Ingredients
Making a refreshing Starbucks Peach Green Tea Lemonade is quite simple. You will need a few key ingredients to make this delicious drink. The items you will need are:
- Green tea bags
- White sugar
- Fresh lemon juice
- Honey
- Peach syrup
- Cold water
Once you have gathered all the necessary ingredients, you will be ready to make the perfect drink.
Green Tea Bags
Green tea bags are a convenient way to enjoy a cup of freshly brewed green tea with all of its health benefits. Green tea is made from the same plant as regular black tea, but its leaves are quickly steamed or panfired after harvesting instead of going through an oxidation process. This steaming prevents the leaves from becoming dark, preserving their vibrant green color, sweet taste and many healthy compounds, including polyphenols and antioxidants.
There are many varieties of green tea available slightly different depending on where the plant is cultivated and what technique was used in blending, steaming or roasting it. Common varieties include sencha, matcha and tai cha which can be found in most grocery stores or specialized tea shops. Tea bags come in a variety of sizes depending on how much leaf is used to fill them; it’s best to begin with smaller 1 g – 2 g bags when brewing round infusions (and adjust accordingly).
When preparing loose leaf teas in a mug or teapot it’s possible to extract more flavor quickly compared to using a single serving teabag; yet there are several advantages to using teabags when making green tea despite this fact – convenience being one rational for usage. Teabags make it possible for anyone to quickly prepare a single cup of fresh brewed green tea anywhere without having to measure out the leaves and rinse out any residue between cups like one would have too when using loose leaf varieties.
When making hot water infused cups with bags positioning of the bag during infusion is important for evenly distributing flavor throughout your cup; some prefer cutting open their bag placing contents directly below surface level while others may find that suspending their bag into liquid works better (this works especially well with larger bodied jasmine pearls). Experimenting with these two methods can help you determine which gives you ideal results depending on your chosen cup size!
Sugar
Sugar adds sweetness to the drink and helps to balance out the lemon juice, making it more palatable. The amount of sugar added can be adjusted according to taste. White granulated sugar is most commonly used, although brown or powdered sugar can also be used.
If you prefer a healthier alternative, natural sweeteners such as honey, agave nectar, or simple syrup can also be used in place of sugar. If you use natural sweeteners, start with a smaller amount than what is called for in the recipe and increase it gradually until you achieve the level of sweetness desired.
Lemon Juice
Fresh lemon juice is a key ingredient in the popular Starbucks Peach Green Tea Lemonade. Since citrus adds such a great burst of flavor, make sure you use freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you don’t have any on hand, it’s best to buy fresh lemons and juice them yourself. The result will be more flavorful than pre-squeezed juice, which tends to lose some of its flavor over time.
To make the perfect beverage, use an amount that works for your own taste preference. As a guide, plan on 1/4 cup (60ml) per 4-cup pitcher of tea when making this recipe for your friends or family. Use 2 tablespoons (30 ml) if you’re making a single serving for yourself. For added kick and tartness, feel free to add another tablespoon as desired!
Water
Water is the base ingredient for this popular summer drink. To provide a stronger flavor, it’s best to use cold water as hot water from a kettle or coffee maker can cause some flavors to evaporate.
Depending on the desired strength of taste and sweetness, adjust the ratio of water to other ingredients accordingly.
Peach Syrup
Peach syrup is a simple and refreshing ingredient made from real peaches. It adds a lovely sweetness to any drink, especially when combined with the tartness of green tea and lemonade.
To make peach syrup, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup of ripened, chopped peaches
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the chopped peaches, sugar and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the lemon juice (if using). Remove from heat and let cool before using as desired. Your homemade peach syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Use it to add extra flavor to your peach green tea lemonade recipe!
Prep Work
A great cup of Starbucks peach green tea lemonade starts with proper preparation. Before you begin, gather the necessary ingredients such as green tea, lemonade, peach syrup, and ice. You’ll also need to make sure that you have cups and a spoon handy. Once these items are gathered, then you can begin to make the beverage.
Let’s take a look at how to make the perfect Starbucks peach green tea lemonade:
Boil Water
If you are making Starbucks peach green tea lemonade at home, it is important to begin by boiling water in a pot or kettle. Boiling the water helps extract the full flavor of the tea. Once your pot or kettle has come to a boil, turn off the heat and pour the boiling water into a large bowl or cup. To create more flavor, you can steep two full-flavored teabags for 3-5 minutes.
Next, mix together equal parts freshly squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup (made from equal parts sugar and water) in another bowl or cup. The combination of tart lemon juice and sweet simple syrup will yield a flavorful sip! Finally, add in 7-9 ounces of brewed green tea. Mix it all together until everything is well blended and let it cool before serving over ice cubes with slices of fresh peach. Enjoy!
Steep Tea Bags
Before you can make your Starbucks Peach Green Tea Lemonade, you must first steep 4 tea bags in hot (not boiling) water for 5 minutes. This will release the flavor of the tea and create the tea concentrate. It is important to be careful not to over-steep the tea bags in order to avoid a bitter taste.
While the bags are steeping, you should also prepare a 12-ounce cup of cold water and four ounces of lemon juice for later steps. Once the tea concentrate has been prepared, discard the steeped tea bags and allow all ingredients to cool completely before continuing.
Mix Sugar and Lemon Juice
In a medium-sized bowl or glass measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup of granulated sugar with 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and stir vigorously until the sugar is fully dissolved. You can use store-bought lemon juice if you don’t have time to squeeze your own. If so, substitute 1/4 cup of store-bought lemon juice for the 1/2 cup called for.
Alternatively, substitute 3 tablespoons of honey in place of the sugar and lemon juice mixture. Not only will this make the drink less sweet, it will also add a richer flavor and more natural sweetness.
Assembly
Making Starbucks peach green tea lemonade doesn’t require any special equipment, but you do need some basic ingredients. To start, you’ll need chilled green tea, peach syrup, water, freshly-squeezed lemonade, and ice. Once you have those ingredients assembled, you can get started on making your delicious peach green tea lemonade.
Pour Tea into Pitcher
To begin the assembly, pour the desired amount of green tea concentrate into a large pitcher. If you are using tea bags, first steep 4-5 tea bags in 6 oz of hot water for 3 minutes. Once the tea has steeped, carefully remove the teabags and discard. Measure out the desired amount of concentrate and add it to the pitcher. This recipe serves 10 glasses, so about 8-10oz is recommended for a full pitcher.
Next, use 3/4 cup (or more) of sugar and dissolve it in 1/2 cup hot water prior pouring it in the pitcher with tea concentrate. Mix thoroughly until all the sugar has dissolved before continuing to the next step.
Add Lemon Juice and Sugar Mixture
Once the green tea is cooled, add the lemon juice and sugar mixture. To make the lemon and sugar mixture, combine 1 tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice with 1-1/2 teaspoon of white granulated sugar in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves and pour it into the green tea. Add some ice cubes and stir until combined.
Finally, pour in 1/4 cup of peach puree and mix everything together until combined. Your starbucks peach green tea lemonade is now ready to enjoy!
Add Peach Syrup
Once brewing is complete, add 2 pumps of Peach Syrup to the bottom of the beverage cup or soufflée cup. This is typically about 1 ounce for a Small size and 1/4 cup for a Trenta. Stir in syrup until evenly dispersed throughout brewed tea.
If you don’t have any syrup, chopped fresh peaches may be used as an alternative to syrup. Mix 2 tablespoons into the tea before adding any other ingredients.
Add Water
After you have placed the pineapple matcha and conveniently brewed Tazo peach green tea into a cup, slowly pour warm water until the cup is half full. Make sure to follow the directions for how many ounces of water to put in the cup based on your drink size. You can also use cold or hot water depending on your drink preference – cold for an iced beverage, or hot for a hot beverage. Then stir until everything has been mixed into desired consistency, and you’re ready for the next step!
Serving
To make a single serving of Starbucks peach green tea lemonade, you will need:
- 2 cups of cold water
- 3 tablespoons of peach green tea powder
- 1 tablespoon of lemonade powder
- 1 tablespoon of honey
Once you have all the ingredients, follow these instructions to make the perfect cold beverage.
Serve Over Ice
When you’re ready to serve your homemade Starbucks Peach Green Tea Lemonade, just pour it over some ice and enjoy! Depending on the sweetness of your peach variety, you may want to sweeten your lemonade before serving. If so, add more simple syrup to taste.
Using peaches in season helps make this recipe the most flavorful and a bit more economical since prices tend to drop when fruits are ripe and in abundance. It’s also a great way to preserve summer flavors for later seasons. No matter when you make it though, this peach green tea lemonade is sure to be a hit!
Garnish with Lemon Slices
A juicy and slightly tart lemon adds the perfect finishing touch to Starbucks Peach Green Tea Lemonade! You can use peeled or unpeeled lemon slices, or even wedges, to add zing and visual appeal. Try placing several slices of lemon on top of each glass, or adding a few pieces of citrus peels around the edge. Using the zest from your lemons can also bring out their flavor. Just make sure to add only small amounts of zest for the best flavor – a little goes a long way. Experiment with different garnishes to give your beverage an extra special presentation.