Peach Mint Iced Tea
A refreshing iced tea that balances the floral sweetness of peach juice with bright mint and a hint of citrus. Brewed black tea chilled and combined with fresh peach flavors creates a perfect warm-weather beverage. Simple to make and easily customizable for a crowd.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Wait
- 30 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (about 32 fl oz / 1 L)
Steps
Before you start
- Have fresh mint ready to strip from stems
- Fill a pitcher with ice before chilling the tea
- Use cold water from the tap or chilled water for faster cooling
Brew the tea
- Pour 2 cups (480 ml) of freshly boiled hot water into a pitcher.
- Add the 4 black tea bags and let them steep for exactly 4 minutes.
- Oversteeping will make the tea bitter, so set a timer and check at 4 minutes—the water should turn a deep amber color with a rich aroma.
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Ready when: Water turns deep amber and smells strongly of tea
Tip: Don't steep longer than 4 minutes or the tea becomes too astringent and bitter
Remove tea bags and cool
- Remove and discard the tea bags.
- Let the brewed tea sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes to cool slightly before adding cold ingredients.
- This prevents the cold juice from shocking the warm tea and helps keep the flavor balanced.
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Ready when: Tea is warm but no longer steaming
Tip: This brief pause helps all the flavors meld better when you add the other ingredients
Add mint to infuse
- Add the loosely torn mint leaves (about 12 g or ¼ cup) to the warm tea.
- Gently stir a few times to release the mint's oils into the tea.
- Let the mint steep for 3 minutes, then taste—you want a subtle mint flavor that doesn't overpower the peach.
- Remove and discard the mint leaves.
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Ready when: Tea has a clear mint aroma and subtle mint taste
Tip: Don't let mint steep longer than 3–4 minutes or it becomes grassy and bitter; remove it before it over-infuses
Combine with peach and lemon
- Pour the chilled peach juice (360 ml / 1½ cups) into the pitcher with the warm tea.
- Add the fresh lemon juice (30 ml / 2 tablespoons).
- Stir well to combine.
- The mixture will be warm and aromatic.
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Ready when: All liquids are mixed and color is uniform peachy-amber
Tip: Stir after adding each ingredient to ensure even distribution of flavor
Add cold water and sweetener
- Add the cold water (360 ml / 1½ cups) to the pitcher.
- If using honey or agave (3 tablespoons / 45 ml), stir it in now while the liquid is still warm so it dissolves completely.
- Taste and adjust sweetness if needed—add more honey in small amounts if it's too tart, or lemon juice if it's too sweet.
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Ready when: Honey is fully dissolved and flavor tastes balanced
Tip: Dissolve sweetener while the tea is still warm; cold liquid makes it harder for honey to dissolve
Chill thoroughly
- Fill a pitcher or jug with ice cubes (about 2 cups / 400 g).
- Pour the tea mixture over the ice.
- Stir well and let it sit for 15–20 minutes so the ice cools everything to a refreshing cold temperature.
- The ice will melt slightly, diluting the drink just enough.
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Ready when: Tea is cold to the touch and ice has partially melted
Tip: Don't skip the chilling time—iced tea tastes flat and warm if served too soon after mixing
Serve
- Pour the iced tea into 4 chilled glasses (12 fl oz / 360 ml each), including some ice from the pitcher.
- Garnish each glass with a fresh mint sprig and a thin lemon wheel if desired.
- Serve immediately while cold.
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Ready when: Drinks are cold, garnished, and ready to serve
Tip: Chill your glasses in the freezer for 5 minutes before serving to keep the tea extra cold longer
Good to know
Tips
- For a lighter, less sweet version, reduce the peach juice to 1 cup (240 ml) and add ½ cup (120 ml) more cold water or sparkling water for a refreshing spritzer effect.
- If making this for a crowd, brew the tea in batches and chill the base overnight, then assemble individual glasses with ice and garnish to order for the freshest mint flavor.
- Frozen peach slices make a beautiful and functional garnish—they chill the drink as they thaw and add subtle flavor without diluting it like ice cubes.
- For a boozy version, add 1–2 fl oz (30–60 ml) of bourbon, vodka, or peach schnapps per glass; the peach and mint pair beautifully with bourbon.
Make ahead
You can brew and chill the tea base (without the mint) up to 24 hours ahead. Store in the refrigerator in a covered pitcher. Steep the mint fresh just before serving for the brightest flavor, or steep it when you brew and strain before chilling if you prefer. Add ice and mint garnish when you serve.
Storage & reheating
Covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The flavor remains vibrant for the first day. After 2 days, the tea flavor begins to fade and mint flavor, if left in, becomes too strong. Freeze in ice cube trays for up to 1 month for later use in smoothies or blended drinks.
Substitutions
- black tea bags (such as Assam or English Breakfast) → Green tea bags or herbal peach tea. Green tea will be lighter and more delicate; herbal peach tea adds extra peach flavor so reduce added peach juice to 1 cup (240 ml)
- peach juice, fresh or 100% juice → Peach nectar or fresh peach puree (strained). Nectar is thicker and sweeter, so use only 1 cup (240 ml) and omit honey. Fresh puree adds texture; strain it finely for a smooth drink
- fresh mint leaves → Basil leaves (torn) or 1 tablespoon dried mint. Basil adds a peppery twist instead of cooling mint; dried mint is less aromatic, so use only 1 tablespoon (3 g) and taste after 2 minutes of steeping
- honey or agave syrup → Maple syrup, agave, or simple syrup (equal amount). All dissolve easily in warm liquid; adjust amount to taste since each has a different sweetness level
