Cozy up with a cup of honey citrus mint tea—a soothing blend of fresh citrus, cooling mint, and a bit of honey for sweetness. It's a bright and warm tea that's great for cold winter days.
Tea is one of many things that helps me get through long Vermont winters. It might sound boring, but a warm mug of flavorful tea on a grey winter’s day is a welcome comfort in the bitter cold.
My wife and I enjoy trying out the different tea blends from my local tea shop, Loose Loona. But with mint, lemon balm, chamomile, and several other herbs and flowers in the garden, I like to dry some of them for winter to make our own creations. This tea is one of them.
Although simple, it's inspired by a popular Starbucks beverage, formerly and unofficially called the Medicine Ball. It's officially on the menu these days, though. I don't often order tea out because making a decent cup at home is so easy.
🫖 Why I love this tea
- It's better than Starbucks. With better ingredients, you can make this tea at home and save yourself some money. Theirs is made with lemonade, while this recipe uses fresh lemon juice. My version is lower in sugar and calories, too.
- It's a welcome burst of freshness. It's bright and a bit punchy, and I bet it would feel good if you're congested. That's probably why people call it the medicine ball at Starbucks.
- It's so freakin easy to make. Honestly, it's tea with citrus and honey. Anyone can make this.
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🍯 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make mint tea with honey and citrus.
- Dried mint or mint tea: You can use either dried mint leaves or a mint tea blend. If you grow mint in your garden, it’s excellent for making tea. Leave the sprigs in a warm spot for a few days or hang them somewhere dark until completely dry. Then, roughly crumble them and store them in an airtight jar. Mint tea blends are good here, too. I often use a Moroccan mint tea that combines green tea with mint.
- Honey: Opt for local honey when possible. It's said to have the most benefits.
- Orange: You'll need one orange for this tea. Since we're using the zest, I prefer to use organic.
- Lemon: You'll need two lemons—one for juicing and one for slicing. Look for firm, but not too firm, and heavyish lemons, as they'll contain the most juice.
Check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
🧋 Substitutions & Variations
Make your cup of tea however you see fit. Here are a few ideas to change it up:
- Iced: This tea is excellent iced. After stirring in the honey, allow it to cool briefly before pouring it over a glass filled with ice. Or store it in the fridge to chill before serving.
- Make it with green tea: When I don't have dried mint handy, I like to make this with a blend of green and mint tea I get at my local co-op.
- Swap the orange and lemon. Use orange juice and lemon zest.
- Hot Toddy: This tea is ideal for a hot toddy. Just stir in a splash of whiskey before serving.
- Add some spice. Add a couple of slices of fresh ginger root to your glass.
- How to make with fresh mint: Use 5-6 large leaves per serving.
🔪 Instructions
Making this tea is easy. Here's how:
- Step 1: Zest one orange and juice one lemon. Then, slice the orange and second lemon into rounds.
- Step 2: Combine the orange zest and mint in a tea infuser or tea pot.
- Step 3: Pour over hot water.
- Step 4: Add honey and lemon juice to your mugs.
- Step 5: Pour the tea and stir to dissolve the honey.
- Step 6: Garnish with orange and lemon slices and serve.
✨ Helpful Tips
- Let your boiling water briefly cool before pouring over the mint.
- Don't steep for more than 7 minutes or the tea will be bitter.
- Add more honey if you like a sweeter tea.
🙋🏻♂️ FAQ
It's good for enjoying on a cold day when you need something fresh and bright to warm you up. Is it some miracle cure for the cold? Of course not. But citrus and honey are never a bad idea when you're not feeling so good.
Starbucks used to make a tea drink called the medicine ball with a combination of chamomile and mint tea with lemonade and honey. Is this recipe the same thing? No. But it's close. You could always mix some dried chamomile in with your dried mint before steeping if you want to get closer to Starbuck's drink.
It's tea with lemon juice and mint, along with some honey. I consider that healthy, but healthy is a vague term. See the nutritional information on the recipe card for the details and decide if it sounds healthy to you.
🍪 Pairing
These sweet treats would pair beautifully with this tea:
📖 Recipe
Honey Citrus Mint Tea
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 large cups of tea 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Cozy up with a cup of honey citrus mint tea—a soothing blend of fresh citrus, cooling mint, and a bit of honey for sweetness. If you're a fan of the Starbucks medicine ball tea, then you'll want to give this a try.
Ingredients
- 1 orange
- 2 lemons
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried mint or mint tea blend
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Prep the citrus. Zest the orange, then slice it into rounds. Juice one orange and slice the other into rounds. Juice the second lemon.
- Steep the tea. Fill a tea infuser or basket with the mint and orange zest and place them in mugs. Alternatively, you can steep the tea in a teapot. Bring about 4 cups or 32 ounces of water to a boil. Let the water cool for a minute, then pour it into your mugs or pot. Infuse the tea for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add honey and lemon juice. While the tea steeps, add the honey and lemon juice to your mugs.
- Pour and garnish. Pour the tea into your mugs. Stir to dissolve the honey. Then, garnish with orange and lemon slices to your liking, and enjoy hot.
Notes
Let your boiling water briefly cool before pouring over the mint.
Don't steep the tea for more than 7 minutes, or it may become bitter.
If you like a sweeter tea, add more honey to your liking.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Steeping
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