Nothing screams summer quite like a frosty mason jar of sweet tea—this homemade Peach Syrup recipe is the secret ingredient. This yummy drink syrup is bursting with the bright, cheerful flavor of Georgia’s famous fuzzy fruit, but is made with just 3 ingredients and no cooking!
Warmer weather is just around the corner, and I’m pining for an evening spent on the porch grilling burgers and slurping down peach iced tea. Doesn’t that sound majestic? Well, you may need to wait a bit longer for porch weather, but thanks to the magic of the freezer aisle, you can mix up a jug of spectacular Southern fruit tea with this easy peach simple syrup today.
The recipe couldn’t be simpler if it tried—just mix sliced peaches with sugar and let them sit. As they rest, the sugar will help expel the juice from the peach slices, leaving you with a jar of sweet ambrosial nectar. Add a splash of fresh lemon juice for brightness, and BAM! You’ve got yourself the best dang peach syrup for tea around.
And, while sweetening iced tea is my primary use case, this fabulously fresh-tasting syrup is versatile as can be—use it to add bright, peachy flavor to everything from breakfast bowls and smoothies to salad dressings and desserts!
Jump to:
- What is peach simple syrup?
- What does it taste like?
- Why You’ll Love This Drink Syrup Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions
- How To Make Peach Syrup For Drinks
- Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Success Tips
- FAQs
- DIY Starbucks Peach Syrup Nutrition
- Other Homemade Syrup Recipes
- Homemade Peach Syrup
What is peach simple syrup?
Simple syrup is a lovely liquid sweetener made from an equal mix of water and white sugar that has been cooked until uniform. It’s a staple for any bartender or barista—if you’ve ever tried stirring grainy sugar into an iced drink, you know why! It’s also endlessly adaptable, with a near infinite number of ways to flavor it.
But, unlike most of my other homemade drink syrups that are made by infusing various fruits, flavor extracts, or spices into regular simple syrup, this peach-flavored gem is made by macerating sliced fruit until the juices seep out. As a result, it is intensely flavored with summer’s favorite fruit—and you don’t even need to turn on the stovetop to make it!
What does it taste like?
Peach season is fleeting, but if you’ve ever sunk your teeth into a perfectly ripe one and felt its sweet nectar caress your tongue and drip down your chin, you know there is nothing like it in the world. A good peach is both acidic and honey-sweet, with hints of tropical fruits and pears all wrapped up in one. This peach flavor syrup takes that sunshiny taste experience and distills it into a neat little bottle that you can drizzle at will.
Why You’ll Love This Drink Syrup Recipe
- No Cooking Necessary - While simmering a pot of simple syrup isn’t difficult, there’s something extra satisfying about extracting all that fruity flavor without ever having to turn on the hob—especially when it’s hot and sticky outside!
- All-Natural - While store-bought syrups are convenient, they’re usually way overpriced and loaded with all kinds of weird artificial ingredients like dyes and preservatives. When you make peach syrup at home, though, you know exactly what’s going into it—just sugar, peaches, and lemon juice.
- Budget-Friendly - Being your own barista is a simple way to save money—making your own flavor syrup is next level mastery. While you will have to shell out a few bucks for the peaches to make it, at the end you can use them for making fruit-on-bottom yogurt cups, smoothies, and more. And somehow it’s STILL cheaper than buying a bottle from Starbucks!
Ingredients Needed
As promised, this peach simple syrup recipe is seriously simple. Here’s what to grab:
- Peaches - If you’re buying them in season, look for smooth skin, a slight give when you squeeze them (be gentle!), and a heady, perfumed aroma. Remember: if you can’t smell them, you probably can’t taste them, either. Otherwise, opt for defrosted frozen peaches.
- Sugar - Plain white sugar has a neutral flavor, meaning all you’ll taste is the fresh flavor of peaches.
- Lemon Juice - Fresh lemons are essential here—bottled lemon juice doesn’t have the same brightness.
Substitutions
Need to make some swaps? I’ve got you covered:
- Peaches - For a fuzz-free fruit experience, swap in nectarines. Alternatively, try other juicy stone fruit varieties like plums.
- Sugar - If you want more of a caramelly undertone, swap in a less-processed sugar variety like turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw).
- Lemon Juice - If you don’t have fresh lemon juice on hand, try using a light-colored and/or delicate-flavored fruit vinegar instead.
How To Make Peach Syrup For Drinks
This easy recipe will take just a few minutes of active time to prepare:
Step 1: Peel & Slice your peaches in ½ inch slices and place in a large bowl.
Step 2: Toss with sugar and lemon juice until well coated and the sugar is completely moistened.
Step 3: Rest. Allow the peach mixture to sit at room temperature for 2 hours, tossing halfway through.
Step 4: Strain. After 2 hours, strain the peach syrup from the peach solids using a fine mesh strainer. Allow the mixture to strain for about 30 minutes, tossing halfway through to get the most syrup. Reserve the syrup, discard or save the peaches for another use.
Step 5: Store. Transfer the peach syrup to an airtight container or syrup bottle, and store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Refined Sugar Free Peach Syrup - Swap in your favorite cup-for-cup sugar alternative (e.g. monkfruit) for a mostly sugar-free version. (Peaches and peach juice have naturally occurring sugars.)
- Add-Ins - Peaches are a fruit that play nicely with lots of other sweet and savory flavors. Feel free to add a little extra oomph by mixing some fresh grated ginger or fresh rosemary leaves with the peaches as they macerate, or add a splash of almond extract at the end.
Serving Suggestions
While I initially made a batch of this peach syrup for tea, I’ve found tons of other ways to put it to use. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Fruit Salad - Toss your favorite mix of fruit in a few tablespoons of peach syrup for a sweetly refreshing side. Don’t forget to use those macerated peach slices!
- Salad Dressing - Use a splash of peach syrup as your sweetener in vinaigrette recipes. It’s particularly yummy with white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, and white balsamic vinegar.
- Peach Cocktails - Peaches and booze go together like coffee and cream! Try using peach simple syrup to make a stellar old fashioned, or use it to sweeten your next batch of sangria.
- Peach Lemonade - Use peach syrup, fresh lemon juice, and water to make a refreshing twist on a classic!
- Peachy Breakfast - Drizzle peach syrup over your oatmeal, pancakes or waffles, swirl it into plain yogurt (maybe with some of the leftover peach slices?!?), add it to your smoothies, or mix it into cream cheese to spread on your bagels.
Recipe Success Tips
- Waste Not, Want Not - Once you strain out the peach slices, don’t toss them! They’ll be extra soft, sweet, and delicious. I recommend chopping them up to make your own fruit-on-bottom yogurt or swirling into oatmeal with a drizzle of cream, or simmer them with some water or juice and a little extra sugar to make peach preserves.
- Be Patient - Peaches are loaded with liquid, and the maceration process will help you extract quite a bit without any effort. You just have to wait for the sugar to do its magic, so be sure to give it the full 2 hours.
- Smart Storage - Invest in a good syrup bottle with a pour spout to help keep your fridge and countertops free from the sticky ickies. If you don’t think you’ll be able to use it up within a week, feel free to freeze any leftovers for up to 6 months. If you go that route, try freezing it in ice cubes so you can pull out only what you need when you need it!
FAQs
“Good for you” is a stretch, considering there’s quite a bit of sugar in there. It’s syrup, after all! That said, I’d say it’s definitely better for you than commercially produced syrups that have artificial dyes and preservatives. It also carries some of the goodness of peaches, including vitamins C and A. As far as helping with nausea goes, unless the nausea is related to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), it probably won’t help. You’ll be better off sipping on some ginger or peppermint tea.
Alas, like all good things, peach syrup doesn’t last forever. Make sure to keep it refrigerated when not in use, and use it within 7 days. (Or freeze it for up to 6 months.)
Adding peachy flavor to anything it touches! I particularly like it for making peach iced tea, but it’s also great in cocktails and food recipes. Hop up to the serving suggestions for more ideas!
At the time of publication, Starbucks does not offer peach syrup—it was discontinued in 2017. That said, this recipe is intended as a copycat so you can make the old favorites like peach green tea lemonade or peach citrus white tea lemonade.
DIY Starbucks Peach Syrup Nutrition
As with most drink syrups, this peach-flavored number is primarily carbs—each ¼ cup serving is 103 calories with 27 grams of carbs, 26 of which are from sugars. There is no fat, protein, or sodium whatsoever.
If you want to lighten things up, follow the instructions to make a refined sugar-free version under the “optional variations” tab—while the resulting peach syrup will still have some naturally occurring sugars (and thus, calories), the total content will be greatly reduced.
Also, note that peaches and lemons are both good sources of nutrients—particularly vitamin C. Each splash of this yummy sweetener will add an extra pop of immune-boosting goodness to your day. Just remember to enjoy any sugary drinks and foods in moderation, aiming for no more than about 40 grams of added sugars per day. Enjoy every sip!
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 103 calories
- Total Fat: 0 grams
- Protein: 0 grams
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Carbohydrates: 27 grams
- Sugar: 26 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Other Homemade Syrup Recipes
Homemade Peach Syrup
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs fresh, ripe peaches peeled and sliced in ½ inch slices
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Peel and slice your peaches in ½ inch slices and place in a large bowl.
- Toss with sugar and lemon juice until well coated and the sugar is completely moistened.
- Allow the peach mixture to sit at room temperature for 2 hours, tossing halfway through.
- After 2 hours, strain the peach syrup from the peach solids using a fine mesh strainer. Allow the mixture to strain for about 30 minutes, tossing halfway through to get the most syrup. Reserve the syrup, discard or save the peaches for another use.
- Transfer the peach syrup to an airtight container or syrup bottle, and store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Notes
Nutrition
xoxo Megan
Leave a Reply