My peach mint julep recipe is an extra southern twist on the iconic julep cocktail with fresh summer peach flavor! But it's just as simple to create in only a few minutes.
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my brown sugar peach old fashioned, too!
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Mint Julep History
Originally called the "hail-storm" julep, this spirit-forward cocktail we know and love is a southern classic created in the United States by famous formerly enslaved horse jockey and restauranteur, John Dabney, in the mid-1800s. Originally made with brandy, cognac or Caribbean rum, bourbon juleps came a bit later.
Julep drinks are related to smash drinks, where mint is muddled with sugar, historically, sugar loaf pieces or sugar cubes and in current times, usually a simple syrup like we're using here today.
Favorite smash drinks: cherry limeade with bourbon, watermelon smash with whiskey, cherry smash with gin, and mixed berry smash with bourbon and champagne!
❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Quick and Easy - The mint julep has stood the test of time because it is simple and simply good. And this version needs no additional steps or special technique!
Sweet Peachy Flavor - Freshly made peach syrup adds sweetness and fruity summer flavor simultaneously and helps take the edge off the bourbon.
I love flavored unique mint julep recipes and have the catalogue to back it up: lavender mint julep, purple hibiscus mint julep, sweet tea julep!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Bourbon Whiskey is key for a modern mint julep drink. There aren't many other ingredients so it's important to use the best tasting bourbon you have--something you'd enjoy drinking all by itself.
Peach Simple Syrup takes the place of sugar cubes or plain simple syrup in this recipe. I highly recommend whipping up my peach cobbler syrup for ripe, juicy peach goodness with hints of sweet spice!
And I have plenty of options for you to use the syrup in so it won't go to waste: peach-tini, the peach cobbler cocktail, and southern peach sweet tea.
Crushed Ice aka cobbled ice or pebble ice will provide the best presentation and keep your drink ice cold from start to finish.
Pro Tip #1: If you don't have a crushed ice maker, grab a cup of ice from Sonic! It's just the right texture and actually what I use when making homemade mint juleps.
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Garnishes - Have fun topping this drink off with fresh fruit and lots of mint plus anything else you might like.
Liquor - Again, the original julep a la Dabney was made with either cognac, brandy or rum before bourbon mint juleps got popular. So you can use different spirits or even expressions of whiskey like rye or straight whiskey, if you like.
How to Make an Easy Peach Mint Julep
Step One: Muddle the mint leaves and peach syrup together.
Step Two: Fill the cup with ice then pour in the alcohol and stir.
Pro Tip #2: Instead of a muddler, you can use the end of a kitchen spoon, a shot glass for a jigger, and a regular table spoon or butter knife in place of a bar spoon.
Pro Tip #3: The drink is well mixed and fully chilled once the cup is frosted on the outside!
Step Three: Add more ice then garnish and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because of how important temperature is to this drink and to avoid it getting watered down as the ice melts, I don't recommend making it ahead of time.
How to Serve
A silver julep cup is the classic vessel for a julep cocktail and a visual nod to John Dabney's horseback-riding days. This cup not only looks aesthetic, it also keeps the drink very cold. Hello form AND function!
Traditionally, the julep is packed with lots of crushed ice into a dome shape and garnished with bouquet of fresh mint and small fruits like berries. Add a straw to be able to consume the cocktail neatly without spilling--although the dome of ice usually melts together into one big piece.
So, I recommend serving in a julep cup piled high with pebbled ice and a generous sprig of fresh mint plus a peach slice--fresh, canned, frozen or even dried. Think of it as an alcoholic peach snow cone!
More Favorite Summer Drink Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
I hope you'll enjoy this Georgia mint julep soon and very soon. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
Peach Mint Julep Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 sprigs fresh mint plus more for garnish
- ½ ounce peach syrup
- 2 ounces bourbon whiskey
- crushed ice
Instructions
- Add leaves from the four mint sprigs and the peach simple syrup to the silver julep cup.
- Gently press the leaves with the muddler to express the oils and meld the flavors together.
- Pour in bourbon then fill cup with ice.Stir until the cup is frosted to the touch (about 20 seconds).
- Pack cup with more ice to create a dome of ice then garnish with a bouquet of mint. Serve immediately and enjoy responsibly!
Notes
- Add two sliced peaches, 1 split vanilla bean, ½ inch of fresh ginger, one cinnamon stick, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, one cup brown sugar, and one cup water to a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Bring syrup to a boil then remove from heat and mash and muddle the peaches to express their juices.
- Cool the syrup completely before using. Makes about 14 servings.
- Jigger can be replaced with a standard shot glass.
- Muddler can be replaced with the blunt end of a kitchen spoon.
- Bar spoon can be replaced with a teaspoon or butter knife.
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