Make honey citrus mint tea at home with this easy Starbucks Medicine Ball tea copycat. Using real honey, fresh lemon, and clean, filler-free teas, it’s a flavorful drink ready in about 10 minutes.
💡Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: Ready in under 10 minutes
- Dietary Info: Paleo and GAPS
- Skill Level: Easy
Why I love this Honey Citrus Mint Tea
The Starbucks Honey Citrus Mint Tea — also called the Medicine Ball or Cold Buster — is comforting, but making it at home is cheaper and cleaner. With a few simple ingredients you can steep tea, add fresh lemon and real honey, and get a bright, soothing drink in minutes.
This homemade version is refined sugar-free and uses wholesome ingredients: green tea for gentle caffeine and antioxidants, mint for cooling flavor, a fruity tea for sweetness, fresh lemon for brightness, and raw honey to sweeten naturally.
There are no artificial “natural flavors” or sugary lemonade mixes here. Just clean, familiar ingredients that you can trust. Serve hot to soothe a sore throat or pour over ice for a refreshing iced tea — it’s versatile and easy to adjust to taste.
Ingredients for Honey Citrus Mint Tea
- Green tea: a mild green tea or jasmine green tea works well.
- Mint tea: peppermint or spearmint to provide fresh mint flavor.
- Fruity tea: a peach or other fruity herbal tea for sweetness and depth.
- Lemon juice: fresh lemon juice or pure bottled lemon juice.
- Raw honey: unfiltered honey stirred in after the tea cools slightly.
- Boiling water: to steep the tea.
Substitutions and Variations
- Different teas: Use whatever green, mint, and fruity teas you enjoy. Loose-leaf blends work well.
- Extra minty: Add an extra peppermint bag or a drop of peppermint extract if you prefer more mint.
- Berry twist: Muddle fresh berries in the mug before adding tea for a fruity variation.
- Iced version: Pour the finished tea over ice for a refreshing cold drink.
💭Make a Large Batch! Triple the ingredients in a large pot, then stir in lemon and honey after the tea cools slightly. Store covered in the fridge for up to a week and enjoy hot or iced. You can also steep a concentrate and dilute with an equal part of honey-lemon mixture when serving.
Make it Ancestral
Loose-leaf teas are a nice upgrade: they offer cleaner flavor and fewer additives. Mix a base of green tea with peppermint and adjust the strength by adding more mint or a little dried peach. Stir in raw, unfiltered honey once the tea has cooled slightly to help protect its enzymes.
How to Make Honey Citrus Mint Tea
The printable recipe is below. Follow these steps for best results.
Step 1. Steep
In a large jar or mug, pour boiling water over the tea bags and steep for 5–7 minutes.
Step 2. Add lemon
Remove the tea bags and stir in lemon juice. The acidity may change the tea color slightly — this is normal.
Step 3. Sweeten
Drizzle in raw honey and stir until fully dissolved. Add it when the tea is warm, not boiling, to preserve honey’s beneficial enzymes.
Step 4. Serve
Pour into mugs and garnish with a lemon slice and fresh mint. Serve warm or pour over ice for a cold drink.
Helpful Tips
- Use real raw honey: Skip syrups and use unfiltered honey for flavor and potential benefits.
- Dissolve honey properly: Add honey when the tea is warm, not boiling, to help it dissolve while preserving enzymes.
- Avoid boiling lemon: High heat can make lemon taste bitter. Add fresh lemon juice at the end or mix into gently warmed tea for the best bright flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low-medium heat and avoid overheating to preserve honey quality and prevent bitter lemon flavor.
Use raw, unfiltered honey and add it once the tea has cooled slightly. Avoid boiling lemon and over-steeping delicate teas to retain flavor and antioxidants.
Starbucks’ version combines a citrus-mint green tea and a peach herbal tea with hot water and a steamed lemonade base, sweetened with a honey-flavored blend. The homemade version uses straightforward ingredients so you control quality and sweetness.
Looking for more copycat recipes? Try soups, drinks, and simple treats in the same homemade, wholesome style.
-
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat Recipe)
-
Starbucks Pink Drink Recipe (Healthy!)
-
Classic House Salad
-
Mango and Cream Gummy Recipe – Trader Joe’s Copycat
Did you make this Medicine Ball Tea? Please leave a recipe rating and a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Honey Citrus Mint Tea Recipe (Starbucks Copycat Medicine Ball Tea)
Anya @ Prepare & Nourish
Ingredients
- 1 tea bag green tea
- 1 tea bag peppermint tea
- 1 tea bag peach or fruity herbal tea
- 2 cups boiling water
- 3 tablespoons pure lemon juice (about 1 small lemon)
- 4 tablespoons raw honey
Instructions
- Pour 2 cups boiling water over the three tea bags in a large jar or mug. Steep 5–7 minutes.
- Remove tea bags. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 4 tablespoons raw honey. Stir until the honey dissolves. The tea may change color from the added acid—this is normal.
- Pour into two mugs and garnish with lemon slices and mint. Serve warm or over ice.
Notes
- Use a blend of green tea, mint, and a fruity tea (peach is a classic choice).
- To make this caffeine-free, use decaf green tea or extra mint and herbal teas.
- If using prepared lemonade, reduce hot water and honey to taste so the drink isn’t overly sweet.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Nutrition
©Prepare and Nourish • Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe is encouraged; please don’t repost the full recipe without credit.
Leave a comment and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @prepareandnourish and use #prepareandnourish!