Southern Peach Tea: A Recipe to Know by Heart

There's nothing like a refreshing glass of Southern Peach Day on an Alabama scorcher!!
There’s nothing like a refreshing glass of Southern Peach Tea on an Alabama scorcher!!

This southern peach tea is one of the all-time favorite beverages in my home. We love it on hot summer days — and also, we live in Alabama.

The fact is, we are surrounded by peach orchards here in Alabama. Though there are many, many peach plantations in Georgia, Alabama (namely Clanton, Alabama) has the most peach production anywhere in the United States. With all these sweet peaches on hand, it stands to reason that we make “everything peach” during harvest season.

Southern Peach Tea can be made with frozen peaches if you don't have fresh peaches available.
Southern Peach Tea can be made with frozen peaches if you don’t have fresh peaches available.

Iced tea is one of the most refreshing drinks known to mankind, especially during our scorching Alabama summers. And that goes double for peach tea!

Southern Peach Tea is a mainstay in a Southern Home!! Easy to make and super refreshing!
Peach tea is a mainstay in a Southern home!! Easy to make and super refreshing.

I’ve served my Southern Peach Tea recipe anywhere from elegant evening parties to brunches, picnics, and pot-luck dinners. Just change the pitcher to fit the occasion!

I actually make this iced tea year round. I freeze the peaches from our harvest every year just so I can taste summer during the long, cold days of winter.

By the way, this recipe makes a fantastic hot tea, too. I say this to convey that frozen peaches work fantastically for this recipe if you don’t have fresh ones.

How to Make Homemade Peach Tea

As drink recipes go, homemade peach tea is so simple.

To make peach iced tea from scratch, all you need are water, ripe peach slices, and of course, tea. I use black tea bags, but you could use white tea or green tea if that floats your boat. You could also use loose leaf tea if you prefer. Brewing tea for this recipe takes just 15 minutes.

We like traditional sweet tea here in the South, so we add pure cane sugar. The sweetness cuts the natural bitterness of the tea. But you can use the sweetener of your choice — like honey, stevia, or simple syrup — or none at all. Lemon juice? With the peach flavor you don’t really need it, but feel free to add it if you like.

Bookmark this recipe. I feel sure you’ll be making it for years to come!

There's nothing like a refreshing glass of Southern Peach Day on an Alabama scorcher!!
There’s nothing like a refreshing glass of Southern Peach Tea on an Alabama scorcher!!
Southern Peach Tea can be made with frozen peaches if you don't have fresh peaches available.

Southern Peach Tea

I’ve served my Southern Peach Tea recipe anywhere from elegant evening parties to brunches and pot-luck dinners. Just change the pitcher to fit the occasion!
Course Drinks
Cuisine Southern

Ingredients
  

For Peach Syrup

  • 4 large fresh peaches or 4 cups frozen peaches, sliced
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups sugar

For Tea

  • 3 family-sized tea bags
  • 4 cups water + more to add to pitcher for taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large saucepan, add peaches, water and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cover until peaches are soft, about 15 minutes. Mash the peaches as they soften to extract more flavor, about 10 minutes longer.
  • Using a mesh strainer placed over a large pot, strain the peach mixture. Discard all that’s left in the strainer. Set the peach mixture to the side while you make the tea.
  • To make the tea, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot then turn off the heat. Place the tea bags in the water and steep for 15 minutes.
  • Add the tea to a large pitcher and stir in the peach syrup. Taste the tea. If it is too sweet, add another 2-4 cups one cup at a time, tasting between each addition to get the right flavor. I usually add about 2 cups, but you may want it less or more sweet. If you are going to be putting ice in the pitcher, add less water to account for the ice melting. Stir well and refrigerate for at least an hour or until cold.
  • Always stir before pouring tea into glasses. Pour peach tea over ice. Garnish with mint.
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17 Comments

  1. My family every time say that I am wasting my time here at net, except
    I know I am getting familiarity daily by reading thes good
    articles or reviews.

  2. Great article! We are linking to this great article on our website.

    Keep up the great writing.

  3. it is a great alternative to fruit juice and can be taken at any time of the day, both hot and cold.

  4. LuAnne Moe says:

    What kind of tea works well in this recipe?

    1. You can use whatever brand you normally use. I like Red Diamond. That is my entire family’s preference. Any will work though. Just use what you lock.

  5. I might have missed the answer to this, but are the tea bags that is used peach, or just any flavor? Sorry, sounds like a silly question.

    1. Not a silly question at all. I just use my regular tea bags. Let me know how your peach tea turns out!!

  6. Thomas Patton says:

    Dear Mrs. Harris, My name is Thomas Patton and I am a native of Buckhead Atlanta. I am now almost retired. (My daddy says “you ain’t retired til they put you in your grave”.) I was/am a stay-at-home dad and I raised 2 wonderful daughters by myself and with the help of my mom. I am now a bean bag toss away from 70. And now I am finding that I’m back in the kitchen and cooking again, this time for pleasure and enjoyment.
    But what brings me to your page is peaches. Yes indeed, those intoxicating peaches! Even now, as I write to you, I have a peach pie in the oven. And wouldn’t you know it, I have four peaches at their peak sittin’ on my counter. So, not wanting to waste those fuzzy-haired jewels, I thought about making peach tea. However, as I searched the internet, I figured I better find a recipe from someone from the South and that someone better know what they’re talking about! Then there was a site from Stacy Lynn Harris. I knew right then and there that that was a true Southern Belle name.
    Sure ’nuff, there was no needin’ to go anywhere else. Your bio is heartwarming and you are a true mamma. (7 kids makes you some kind of hero in my book) Anyway, I am fixin’ on fixin’ some tea from your recipe. And Mrs. Harris, I’ll certainly let you know how it turns out. By the way, I too, love Alabama. I spent many a year on my uncle’s farm in Opelika where I learned to hunt and fish. You mentioned somewhere about an Alabama scorcher. Dang! The Lord sure knows how to have a laugh while watching the farming folks beat the heat with either a mint julep or a big ol’ pitcher (One that’s much bigger than an average Piggly Wiggly sized pitcher)
    It appears that I oughta go check on my pie now. But it’s been a pleasure havin’ this chat with you.
    God Bless,
    Thomas E. Patton
    Atlanta, GA.

    1. Hi Mr. Patton!! God Bless you too! Opelika is a wonderful place. I hope you will subscribe to this site because I do have a lot of Southern recipes but also hunting and fishing recipes I think you will like. Congrats on raising 2 daughters. I hope you love the tea. I sure wish I had some about now. Sometimes when I am longing for summer, I’ll bring out some of my frozen peaches and make a little peach tea! Thank you for telling me your story! You sure are an encouragement to me!! Glad to have you here!

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