Cool off with a refreshing glass of this cold brew peach iced tea. Learn the ‘secret’ trick to making homemade iced tea that has a smooth and crisp taste, with no bitterness! 

cold brew peach iced tea

Homemade peach iced tea

Is there any better way to cool down in the summertime than with a cold glass of iced tea? No, no there is not.

Iced tea is one of those drinks that I just crave during the summer months. There’s nothing more enjoyable than sitting outside, enjoying the sunny weather and sipping on a glass of iced tea. (Ok, maybe having one of these grapefruit thyme popsicles is pretty good too!) The best part is, that homemade iced tea is SO easy to make, and it’s one of the healthiest (if not the healthiest) drinks you can have. If you’re feeling extra peachy serve this up alongside some Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler.

This homemade cold brew peach iced tea recipe is made with six simple ingredients and can be customized however you like. Make a big pitcher to store in your fridge for the week and enjoy!

Why you’ll love this peach iced tea

  • All natural ingredients. unlike most store-bought iced teas, this peach iced tea recipe is made with tea, fresh peaches and only natural ingredients.
  • Sweeten to your liking. My favourite thing about making homemade iced tea is that you can sweeten it to your personal taste. You can also leave it unsweetened if you prefer.
  • Naturally vegan and gluten-free: this iced tea recipe can be enjoyed on most diet types. If you leave our the sugar it’s also great for a keto diet.
cold brew peach iced tea

Cold brew iced tea

Now, let’s talk about the “secret” to making the best-iced tea. It’s all about the cold brew!

So what exactly does it mean to cold brew your iced tea? Cold-brew simply means to brew your drink in cold water. Rather than using boiling water, this tea is prepared in cold water. One reason why many people usually use boiling water to make iced tea is that it’s faster. But faster isn’t always better.

In the case of making iced tea, using hot water can leave your tea with a bitter taste. This is often why teas made this way are loaded with extra sugar and artificial flavours to cover up any bitterness.

Making cold-brew iced tea leaves you with a crisp, clean and refreshing tasting tea. It also gives the opportunity to really allow the flavours in the tea to fully come out since the tea bags are able to sit in the water for over 6 hours. This gives your iced tea all those delicious subtle flavours.

If you are making this recipe with white tea or herbal tea, then you can use the boiling water method to make this tea. Cold-brewing iced tea isn’t necessary for these types of teas because they don’t have the compound in them that causes bitterness when brewed in hot water.

Peach iced tea ingredients

  • Peaches: Can’t have peach iced tea without the peaches! Make sure to use fresh ripe peaches for this recipe.
  • Orange peel: This helps to infuse the iced tea with flavour and make it even more delicious
  • Mint: to give the iced tea a refreshing taste
  • Cane Sugar: just a bit to sweeten. You can also substitute any type of sweetener you like here. You can use honey, maple syrup or even stevia.
  • Early grey tea: or any type of tea you prefer. English breakfast would also work well!
  • cold brew peach iced tea
  • cold brew peach iced tea

How to make peach iced tea from scratch

  1. Add the ingredients to a large pitcher
  2. Let the iced tea sit in the fridge and “brew” for at least 6 hours.
  3. And that’s it! The result you’ll be left with is a delicious and flavourful tea that is much healthier than any storebought iced tea.

How to store iced tea

Store the iced tea in a pitcher or large jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s best to strain the tea after the first day and store just the actual iced tea in the fridge. This will keep it fresher as the peaches and mint don’t stay as well in the fridge over time.

Expert tips for making iced tea

  • Use black tea. I recommend using black tea to make this recipe for a rich flavour, but a green or white tea would work well too. If you like a really strong iced tea, you can add a couple of extra tea bags to steep in the water.
  • Use the hot brew method if you’re pressed for time. If you’re really pressed for time and need a quick iced tea, you can still use a hot-brewed method to make this recipe. Simply steep the tea bags in boiling water for 2 minutes. Make sure to set a timer and don’t over-steep the tea! (This will leave you with a bitter-tasting tea.) Let the tea cool to room temperature and pour over ice. If you have time, use the cold brew method for the best results.
  • Sweeten to your liking. I generally only add a couple of teaspoons of organic cane sugar or maple syrup to this cold brew peach iced tea, but if you like a sweet iced tea, simply add more sweetener of your choice.
cold brew peach iced tea

More refreshing drinks to try

If you tried this Cold Brew Peach Iced Tea or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
cold brew peach iced tea

Cold Brew Peach Iced Tea

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Mix
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

Cool down with a glass of this refreshing Cold Brew Peach Iced Tea infused with peaches, orange zest and mint!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 peaches, sliced
  • peel of 1 orange, peeled into large slices*
  • 3 sprigs of mint
  • 2–5 tsp organic cane sugar, maple syrup or honey
  • 5 tea bags of earl grey tea
  • 1-litre water

Instructions

  1. Add the peaches to the bottom of a pitcher and muddle with a wooden spoon just enough to smash them.
  2. Add the slices of orange zest, mint, sweetener of choice, tea bags, water and mix until combined.
  3. Cover and place in the fridge for 6-12 hours.
  4. Remove the tea bags and serve over ice.

Notes

Use a vegetable peeler to make slices of the orange peel.

I generally add 3 tsp of maple syrup or cane sugar to the iced tea, but if you prefer a sweeter iced tea simply add more.

I like to prepare this iced tea the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight. If you prefer a clear iced tea, strain the tea and discard (or eat, yum!) the peaches.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
  • Calories: 20
  • Sugar: 13g
  • Fat: 0g
  • Saturated Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 14g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 1g