Southern Peach Sweet Tea

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My Southern peach sweet tea takes only a few minutes to whip up from scratch – no syrup making needed. Each sip is refreshing, filled with fresh peach flavor, and the perfect amount of sweet tea. This is a favorite in our house during peach season!

freshly made peach sweet tea in a pitcher

There is something about peaches that marks the true beginning of summer! Growing up, my family had a few peach trees on our hobby farm and ever since I’ve been hooked.

Now that I live near Nashville, Tennessee, I have access to the best Southern peaches. I feel like a kid in a candy during peach season. My childhood love of home-grown peaches gets to continue!

If you love peaches, you’ll have to try these peach recipes as well: sourdough peach scones, sourdough peach waffles, sourdough peach cobbler, and peach pie filling made from scratch.

What Makes Sweet Tea Southern

When you think Southern tea you immediately think sweet. You won’t find many places here in the South serving unsweetened. That’s the first thing that makes it Southern and it’s so simple.

Also, it all dates back to 1795 when a French explorer and botanist introduced tea leaves to America in South Carolina.

Since then, Southerners have been dumping sugar in their black tea along with other ingredients, like peaches! So not only did sweet tea start right here in the South, it continues to be cherished year after year.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple to Make: You won’t feel overwhelmed when making this tea.
It’s a Quick Recipe: You can whip this recipe up in only 15 minutes!
Wholesome Ingredients: Each ingredient is wholesome, from fresh peaches to cane sugar.
No Syrup Making: Instead of making a syrup, we’re adding the peaches in an easier way.
Tea Made the Southern Way: With this recipe you will make a tea concentrate first, then you’ll add in the fresh peach juice we blend up. It’s the perfect way to make tea.

Choosing Peaches

When choosing peaches, it’s best to get them ripe or let them ripen on the counter before making them into tea. I like to get The Peach Truck’s peaches here in Nashville. They’re always full of flavor!

You can find really good peaches at local farmer’s markets and orchards. But sometimes you’ll find a few good ones at the grocery store.

Ingredients

water: this is the base for tea
black tea bags: Luzianne tea bags are the BEST
cane sugar: more wholesome sweetener
brown sugar: adds an extra special flavor
baking soda: this is a Southern secret to minimize bitterness
fresh peaches: make sure they are ripe. I always use The Peach Truck peaches

Tools You May Need

How to Make Peach Sweet Tea

Add 4 cups of water and all 3 tea bags to a medium-sized pot. Bring to a slight boil, then immediately take off the heat. While the water is heating, occasionally move the tea bags around, up and down, gently.

After you take it off the heat, let the bags seep for 5 minutes (again moving around occasionally, up and down), then remove them. Do not squeeze the bags.

Add cane sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda to the pot and stir until dissolved. Set aside.

Remove the pit and slice peaches into chunks, size doesn’t matter. No need to remove the peel.

Place the peach chunks into a blender or food processor with 4 cups of water. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Strain peach juice with a fine mesh strainer into the pot of tea. Stir to combine.

Pour into a pitcher and refrigerate until chilled. You can also serve it right away over ice but it tastes best after refrigerating for a few hours. Next day is even better!

Best Way to Serve Southern Peach Sweet Tea

You can serve this tea in so many ways but it’s always good over ice on a hot day.

We love enjoying a cold glass of tea with a savory supper like grilled chicken bites, oven-baked chicken tenders, and meatloaf burgers.

You could also serve it for brunch and lunch or if you’re having friends and family over. This tea would go especially well at a summer potluck, gathering, or party also!

My Tips

Choose locally sourced peaches (farm stands, farmers markets, orchards) for the best peach flavor.
When steeping your tea bags, stir occasionally to get the maximum flavor rather than just leaving the bags sit.
When straining your peach juice, use a large, fine-meshed strainer.
Don’t skip the straining step, it makes your peach tea so much smoother.
For the best flavor, refrigerate overnight.
In my opinion, the best tea to use is Luzianne tea bags. It’s got the best flavor!

How to Store

Store this tea in the fridge in a glass pitcher, covered or uncovered. Each time you want to enjoy a glass, stir and pour over ice. Drink within 4-5 days.

FAQs

Do I have to refrigerate before drinking?

You don’t need to refrigerate before enjoying this tea! But, if you have the time, refrigerate for even 2 hours, it’ll have a much deeper flavor.

Can I use a different type of sugar?

You can use any granulated sugar you’d like. I prefer pure cane sugar, it’s a more wholesome option.

Can I use canned peaches?

Yes, you can. The peach flavor won’t be as strong, but it’ll still be delicious.

Can I make this a boozy peach tea?

Yes you can. Add whatever alcohol you desire (as long as you’re 21 or older of course).

More Iced Drink Recipes To Try

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