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–+ servings

Apricot Bourbon Iced Tea Cocktail Recipe

Apricot Bourbon Iced Tea Cocktail Recipe
This cocktail’s all about the sweet apricots, smoky bourbon, and that comforting hit of iced tea. It’s a little bit fancy, but not too much.
John
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Serving Size 1

Equipment

  • Large pitcher (at least 1 quart/32 oz capacity)
  • Cocktail shaker
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Muddler or wooden spoon
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • Ice cube tray
  • Cutting board and knife
  • Highball glasses

Ingredients

For the apricot syrup:

  • 2 ripe apricots pitted and chopped
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup water

For one cocktail:

  • 1½ oz bourbon good quality
  • 1 oz apricot syrup
  • 4 oz freshly brewed black tea cooled
  • ½ oz fresh lemon juice
  • Ice cubes
  • Apricot slice and mint sprig for garnish

Instructions

  • Make the apricot syrup: Toss the chopped apricots, sugar, and water into a small saucepan. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar’s dissolved.
  • Turn the heat down and let it cook for about 5 minutes, until the apricots soften. Take it off the heat and let it cool for 15 minutes.
  • Strain everything through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the solids to get all the juice out. Let the syrup cool off completely.
  • For each cocktail: Fill a highball glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker, combine bourbon, apricot syrup, cooled tea, and lemon juice.
  • Add a handful of ice to the shaker. Shake it hard for about 15 seconds—really go for it—until it’s nice and cold.
  • Strain into your prepared glass. Drop in an apricot slice and a mint sprig for garnish.
  • Give it a gentle stir before serving so all the flavors mingle.

Notes

You can tweak this cocktail to your liking. Want it stronger? Bump the bourbon up to 2 oz. Prefer something lighter? Add more tea.
The tea matters, too. Go for a good black tea like English Breakfast or Earl Grey, and brew it a bit stronger than usual.
Skipping the booze? Swap in 1½ oz of apple juice and a splash of vanilla extract for a non-alcoholic version. It’s not quite the same, but it’s still tasty.
Fresh apricots are ideal, but if they’re out of season, you can use 3 tablespoons of a quality apricot preserve for the syrup. It’s a decent stand-in.