Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball Recipe
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Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball shows how to make this popular cold fighter super tea. A great soothing tea for cold and flu season.
‘Tis the season for colds and flu. Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea is a warm concoction made with lemonade, citrus mint, and peach teas with honey. Skip the prices at Starbucks, give the Starbucks baristas a break, and make this medicinal tea at home.
The Starbucks Medicine Ball used to be a Starbucks secret menu item, but the word got out about how great it is, and they moved it to their regular menu. Just in time, I guess?
This winter has been epic for colds and flu! Our state of Nebraska has been on the news as the highest-ranking for flu diagnosis. Not really a record to set, am I right? I tell you, it makes me happy I work from home!
STARBUCKS MEDICINE BALL TEA
My oldest daughter was the first to tell me about this drink. She is a hairstylist, and she is around the public constantly. Her tendency for catching a cold and to have a scratchy throat is pretty common. Once she discovered the Medicine Ball on the Starbucks menu, she was hooked!
She told my younger daughter about it, as she is in all of the school musicals and show choir and is constantly drinking hot tea with fresh lemons to soothe her throat.
I can just picture needing to know some sort of special hand signal or using a code word to order one. That seemed like some sort of secret mission and special training was involved, so I just decided to decode it. I give you, the copy cat Starbucks Medicine Ball tea recipe.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF TEA & HONEY
The health benefits of tea and lemons are not so secret either. Tea has tons of antioxidants that help soothe even the worst colds. Lemons deliver the blast of vitamin C to boost the immune system. Mint works great for congestion and helps as an expectorant and decongestant. Honey has been used since ancient times to soothe sore throats and coughing.
In fact, the Medicine Ball drink is beginning to sound like the wisdom of the ancients just repackaged into a viral trending hashtag-worthy beverage.
STARBUCKS MEDICINE BALL TEA INGREDIENTS
The Medicine Ball is made with simple ingredients that are a cinch to keep on hand, most are pantry staples like Teavana Teas, and honey.
Here are the main ingredients for this Starbucks copycat recipe:
- Teavana jade citrus mint tea bag – one of the key ingredients is jade citrus mint green tea
- Teavana peach tranquility tea bag – two types of tea are needed, the other is peach tranquility herbal tea
- Hot water
- Lemonade – Starbucks steams their lemonade, but all you need to do is heat it. Store-bought lemonade is fine, I like the Light Simply Lemonade.
- Honey – a little honey gives this delicious drink a little bit of natural sweetness
- Peppermint Extract – optional, but I love the extra flavor it gives
How to Make A Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea Without Teavana Tea
Many, including me, are having a hard time finding Teavana tea right now. I have not been able to get any feedback from Starbucks with my phone calls and questions, so I took matters into my own hands and came up with a substitute. You will find the recipe in the notes section of my printable recipe card.
WHAT MAKES THE MEDICINE BALL UNIQUE?
To completely decode the Medicine Ball from Starbucks means figuring out how to make steamed lemonade. Sounds pretty fancy right?
Actually, steamed lemonade is simply lemonade that has been heated up. So feel free to use a good quality pre-made lemonade. Heat it up as you would water for the tea. Put the tea bags into the hot lemonade.
You are pretty close to figuring out the secret. Add some honey and voila! You just created a copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball at a fraction of the price.
HOW TO MAKE A STARBUCKS MEDICINE BALL AT HOME
Begin by combining water and lemonade and heating it, either on the stovetop or in the microwave, until it’s hot.
Next, steep the tea bags in the hot lemonade tea mixture for 2-3 minutes. Remove tea bags.
Finally, pour into a mug, and add in honey and peppermint extract. Stir to combine. Enjoy warm.
VARIATIONS ON THE COPYCAT STARBUCKS MEDICINE BALL
You can ask for an optional pump of peppermint syrup as well. I think that sounds great, but maybe you don’t want the added sugar. That is why I added peppermint extract as an optional ingredient to this recipe to give it that mint flavor without the sugar. Fresh mint leaves would also be nice in this hot drink.
DO YOU HAVE OTHER RECIPES FOR COLD AND FLU SEASON?
Chances are you want a medicine ball tea because the flu has come to town like an unwanted house guest. You know the type. Shows up at the worst time and stays too long.
Well, here are a few classic recipes known to help fight flu and colds:
- Chicken Noodle Soup with Sauerkraut
- Pumpkin Spice Hot Toddy
- Kapusniak (Polish Chicken Noodle Soup)
- Easy Fruit Salad
- Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Miracle Slushie Sore Throat Remedy
- Cinnamon Sore Throat Tea
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You don’t want to go wondering where you saw this recipe the next time you need it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board before you go!
See ALL of my Restaurant Copy Cat Recipes
So now you don’t have to go risk giving everyone else your cold by running out for a Medicine Ball at Starbucks. And wouldn’t you rather just stay home in bed getting better anyway? 
LIKE THIS RECIPE?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and
leave a comment below the recipe!
Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup lemonade I used Simply Light
- 1 bag Teavana Jade Citrus Mint Tea
- 1 bag Teavana Peach Tranquility Tea
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract optional
Instructions
- Combine water and lemonade and heat until hot, either on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Steep tea bags in the hot lemonade tea mixture for 2-3 minutes. Remove tea bags.
- Pour into a mug, add in honey and peppermint extract. Stir to combine.
- Enjoy warm.
Notes
- I used Simply Light Lemonade, it has fewer calories, and I like the pulp it has, too.
- Add more or less honey to taste. I felt the lemonade already made it sweet.
- I like the addition of the peppermint extract. It works to decongest. Leave it out if you don't like that extra bit of mint.
- Makes one 12-ounce serving.
- TO MAKE WITHOUT TEAVANA TEA: Follow the same instructions but in place of the Teavana Tea in the recipe use one of each of these teabags; Bigalow Mint Medley, Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion, and Celestial Seasonings Vitamin C Shine. I still add the peppermint extract to mine, but it's optional.
do you have a pattern or link for the coffee cup cozy shown here?
I don’t. I actually bought the mug that was a few years back. I am sorry!!
This recipe is spot on!
Although I tweaked the teas. Just caffeine free teas!! I found a citrus mint and a country peach tea, also caffeine free. The teas are loose teas, so I did buy tea bags. I did follow the recipe in regards to amounts of ingredients and lemonade!
I will certainly be making this tea often! The taste is, to me, identical to SB’s medicine ball.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Happy you enjoyed it and that you were able to make some tweaks to make it better for you! Thank you for the feedback! <3
I love it with the peppermint. I was wondering if you could also use peppermint syrup?
I think the difference there would be the added sugar from the syrup. The extract is just the flavoring, no sweetness. But if you enjoy the added peppermint, I bet it would be just fine as long as you weren’t looking to watch sugar intake or something.
I love this copycat recipe. Useful one. Thanks a lot for sharing.
I don’t think you could have made this any harder to find or read. Last time I’ll visit. The ads where ridiculous and just way too much.
I am assuming that you won’t be seeing this since your email isn’t real – but having a “jump to recipe button” a the top of the page is the EASIEST way to get yourself to the printable recipe card. Once there – simply click “print” and it’s yours to keep. Even if you never visit me again.
Have a lovely day where ever you are spreading your kindness. 😉
I LOVE
THE MEDICINE BALL
& your recipe intrigued me. But I cannot find any place to purchase the teabags in order to make this recipe. Do you know where I can purchase a Teavana tea bags? Please and thank you.
Apparently they are becoming scarce. Which is upsetting to me and so many others. I am digging into whether or not they are being made anymore. I will keep you posted. In the meantime I feel like you could get a similar, but not exact experience by using another peach tea, Celestial Seasonings has a Country Peach Passion, and Bigalow carries a Perfect Peach tea. Vahdam tea makes a Chamomile Mint Citrus, or you could do the Celestial Seasonings Citrus Sunrise and add a bit more pf the peppermint extract (to taste) or incorporate a mint tea as well.
I was able to purchase my tea bags directly from Starbucks. Hope this helps
(I’m in canada)
Good to know! Here where I live they didn’t have them. That was why I wanted to come up with an alternative. Happy Canada still has them! 🙂
When I make this I order mine off Amazon.
I’ve been making this for years. It’s a LIFE SAVER. Well…I’m almost out of both of my Teavana teas and they are NOWHERE TO BE FOUND! Do you have any recommendations for teas I can substitute to get the same effect?!?! THANK YOU!!!
It seems that everyone is beginning to have that problem. I made a call to my local Starbucks and was told that some of their locations carry the tea bags, but the one here does not. I am planning to dig into this further and see if there is any truth to the teas no longer being made.
In the meantime I feel like you could get a similar, but not exact experience by using another peach tea, Celestial Seasonings has a Country Peach Passion, and Bigalow carries a Perfect Peach tea. Vahdam tea makes a Chamomile Mint Citrus, or you could do the Celestial Seasonings Citrus Sunrise and add a bit more pf the peppermint extract (to taste) or incorporate a mint tea as well. I will keep digging.
Just an FYI I used regular peppermint tea and the Good & Gather peach honey tea (from target) and my daughter said it was spot on. Used your proportions with those tea bags and it was perfect!
Yay! That’s awesome!
The Medicine Ball teas can be substituted with Bigelow green tea with mint, and a peach tea. Add a peppermint tea if you don’t have the peppermint extract.
Thank you!!
Thanks a lot because I had this cough that I couldn’t get over and it was really painful and I was dealing with a headache and sore throat thank again from the bottom of my heart ❤️ amen
I am sorry to hear that you weren’t feeling well! Glad the medicine ball helped you! <3
I just had one of these from Starbucks because my wife is awesome and is trying to take care of me when I’m sick. We have a bunch of Tazo Zen teabags, and they have a bit of a mint flavor to them. I may have to try this with them and see how close it is.
Will you let me know how it goes? Sounds like your wife takes good care of you! 🙂
I use Tazo Zen and Bigelow “Ginger & Peach herbal tea”. Honestly it is spot on. As far as I am told by Starbucks, they are no longer selling the bags in the US!
It is so sad they aren’t!! I personally like the addition of the ginger – I know that the original doesn’t have it, but I am a fan of ginger tea, too!
Can I use the sugar free lemonade from crystal light? Diabetic can’t do the sugar
Yes! I have made it that way, too!
I’ve been using tazo zen and tazo peachy green. Very good!
I feel like everyone has the sniffles right now! This super tea was just what we needed!
5 stars is not enough!!! The medicine ball is my very favorite Starbucks drink! This recipe is amazing and identifican!! Thank
You so much!! I had to use different teas because Teavana isn’t available where I live, so I used Twinnings Peach and Orange Herbal Tea and Bigelow Perfectly Mint Black Tea. Again, thank you so much!!!
Ashley – I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and to share not only your love of this recipe, but your tweaks now that Teavana isn’t available anymore! Thank you kindly! <3
Recipe was spot on! Thanks! I used your recommended substitutions.
Happy that you liked it!