This Sparkling Peach Iced Tea is made with freshly brewed rooibos tea, a homemade peach simple syrup, and a splash of seltzer for a refreshing summer drink.

Peach Iced Tea - Sparkling in a Glass with Peach Garnish and Mint

I always tell people that my husband does all the drinks in this household, and I do all the food. Pete roasts his own coffee, brews his own beer, pulls his own espresso for barista-style drinks at home, and so on. He appreciates drinks in all forms, and has opened my eyes to the fun and whimsy of drinks at home. This is coming from someone who has always had milk and water most of the time.

You see, when I drink something, I want it to be a recipe of sorts, with a thought-out combination of flavors (hence why I will always take a cocktail over beer or wine). It’s so much fun to play with homemade syrups and infusions, and today I’m doing that with iced tea.

This Sparkling Peach Iced Tea combines freshly brewed rooibos tea, a homemade peach simple syrup, seltzer, and mint. It’s a refreshing nonalcoholic drink perfect for hot summer days, and it’s so easy to make.

Sparkling Ice Tea - In a Glass with Peach Simple Syrup

For my iced tea, I’m using rooibos. It’s my FAVORITE EVER (!!!) tea, so if you haven’t ever tried it, I’m totally internet pressuring you right now to seek it out and try some.

Rooibos Tea in a Small Bowl

It’s a South African red bush tea, it has no caffeine, and it’s low in tannin, which basically means it’s not a bitter tea.

There are many brands selling rooibos, and I’m not sure how much quality varies from brand to brand, but I personally buy all my tea from Harney & Sons and highly recommend them (and by the way, they don’t know me).

Brew your tea of choice (preferably rooibos, but you can use whatever tea you’d like) with filtered water:

Brewed Rooibos Tea in a Measuring Cup

For rooibos you want to use boiling water, but make sure you’re using the right temperature water for the tea you’re brewing.

Green tea, for example, should be brewed with 170 degree water.

Let the tea sit for 5 minutes, then strain:

Straining the Rooibos Iced Tea with Strainer

Let the tea cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator.

In the meantime, make the peach simple syrup.

Cut up two peaches into chunks:

Chopped Fresh Peaches on a Cutting Board

Combine with water and sugar in a saucepan:

Chopped Fresh Peaches in Pan with Sugar and Water

Cook for 20 minutes, until the fruit is soft and the liquid is pink and jammy-looking:

Fresh peach simple syrup - in saucepan for sparkling iced tea

Strain the fruit out of the liquid:

Straining Peaches in Fine Mesh Strainer

Take the leftover simple syrup and pour it into a jar, and let it cool:

Peach Simple Syrup - in Mason Jar Homemade

Side note: You can skim the foam off if it bothers you 🙂

Side, side note: You can save the leftover strained peaches for your yogurt. It’s so delicious stirred in to some plain Greek yogurt! I personally leave the skins on because I don’t mind them, but if you don’t want the skins, just peel the peaches before cutting them up.

To assemble the drink, fill a glass with ice, then fill it 3/4 of the way with the iced tea, add a few tablespoons of the peach simple syrup (or to taste), add a splash of seltzer, and enjoy! I made a video of the whole thing if you want the live-action visual, and the full recipe is below. Happy sipping!

More Fruity Drink Recipes:

Sparkling Peach Iced Tea in a Glass with Peach Simple Syrup

Sparkling Peach Iced Tea

This Sparkling Peach Iced Tea is made with freshly brewed rooibos tea, a homemade peach simple syrup, and a splash of seltzer for a refreshing summer drink.
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Ingredients

For the Rooibos Iced Tea:

  • 4 cups filtered water
  • 4 teaspoons loose rooibos tea

For the Peach Simple Syrup:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups chopped fresh peaches

For the Sparkling Peach Iced Tea:

  • Ice
  • Seltzer
  • Fresh peach slices for garnish
  • Fresh mint for garnish

Instructions 

  • To make the rooibos iced tea, bring the filtered water to a boil. Combine in a pitcher with the rooibos tea, and let sit for 5 minutes. Strain the tea, then let it come to room temperature. Then refrigerate until completely cool, about one hour. ***
  • To make the peach simple syrup, combine the sugar, water, and peaches in a saucepan set over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, mashing the peaches with a spoon as you go. After 20 minutes, the peaches should be very soft and the liquid should be pink. Let the peach simple syrup cool completely.
  • To assemble the peach iced tea, add ice to a glass and fill about 3/4 of the way up with the tea. Add a few tablespoons of the peach simple syrup, or more, per your taste. Add a splash of seltzer on top if desired, then garnish the glass with a fresh peach slice and a sprig of mint. Enjoy!

Notes

***If you’re in a hurry, you can cool the tea faster by chilling it in an ice bath. I don’t recommend adding ice directly to it though, as you’ll dilute the tea.

Nutrition

Calories: 101kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Sodium: 12mg, Potassium: 117mg, Sugar: 25g, Vitamin A: 200IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 10mg, Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.