Starbucks Copycat Honey Citrus Mint Tea: Your Ultimate Homemade Medicine Ball Recipe
If you’ve ever found comfort in the soothing embrace of a Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea, then you are going to absolutely adore this homemade Honey Citrus Mint Tea recipe! This beloved beverage, often referred to as a “Cold Buster Tea” or “Medicine Bomb,” is surprisingly easy to recreate in your own kitchen.
Using simple, widely available ingredients (no elusive Teavana teas required), you can master this coffee house classic from the comfort of your home. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also discover the joy of customizing this comforting drink to perfection. Get ready to banish those sniffles and soothe your soul with every delicious sip!
The Allure of Starbucks’ Honey Citrus Mint Tea: From Secret Menu to Everyday Comfort
For me, a trip to the local coffee shop has always been a pleasant interlude during busy days of errands or work. My husband, a dedicated tea aficionado, is always keen to explore new blends. Several years ago, I finally convinced him to try what was then known as the “Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea.” It quickly became a nostalgic favorite, especially during colder months.
This delightful concoction began its journey as a highly sought-after secret menu item. Its reputation spread like wildfire through word-of-mouth, primarily thanks to Starbucks baristas who generously shared the recipe with curious customers seeking a soothing remedy. The overwhelming demand eventually led Starbucks corporate to take notice, and sure enough, they officially added it to their regular menu. Today, it’s prominently featured as “Honey Citrus Mint Tea” and is available to order hot or iced, offering a versatile treat for any season.
Once my husband became a convert to the honey citrus mint train, I must admit, I instantly regretted it! The price tag for those daily doses of comfort was quite hefty. It quickly became clear that I needed to find a solution: a budget-friendly version that we could easily make at home without sacrificing flavor or quality.
After much experimentation, I’m thrilled to share that not only can you faithfully recreate this immensely popular drink in your own kitchen, but many, including myself, find that it tastes even better than the original! The true magic lies in the ability to use high-quality, real ingredients and to customize the flavors to your exact preference. Best of all? It’s remarkably simple to prepare, requiring no special equipment, just a few readily accessible components and a warm mug.
Why This Homemade Medicine Ball Tea Will Become Your Go-To Drink
Experience These Fantastic Benefits:
- Enjoy it Hot or Iced: Unbeatable Versatility. This honey citrus mint tea recipe isn’t just for battling a cold on a chilly day! While it excels as a warm, comforting beverage, it’s equally delightful served over ice for a wonderfully refreshing treat in warmer weather. Its balanced profile makes it a perfect year-round drink.
- Unmatched Cozy and Comforting Feel. There’s something truly magical about a warm cup of this tea, especially when you feel a hint of a sore throat or just need a moment of gentle self-care. The thoughtful combination of simple ingredients like fresh lemon and honey, paired with fragrant herbal teas, brings an unparalleled sense of comfort and relief. It’s truly a hug in a mug.
- Completely Caffeine-Free: Perfect for Any Time. Searching for a delicious, warm beverage that won’t keep you up at night? You’ve found it! The specific types of tea used in this recipe are all naturally caffeine-free, making it an ideal choice for unwinding in the evening or anytime you desire a soothing drink without the jitters.
- Incredibly Budget-Friendly: Save Your Pennies. Ditch the costly daily Starbucks runs! By making your own Honey Citrus Mint Tea at home, you’ll significantly cut down on expenses without compromising on taste. All the ingredients are affordable and easy to find at your local grocery store.
- Customizable to Your Liking: Your Tea, Your Way. One of the biggest advantages of a homemade recipe is the power to personalize. Adjust the amount of honey for your preferred sweetness, add more lemon for extra tang, or even experiment with different tea brands to find your perfect blend.
Gather Your Ingredients: What You Will Need to Brew This Magic Tea
Creating your own Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea requires just a few simple components, all easily found at your nearest grocery store. When developing this recipe, my priority was to use teas that are widely accessible. While Teavana teas are traditionally used in the Starbucks version, they have become increasingly difficult to find and have been discontinued in some countries. Fear not! I’ve diligently tested various alternatives to ensure you get the perfect flavor profile with readily available options.
- Lemonade: This is a crucial element, providing the signature tangy and slightly sweet base for the tea. The secret to the Starbucks classic lies in their steamed lemonade. For our homemade rendition, we achieve a similar effect by gently warming water and lemonade together – no fancy steaming wand necessary! You can use your preferred store-bought lemonade, or if you’re feeling ambitious and want an even fresher taste, my single-serving lemonade recipe is an excellent alternative. The warmth of the lemonade helps to bring out its natural sweetness and citrus aroma.
- Tea Bags: The heart of the Medicine Ball Tea lies in its unique blend of herbal teas. After extensive taste tests, I’ve discovered a combination that perfectly replicates the soothing and refreshing notes of the original Teavana blend. This trio ensures a balanced, flavorful cup:
- Tazo “Zen” Green Tea: This invigorating blend, featuring green tea, bright lemongrass, and cooling spearmint, is a fantastic stand-in for Teavana’s Jade Citrus Mint. It provides the essential minty and slightly earthy undertones that are characteristic of the Medicine Ball.
- Peach Tea: A sweet and fragrant peach tea is vital for that fruity, comforting layer. We highly recommend Country Peach Passion by Celestial Seasonings for its authentic and delightful peach flavor. This works wonderfully to mimic Teavana’s Peach Tranquility.
- Chamomile Tea: To further enhance the soothing qualities and mimic the subtle floral notes found in Teavana’s Peach Tranquility, a plain chamomile tea bag is a perfect addition. This ensures a truly relaxing and well-rounded flavor. (Note: If you do manage to find Teavana Peach Tranquility tea, you can typically omit the separate chamomile bag as it’s already part of that blend.)
- Honey: More than just a sweetener, honey is a core flavor and a key component in the tea’s reputation as a “cold buster.” Starbucks typically uses a “honey syrup,” which is often a blend of honey and other sweeteners. For your homemade version, I strongly advocate for using pure, real honey. It offers a richer, more complex natural sweetness and additional soothing properties. Why settle for less when you can easily make it better than the original?
The Art of Brewing: How to Make Starbucks’ Medicine Ball Tea (Step-by-Step)
Crafting your own delightful Honey Citrus Mint Tea is a remarkably straightforward process. Follow these simple instructions to brew a perfect, comforting cup that rivals any coffee shop creation.
1. Gently Heat the Lemonade and Water
Begin by combining ¾ cup of your chosen lemonade and ¾ cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl or a large mug. Heat this mixture in the microwave using short 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until it is hot and steamy. Alternatively, you can warm it gently on the stovetop in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. The key is to achieve a steamy hot temperature without bringing the liquid to a rolling boil, as excessive heat can make the lemon taste bitter.
2. Prepare Your Mug with Honey
Next, drizzle 2-3 teaspoons of real, pure honey into the bottom of your chosen large tea mug. Starting with the honey in the mug ensures that once the hot liquid is added, the honey will dissolve smoothly and completely, distributing its natural sweetness evenly throughout your beverage and preventing it from sticking to the bottom.
3. Combine Hot Liquid and Honey
Carefully pour the hot lemonade and water mixture directly into the mug, over the honey. Take a spoon and gently stir the liquid, ensuring that the honey completely dissolves into the hot mixture. This creates the foundational sweet and tangy base for your comforting tea.
4. Add and Steep the Tea Bags
Now, add your tea bags to the mug. For the ideal flavor, use:
- 1 Tazo “Zen” tea bag (for its minty green tea notes)
- 1 peach tea bag (such as Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion, for fruity sweetness)
- 1 chamomile tea bag (for additional soothing floral notes, unless you are using Teavana Peach Tranquility, which already contains chamomile)
Gently poke the tea bags under the water to ensure they are fully submerged. Allow them to steep for precisely 5 minutes. This timing is crucial for optimal flavor extraction, preventing any bitterness, especially from the green tea component.
5. Remove Tea Bags and Serve
Once the 5 minutes are complete, carefully remove all the tea bags from your mug. Gently press or squeeze them against the side of the mug to extract any last drops of flavorful liquid. Take a small sip of your freshly brewed tea and assess the sweetness. If you prefer a sweeter beverage, now is the perfect time to add a little more honey and stir until dissolved.
Serve your homemade Honey Citrus Mint Tea immediately, piping hot and ready to provide ultimate comfort. For an extra touch of elegance and fresh citrus aroma, garnish your mug with a few slices of fresh lemon, if desired. Enjoy your delicious, soothing drink!
Starbucks Iced Medicine Ball Tea: A Refreshing Summer Twist
The beauty of this Honey Citrus Mint Tea recipe extends beyond just hot sips. It’s incredibly versatile and transforms into a delightfully refreshing iced beverage, perfect for hot weather or whenever you crave a cool, soothing drink. Creating an iced version is as simple as making the hot tea with a slight modification.
To enjoy a homemade Starbucks Iced Medicine Ball Tea:
First, prepare the hot tea exactly as described in the steps above, ensuring it steeps for the full 5 minutes and you remove the tea bags. Allow the freshly brewed tea to cool slightly for a few minutes. Next, grab a large tumbler or glass and fill it halfway (or more, depending on your preference) with ice cubes. Carefully pour the still-warm, steeped tea directly over the ice. The ice will rapidly cool the tea, chilling it to perfection.
As the ice begins to melt, it will further cool the tea without significantly diluting the robust flavor. If you find a lot of the ice has melted and you prefer a colder, stronger drink, simply add a few more fresh ice cubes before serving. Garnish with a lemon slice and a mint sprig for an extra refreshing touch. This iced version is a fantastic way to enjoy the comforting flavors of the Medicine Ball Tea all year long!
Elevate Your Experience: More Ways to Customize Your Medicine Ball Tea
One of the greatest advantages of making your own Honey Citrus Mint Tea at home is the complete freedom to customize it to your personal preferences. Here are several popular variations and clever tips to enhance your brewing experience and tailor your “Medicine Ball” to exactly what you crave:
- With Traditional Teavana Teas: For purists who can still acquire them, you can use the original Teavana blend. Replace the Tazo “Zen” and peach tea bags with 1 bag of Teavana Jade Citrus Mint and 1 bag of Teavana Peach Tranquility tea. In this case, you can omit the separate chamomile tea bag, as Peach Tranquility already contains chamomile as an ingredient.
- Sugar-Free Adaptation: If you’re managing sugar intake, you can still enjoy this delightful tea. Start by using sugar-free lemonade (or homemade lemonade prepared with your preferred sugar substitute). For the sweetener, replace traditional honey with a sugar-free “honey” or honey-flavored syrup made with artificial sweeteners. These are sometimes available at specialty health food stores or online.
- Out of Lemonade? Quick Homemade Solution: Don’t let an empty carton of lemonade deter you! You can easily make a single-serving lemonade from scratch. Simply combine 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice with 2 tablespoons of sugar (or your choice of sweetener) and ¼ cup of very hot, almost boiling water. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Then, add ½ cup of cold water, stir again, and taste to adjust the sweetness or tartness to your liking. This quick fix works wonderfully in a pinch!
- A Refreshing Peppermint Boost: For those who love an extra minty zing, or if you’re battling congestion, try adding a pump of peppermint syrup to your mug at the same time you add the honey. This infuses the tea with an invigorating mint flavor and aroma that is incredibly soothing. Yum!
- Batch Brewing for Convenience: If this tea becomes a household favorite, consider making a larger batch! Simply multiply the ingredients, brew a bigger pot, and then store the prepared tea in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready for a cup, just warm a portion on the stovetop or in the microwave. For an iced version, pour the chilled tea directly over ice. This prep-ahead method ensures you always have a comforting drink ready to go, especially during busy weeks. Remember that for larger batches, you might need to increase the steeping time slightly to ensure full flavor extraction.
Expert Tips for Brewing the Perfect Honey Citrus Mint Tea
To ensure your homemade Medicine Ball Tea is consistently perfect and incredibly soothing, keep these expert tips in mind:
- Warm, Don’t Boil the Lemonade Mixture: This is arguably the most crucial tip! Lemon juice can turn very bitter if it’s subjected to high heat or brought to a rolling boil. Your goal is to warm the lemonade and water mixture just until it’s hot and steamy enough to steep the tea effectively. If you’re using the microwave, heat in short 30-second bursts, stirring in between to distribute the heat evenly. On the stovetop, use a low heat setting and watch it closely, removing it from the heat as soon as you see steam rising, well before it starts to bubble vigorously.
- Opt for Real, Pure Honey: While Starbucks, like many businesses, needs to manage overhead and often uses a honey-flavored syrup, you have the advantage of using real honey at home. Real honey is not only typically easier to find and often more economical when purchased in larger quantities, but it also offers a superior, natural flavor profile and additional soothing benefits. It elevates your homemade tea far beyond a simple syrup.
- Ensure Honey Dissolves Completely: To avoid a sticky surprise at the bottom of your mug, add the honey to your mug *before* pouring in the warmed lemonade and water mixture. The hot liquid will significantly aid in dissolving the honey thoroughly as you stir, ensuring its sweetness is perfectly distributed throughout your entire drink. This simple step makes a big difference in the texture and consistency of your tea.
- Mind the Steeping Time: While herbal teas are generally forgiving, the green tea component (like Tazo Zen) can become astringent or bitter if steeped for too long. Sticking to the recommended 5-minute steeping time ensures you extract all the wonderful flavors without any unpleasant bitterness. Set a timer for consistent results.
- Taste and Adjust Sweetness: Every palate is different! After the tea has steeped and you’ve removed the bags, take a small sip. This is your opportunity to fine-tune the flavor. If you prefer it sweeter, add a little more honey and stir until dissolved. If you like a more pronounced citrus tang, a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice can brighten the flavors.
Explore More Delicious Copycat Recipes!
If you’ve enjoyed recreating this Starbucks favorite, you’ll love trying your hand at other popular copycat recipes from your beloved coffee shops and restaurants. Expand your culinary repertoire with these fantastic homemade versions:
- Starbucks Copycat Bacon and Gruyere Egg Bites
- Homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars
- La Scala Chopped Salad Copycat
- Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
Recipe: Homemade Honey Citrus Mint Tea (Starbucks Medicine Ball)
Honey Citrus Mint Tea (Starbucks Medicine Ball Recipe)
This easy copycat recipe for Starbucks’ famous Honey Citrus Mint Tea (also known as the Medicine Ball) is made with simple, accessible ingredients. It’s the perfect budget-friendly solution for a soothing, comforting, and delicious drink at home!
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars (based on 3 votes)
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Course: Beverages, Drinks
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 serving (approximately 12 ounces)
Calories: 132 kcal
Author: Dorothy Bigelow
Ingredients
- ¾ cup lemonade (store-bought or homemade)
- ¾ cup water
- 2-3 teaspoons honey (adjust to your sweetness preference)
- 1 Tazo “Zen” tea bag (or Teavana Jade Citrus Mint for the original blend)
- 1 peach tea bag* (e.g., Country Peach Passion by Celestial Seasonings, or Teavana Peach Tranquility)
- 1 chamomile tea bag (omit if using Teavana Peach Tranquility)
Instructions
- Heat the lemonade and water. In a microwave-safe bowl or mug, combine ¾ cup lemonade and ¾ cup water. Heat in the microwave in 30-second intervals until hot and steamy, but do not boil. Alternatively, warm in a small saucepan over medium-low heat on the stovetop until simmering, watching carefully to prevent boiling.
- Add the honey. Drizzle 2-3 teaspoons of honey into the bottom of a large heat-proof mug or cup.
- Combine hot liquids. Pour the hot lemonade and water mixture into the mug, and stir gently with a spoon until the honey is completely dissolved into the hot liquid.
- Steep the tea. Add the specified tea bags: 1 Tazo “Zen” (or Teavana Jade Citrus Mint), 1 peach tea bag, and 1 chamomile tea bag (unless your peach tea is Teavana Peach Tranquility, in which case you can omit the chamomile). Ensure the tea bags are fully submerged. Steep for exactly 5 minutes.
- Remove tea bags. Once the 5 minutes are up, carefully remove the tea bags, gently squeezing out any excess liquid. Taste your tea and adjust the sweetness by adding more honey if desired.
- Serve immediately, optionally garnished with fresh lemon slices. Enjoy your soothing and comforting homemade Medicine Ball Tea!
Recipe Notes & Tips for Success
- This recipe makes approximately 12 ounces, which is equivalent to a Starbucks Grande size. For a “Venti” size, scale the recipe by 1.5 times (use 1.125 cups each of lemonade and water), and steep the same number of tea bags for 8 minutes.
- Without Lemonade: If you don’t have store-bought lemonade on hand, you can quickly prepare a single-serving homemade lemonade. Combine 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of sugar (or your preferred sweetener), and ¼ cup of very hot (or boiling) water. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Then, add ½ cup of cold water, stir, and taste to adjust sweetness or lemon flavor to your liking.
- Using Teavana Teas: To replicate the original Starbucks flavor with Teavana products, use 1 bag of Jade Citrus Mint and 1 bag of Peach Tranquility tea. With this combination, you can omit the separate chamomile tea bag, as Teavana Peach Tranquility already contains chamomile.
- Without Teavana Teas (Detailed Alternatives): Since Teavana teas are not widely available, I focused on easily accessible options. Tazo “Zen” (a blend of green tea, lemongrass, and spearmint) is an exact, excellent dupe for Teavana Jade Citrus Mint. For the peach component, combining Country Peach Passion by Celestial Seasonings with a basic chamomile tea bag works as a superb substitute for Teavana’s “Peach Tranquility”. Because we use three tea bags in this alternative, a precise steeping time of just 5 minutes is recommended to prevent over-extraction and maintain a smooth flavor.
- *Peach Tea Note: If you specifically use “Peach Tranquility by Teavana” as your peach tea, you can omit the separate chamomile tea bag, as chamomile is already an ingredient in that blend. Otherwise, be sure to include both a peach tea bag and a chamomile tea bag for the full flavor profile.
- Sugar-Free Option: This recipe works beautifully with sugar-free lemonade. If you need to avoid all sugar, you can also seek out “sugar-free honey,” which is typically a honey-flavored syrup made with various sweeteners.
- Iced Medicine Ball: For a refreshing iced version, simply prepare the hot tea as directed. Once brewed, pour the warm, steeped tea over a tumbler filled halfway with ice. Add more ice as needed as it melts to maintain a perfectly chilled beverage.
Nutrition Information (per 1 serving)
Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 0.04g | Sodium: 21mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg
If you loved this Starbucks copycat recipe for Honey Citrus Mint Tea (also known as Medicine Ball Tea, Cold Buster Tea, or Medicine Bomb), please let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card above or commenting below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner and share your delightful homemade creations.