✔ Updated · new photos, Starbucks vs. copycat comparison, how to order it, a fix-it table and nutrition
This copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball is a mug of steamy lemonade and tea with honey, sweet, tangy and minty all at once. I make it in 5 minutes on chilly fall evenings, when I want something cozy and caffeine-light.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Use equal parts water and lemonade, and steep the tea bags for just 3 minutes. Longer steeping makes the green tea bitter, which no amount of honey fully fixes.
Why You'll Love This Tea
- Five minutes, one mug and ingredients you can grab at any grocery store.
- Sweet, tangy and minty, with honey, lemonade, citrus green tea and peach.
- Easy to adapt, including a caffeine-free version for kids.
What Is a Starbucks Medicine Ball?
The Medicine Ball started as a customer favorite on the off-menu ordering scene and went on the menu as Honey Citrus Mint Tea. It's two teas, one citrusy green tea with mint and one peach herbal, steeped in hot water and lemonade and sweetened with honey.
My copycat uses grocery-store teas and takes 5 minutes. I make it whenever it's cold and gray outside and I want something warm that isn't another cup of coffee. Grabbing one from the Starbucks near us is a treat; this one is on my own schedule.
Starbucks Medicine Ball vs. My Copycat
| Starbucks Honey Citrus Mint Tea | My copycat | |
|---|---|---|
| Teas | Jade Citrus Mint green tea and Peach Tranquility herbal tea | Any citrus mint green tea plus any peach herbal tea |
| Liquid | Hot water and steamed lemonade | 1 cup water and 1 cup lemonade, heated together |
| Sweetener | Honey blend | 1 tablespoon real honey, to taste |
| Extra mint | Peppermint syrup in the original off-menu version | Optional drop of peppermint extract |
| Caffeine | A little, from the green tea | A little; use two herbal teas for none |
How to Order It at Starbucks
- Ask for a Honey Citrus Mint Tea. Most baristas still know it as the Medicine Ball, but that's the menu name.
- For the original off-menu version, add one pump of peppermint syrup.
- To cut the sugar, ask for light lemonade and extra hot water, or fewer pumps of honey. The app lets you adjust both.
- Feeling extra cozy? It works iced too, though I'll always choose it steaming on a cold, gray day.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Equal parts is the magic ratio. Half water, half lemonade gives the sweet-tart balance without being too sugary. Lemonade on its own is too sweet once the honey goes in.
- Don't boil the tea bags. Heat the liquid first, then steep off the heat for 3 minutes. I set a timer, because over-steeped green tea gets bitter fast.
- Any citrus mint green tea works. Look for a green tea blended with lemongrass, spearmint or lemon verbena, plus any peach herbal tea. You don't need a specific brand.
- Honey to taste. One tablespoon is lightly sweet. Add a teaspoon at a time from there.
- Make a big batch. Multiply everything by four in a saucepan for a cozy family pot, then keep it warm on low.
Starbucks Medicine Ball (Copycat)
1
mug (16 oz)2
minutes3
minutes170
kcal5
minutesA copycat-style Starbucks Medicine Ball, also called Honey Citrus Mint Tea: equal parts hot water and lemonade steeped with a citrus mint green tea bag and a peach herbal tea bag, then sweetened with honey. One cozy 16-ounce mug in 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- For the Tea
1 cup water
1 cup lemonade
1 citrus mint green tea bag (Starbucks uses Jade Citrus Mint)
1 peach herbal tea bag (Starbucks uses Peach Tranquility)
1 tablespoon honey, plus more to taste
- Optional
1 drop peppermint extract
1 lemon slice, for serving
Directions
- Make the Tea
- Heat the water and lemonade together in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming and just starting to simmer, about 3 minutes. Or microwave them together in a large mug for about 2 minutes.
- Pour into a large mug, add both tea bags and steep for 3 minutes. Don’t go much longer or the green tea turns bitter.
- Remove the tea bags, squeezing them gently against the spoon, and stir in the honey until dissolved. Add a drop of peppermint extract if you like it extra minty.
- Taste, add more honey if needed, float a lemon slice on top and sip while it’s hot.
Notes
- For a less sweet mug, use 1/2 cup lemonade and 1 1/2 cups water.
- Caffeine-free: swap the green tea for a peppermint or lemon herbal tea.
- Never give honey to babies under 1 year old.
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Variations
- Caffeine-free: use a peppermint or lemon herbal tea instead of the green tea.
- Iced Medicine Ball: steep the tea in 1 cup hot water, stir in the honey, then add 1 cup cold lemonade and pour over ice.
- Extra zing: add a few thin slices of fresh ginger while the tea steeps.
- Less sugar: use half lemonade and half water with a squeeze of fresh lemon, and a little less honey.
Medicine Ball Troubleshooting
| Problem | Why it happens | The fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter | Green tea steeped too long or in boiling liquid | Steep 3 minutes off the heat, then lift the bags out |
| Too sweet | Sweetened lemonade plus honey | Use 1/2 cup lemonade and 1 1/2 cups water, then add honey to taste |
| Too sour | Very tart lemonade | Stir in another teaspoon of honey |
| Weak or watery | Mug too big for 2 tea bags | Stick to 16 ounces of liquid, or add a third tea bag for a bigger mug |
| Honey sinks to the bottom | Added after the drink cooled | Stir the honey in while the tea is still hot |
Nutrition (Estimate)
| Per 16-ounce mug | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | About 170 |
| Sugars | About 40 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Caffeine | About 15 to 25 mg, from the green tea |
Estimates with regular store-bought lemonade and 1 tablespoon of honey. Starbucks lists its grande at about 130 calories, since it uses more hot water and less lemonade. Half lemonade and half water with a squeeze of fresh lemon brings mine closer to that.
More Cozy Starbucks Copycats
For more warm drinks, try our London Fog, chai tea latte and peppermint hot chocolate, or browse all our Starbucks copycat recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in a Starbucks Medicine Ball?
The Medicine Ball, now on the menu as Honey Citrus Mint Tea, is hot water and steamed lemonade with one Jade Citrus Mint green tea bag and one Peach Tranquility herbal tea bag, sweetened with honey. Some baristas add a pump of peppermint. My copycat uses the same idea with any similar teas.
How do you make a copycat Medicine Ball at home?
Heat 1 cup water and 1 cup lemonade until steaming, pour into a large mug and steep a citrus mint green tea bag and a peach herbal tea bag for 3 minutes. Remove the bags, stir in 1 tablespoon honey and add a lemon slice.
Does a Medicine Ball have caffeine?
A little. The citrus mint green tea bag contains caffeine, while the peach herbal tea doesn't, so a 16-ounce mug has roughly the amount in one cup of green tea. For a caffeine-free version, swap the green tea for a peppermint or lemon herbal tea.
Is there a kid-friendly Medicine Ball?
Yes. I use two caffeine-free herbal teas, peach plus peppermint or lemon, with half the honey and let it cool to warm. Never give honey to babies under 1 year old; for little ones, sweeten with a little sugar or leave it plain.
Will a Medicine Ball cure a cold?
No drink can cure a cold. The Medicine Ball got its nickname because it's warm, soothing and easy to sip when you're feeling under the weather. Enjoy it as a comforting tea, and talk to a doctor if you're actually sick.
What is the Medicine Ball called at Starbucks?
It's on the menu as Honey Citrus Mint Tea. It's the same drink: Jade Citrus Mint green tea and Peach Tranquility herbal tea with hot water, steamed lemonade and honey.
How many calories are in a Starbucks Medicine Ball?
Starbucks lists a grande Honey Citrus Mint Tea at about 130 calories. My 16-ounce homemade mug is about 170 calories with regular lemonade and 1 tablespoon of honey; use less lemonade to bring it down.
Can I add peppermint to a Medicine Ball?
Yes. The original off-menu version had a pump of peppermint syrup. At home, add a single drop of peppermint extract or steep a peppermint tea bag along with the other two.
Can I make a Medicine Ball by the pitcher?
Yes. For 4 mugs, heat 4 cups of water and 4 cups of lemonade until steaming, then steep 4 citrus mint green tea bags and 4 peach herbal tea bags for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in honey to taste and keep the pot warm on low, not boiling.
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