Mango Peach Iced Tea Spritzer

May 25, 2021

There is no better drink for sipping on your front porch on a hot, sunny day than a variation on iced tea. For something with all the nostalgia and calm of a relaxing summer day combined with a fanciful whimsy, try a mango peach iced tea spritzer.

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There are plenty of reasons not to drink alcohol, but the important part isn’t the “why,” but the “what.” For the past few weeks, I have been looking for creative and delicious zero-proof drinks that still feel like they fulfill the ritual of having a cocktail. Iced tea can make a versatile and slightly bitter base that allows bright fruit flavors to shine.

In this recipe, I pair a medium strength black tea, English breakfast, with a fruity peach herbal tea. The addition of both pureed and diced mango and a sparkling texture elevate it from a something simple to a fun and fancy beverage.

What You Need to Get Started

You can easily find all of the ingredients for this mango and peach ice tea spritzer at your grocery store:

Pantry: English breakfast tea, Peach tea, Sugar
Produce: Mango, Lemon
From the Bar: Soda water, Peach bitters
Equipment: Saucepan, Mesh strainer, Pitcher

Let’s Make Mango Peach Iced Tea Spritzers

Although you can use any of your favorite black teas when making this drink, I like to use English breakfast. This type of tea has a bold and robust flavor, but it is not overpowering to the sweet fruits. I’ve had a few different brands, and prefer either the Wegmans store brand or Twinings. I always make my tea and coffee decaf, but you can also use a full caffeine version, if you prefer.

For the peach tea, I have tried many, and my favorite is the Bigelow Perfect Peach. Unlike some other peach teas, this one includes actual peaches in the ingredients, instead of just natural flavorings. It’s also not overpowered by other strong flavors like orange or mint. Plus this tea is naturally decaf, since it’s an herbal blend.

To get started, you will want to brew the tea hot. We will then cool it down by adding cold soda water into the mix. In a medium saucepan, heat the water and sugar together over high heat, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Then, bring the mixture to a boil.

Once it’s reached a full, rolling boil, turn off the heat. Move the pan to a trivet to cool and steep the tea. Add all of the tea bags at once, and give them a quick stir so they begin to infuse their flavor into the water.

I like to pull off the tags so I don’t end up with any soggy paper in my tea. However, I suggest snipping them off with scissors instead of tugging, so you don’t rip the tea bags.

While you are waiting for the tea to brew, you can prep the mango. You will want to make sure you choose a ripe mango for this recipe, since one that is too hard will not puree well. At the store or market, select a mango that has give when you gently squeeze it. The color of the mango is not the best indicator of its ripeness.

Cut your mango in half carefully. If you have never worked with a mango before, they have a soft, fibrous flesh surrounding a large, flat pit. Stand the mango upright, and use your knife to cut down from the stem along the edge of the pit, parallel to one of the flatter sides of the fruit.

Repeat with the other side, and then cut the thin side strips off as well. To dice one half, use a paring knife to cut a grid pattern into one half of the mango without piercing the skin. Then scoop out the flesh with a spoon. For the other half, simply scoop it out and smash it with a fork. Set the diced mango aside.

Once it has been about ten minutes, remove the tea bags from the now brewed tea using a slotted spoon. Be sure to squeeze out any excess liquid, so you don’t miss out on any of that tannic tea and sweet peachy flavor in your drink. I find it easiest to press another spoon on top of the tea bags in the slotted spoon.

Add the smashed mango into a fine mesh strainer. Then use a spatula or spoon to press the the flesh and juice through the strainer into the pan with the tea. This may take some time, depending on how ripe your mango is.

If it’s especially tough, you may want to quickly place the mango in a blender or food processor before straining, instead of mashing it by hand. Once you have pressed as much mango puree into the tea as possible, stir the entire mixture to combine.

Pour the mango peach tea through a clean mesh strainer into a pitcher. Straining this a second time will help to catch any larger pieces of the mango puree that made it through the first time. It makes for a much smoother final product. Top the tea with soda water and stir until combined.

Add in just a pinch of sea salt, which will help accent all the flavors, and then the juice of half a lemon to start. Stir everything together and taste. If needed, add more lemon juice to taste. It should be bright, but not overly acidic when it’s ready.

If you are serving the tea immediately, add ice to the pitcher to chill it. The iced tea can be made in advance and stored without ice in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. Once adding ice, don’t store, as it will dilute the tea and affect the flavor.

Fill glasses about halfway with fresh ice and add a few pieces of the diced mango on top. Pour the tea spritzer mixture on top, and add a couple dashes of peach bitters if you’d like.

My favorite brand to use for bitters is Fee Brothers. Not only are they local to where I live, but all of their bitters are nonalcoholic. Some others bitters brands may contain alcohol, so if you want this to be a zero-proof drink, be sure to double check.

Serve glasses of this mango peach iced tea spritzer immediately, so the ice does not begin to melt. Add a reusable straw, and garnish the edge with a lemon wedge. If needed, you can squeeze that little extra bit of lemon into the glass for an extra kick of brightness.

If you are making this tea in advance of serving it, store any remaining diced mango in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. You can definitely make a big batch ahead of time and have this ready to serve with brunch, or keep some on hand for a quick drink.

Here’s the perfect refreshing drink for those front porch summer days: mango peach iced tea spritzers!

How to Serve Iced Tea Spritzers

This is a drink that’s best enjoyed outside on a warm, sunny day, with chirping birds around you. It’s perfect for a lazy Sunday, and makes a sweet and refreshing thirst-quencher to pair with brunch. Try a light, summery dish to pair with it, like cannoli cream filled crepes.

Or match the fruity flavors in the drink itself. For mango, try some huevos rancheros with mango-corn salsa. To focus on the peach, you can bake up a peach crisp with corn and caramel or a simple peach baked oatmeal with coconut milk.

You can also sip on this sweet beverage alongside dessert or an afternoon snack. I love it next to a plate piled high with lemon cutout cookies with lemon curd, or a sweet batch of peach cupcakes with mascarpone frosting.

Other Summer Brunch Drinks

Zero-Proof Strawberry Shrub Julep is a great alternative for something that feels even more like a cocktail, but without any alcohol.
Vegan Chai Latte Green Smoothies are perfect is you want to drink your breakfast, get some greens, and stay plant-focused.
Cold Brew with Vanilla Spice Cream is the perfect summer coffee, with a light and sweet flavor to keep you cool.
Basil and Blueberry Moscow Mule combines sweet and tart berries with the subtle bite of ginger and vodka.
Sweet and Spicy Palomas will get you going with a hint of sweet heat combined with tequila and the bittersweet flavor of fresh grapefruit.
Watermelon Daiquiri on the Rocks is sweet and satisfying, with fresh-pressed juice combined with white rum and a squeeze of lime.

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