If you enjoy sweet, fruit-forward drinks with a hint of warm spice, this Sparkling Spiced Peach Iced Tea is a must-try. Fresh peaches simmer with cinnamon and star anise to create a fragrant, flavorful syrup that blends beautifully with strong black tea. A small splash of sparkling water adds a gentle fizz, making each sip bright and refreshing. This drink is perfect for summer days, backyard gatherings, or anytime you want something sweet, vibrant, and a little unique.
Sparkling Sweet Peach Tea with Cinnamon & Star Anise
This drink combines strong black tea with a homemade spiced peach syrup made from fresh peaches, sugar, cinnamon, and star anise. After brewing and chilling the tea, you mix it with the cooled peach syrup to create a sweet, richly flavored base. Just before serving, you add ½ cup of sparkling water for a light, gentle fizz. Serve over ice with peach slices. The result is a very sweet, peach-forward, lightly sparkling iced tea with warm spice notes and a refreshing finish.
Servings 4 drinks
Calories 180kcal
Cost $4 per batch
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Knife and cutting board
- Fine-mesh strainer or sieve
- Spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Heatproof pitcher or large jar
- Tea kettle or pot for boiling water
- Ice cube tray (optional)
- Serving glasses
Ingredients
Peach Syrup
- 2 large ripe peaches sliced
- ¾ cup sugar or up to 1 cup if you want extra sweet
- ½ cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise pod
- ½ tsp vanilla extract optional but lovely
Tea Base
- 3–4 black tea bags or 3 Tbsp loose tea
- 3 cups hot water
Finishing
- ½-1 cups cold sparkling water
- Ice
- Extra peach slices for serving
Instructions
Make the Spiced Peach Syrup
- Add peaches, sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and star anise to a small pot.
- Heat on medium until bubbling, then reduce to low.
- Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until peaches become soft and syrupy.
- Remove from heat; stir in vanilla if using.
- Strain through a fine sieve, pressing gently to extract all syrup.
- Cool completely in the fridge.
- You can keep the cooked peaches to spoon over yogurt or oatmeal!
Brew the Black Tea
- Add tea bags to 3 cups of hot (not boiling) water.
- Steep 5–7 minutes for a strong flavor.
- Remove tea bags and let the tea chill in the fridge.
Assemble the Sparkling Peach Tea
- In a pitcher:
- Combine strong chilled black tea + all the cold peach syrup.
- Add ½–1 cups of sparkling water right before serving so it stays fizzy.
- Taste and adjust sweetness (add sugar or honey if you want it extremely sweet).
- Pour over tall glasses filled with ice and peach slices.
Notes
- Adjust sweetness: The drink is very sweet as written. Reduce sugar to ½ cup if you prefer a lighter sweetness, or increase to 1 cup for a dessert-style tea.
- Spice strength: For stronger spice flavor, simmer the cinnamon and star anise for an additional 5 minutes, or add a second star anise pod.
- Chill fully: The tea and syrup should be completely cold before adding sparkling water—this keeps the fizz from disappearing too quickly.
- Don’t oversteep the tea: Steeping black tea longer than 7 minutes can cause bitterness. Use more tea bags instead of extra steeping time if you want a stronger brew.
- Peach variations: Substitute nectarines or frozen peaches if fresh ones aren’t in season.
- Sparkling water amount: Only ½ cup is used to give a soft fizz without diluting the sweetness. Add more if you want a bubbly version.
- Serving ideas: Garnish with peach slices or a cinnamon stick for presentation.
- Storage: Store the tea (without sparkling water) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Add sparkling water only when serving.
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