ice) can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator. Stir well before serving, as the peach puree may settle slightly. Do not add ice until just before serving.
Storage & reheating
Store in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The tea will not freeze solid but can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 week (thaw in the refrigerator before serving). Reheat over the stove to room temperature if you prefer warm tea, or add fresh ice for a cold drink.
Substitutions
- black tea bags or loose black tea leaves → green tea, white tea, or oolong tea. Green and white teas will produce a lighter, more delicate flavor; use the same amount and steep for 2–3 minutes to avoid bitterness. Oolong tea pairs well with peach and can steep for 3–4 minutes.
- fresh ripe peaches, or frozen peaches, thawed → canned peaches in syrup (drained), or peach nectar. Use 1 cup (240 ml) of canned peaches or peach nectar instead of fresh peaches. If using nectar, reduce the honey to 2 tablespoons (42 ml) since nectar is already sweetened.
- honey → agave nectar, maple syrup, or white sugar. Use the same volume or weight of agave nectar or maple syrup. For white sugar, dissolve 2–3 tablespoons (25–38 g) of sugar in 2 tablespoons of hot water, then add to the pitcher.
- fresh lemon juice → lime juice or white vinegar. Lime juice will add a tropical note; use the same amount. White vinegar can substitute for lemon juice in equal measure, though it will taste less fruity.
