The Starbucks Medicine Ball, also known as Honey Citrus Mint Tea, is a comforting blend of citrus, mint, and honey that has become a customer favorite year-round. This easy copycat recipe combines hot tea, steamed lemonade, and honey to recreate the soothing flavor and gentle sweetness of the original. With just a few ingredients and simple steps, you can enjoy this popular Starbucks drink anytime you want a warm and refreshing pick-me-up. No need to head out to the Starbucks baristas for this treat.
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The origin of the Starbucks Medicine Ball
This beloved drink started as a grassroots secret-menu creation that became so popular that Starbucks officially added this caffeine-free drink to its official menu as “Honey Citrus Mint Tea.” The unofficial name “Medicine Ball” stuck because customers found it particularly comforting during illness, though it’s equally enjoyable as a warming beverage any time.
Why this recipe works
The combination of citrus mint tea, peach tea, and warm lemonade creates a balanced blend of bright citrus, gentle sweetness, and refreshing herbal notes that closely mirrors the Starbucks original. Dissolving honey into hot tea allows the flavors to meld smoothly, adding a soothing finish that makes this drink both comforting and refreshing.
What’s in a Starbucks Medicine Ball?
For the Tea Base
- Water – Forms the foundation for proper tea extraction and optimal flavor development
- Jade Citrus Mint Green Tea – Provides energizing green tea base with bright citrus and refreshing mint notes
- Peach Tranquility Herbal Tea – Contributes gentle peach flavor with chamomile and rose hips for complexity
For Sweetening and Enhancement
- Honey – Adds natural sweetness while potentially providing soothing throat benefits
- Lemonade – Brings vitamin C content and balances the tea flavors with citrusy brightness
Ingredient Notes
Starbucks uses Teavana teas. You will need Jade Citrus Mint Tea and Peach Tranquility Tea.
Jade Citrus Mint Tea from Teavana is a green tea with lemon verbena, lemongrass, and spearmint. This unique blend can sometimes be tricky to find, but you can use another brand of green tea with lemongrass and lemon verbena as an alternative. Refer to the section below for a suitable alternative.
Peach Tranquility Tea is also from Teavana. It is an herbal tea made from peach, apple, tropical pineapple, chamomile flowers, chamomile pollen, rose hips, and herbs with distinctive citrus notes from lemon verbena. Peach Tranquility Tea is distinct from other peach teas, so it is best to use the genuine product. However, if you can’t find it, check below for a suitable replacement.
Amazon sells this tea in a handy two-pack.
Honey has antimicrobial properties and has been used in traditional medicine for ages.
How To Make a Medicine Ball Tea From Starbucks
To prepare this copycat Starbucks medicine ball recipe:
- Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
- Turn off the heat and add the Jade Citrus Mint and Peach Tranquility Herbal tea bags to the hot water.Â
- Brew the tea for 1.5 minutes, then discard the bags.
- Stir the honey into the tea.
- Add the lemonade to the saucepan, and heat over a medium-low burner until hot.
- If desired, pour the Medicine Ball into two large mugs and garnish with lemon wheels and fresh mint.
- Refer to the recipe card for the exact portions and the complete recipe.
If you can’t find the Teavana brand, try these substitutions
Teavana isn’t available everywhere, and even when you can find it, some stores are out of the flavors you want. If your local stores are out of Jade Citrus Mint Tea or Peach Tranquility Tea, you will usually have better luck online.
However, if you need an alternative to the Jade Citrus Mint Tea, try Wissotzky Tea, or Celestial Seasonings Magic Mint Tea, and add a few fresh mint leaves or drops of spearmint extract.
Finding a substitute to match the complex flavors in Peach Tranquility Tea is a little trickier. Although it is not a perfect match, you can try Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion or Bigelow Peach Tea as a substitute.
What Goes With a Starbucks Medicine Ball?
It is best to sip a Medicine Ball without any side dish. However, if you need a nibble, something plain with a hint of sweetness is preferable. Perhaps try pairing the beverage with a digestive or shortbread cookie.
Favorite Starbucks copycat recipes for drinks
- Apple Crisp Macchiato
- Cafe Mocha
- Caramel Latte
- Cinnamon Dolce Latte
- Flat White Coffee
- London Fog Tea Latte
- Vanilla Latte
- White Mocha
Popular Starbucks Food Recipes
Check out more of my easy drink recipes and the best copycat Starbucks recipes on CopyKat!
Starbucks Medicine Ball Easy Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 sachet Teavana Jade Citrus Mint tea
- 1 sachet Teavana Peach Tranquility tea
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 1/2 cups lemonade
- 1 sprig fresh mint to garnish (optional)
- 1 slice lemon to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat, place both tea sachets into the saucepan, and steep for 90 seconds. Remove the tea sachets.
- Add the honey to the brewed tea and stir until it dissolves. Add the lemonade and warm the mixture over low heat for about 1 minute.
- Garnish with fresh mint and a lemon slice if desired.
Simple and taste just like Starbucks
Can I use Country Time Lemonade or do I have to make the lemonade from scratch?
I think you could do either.
The best when you have a cold, or just on a cold snowy day.
I tried this with the Celestial seasonings tea, and it as pretty close.
This is perfect for a sore throat.
I love this Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe! It’s so easy and fun to do.
11/2 cup lemonade? Or lemon juice?
Use lemonade please, otherwise it will be very sour.
Works great for colds and sinuses