Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball shows how to make this popular cold fighter super tea. A great soothing tea for cold and flu season.

Want to know how to make a copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball? Don’t tell anyone. I guess it was supposed to be a secret. 

‘Tis the season for colds and flu.  Starbucks Medicine Ball is a warm concoction made with lemonade, citrus mint and peach teas with honey.  Skip the prices at Starbucks and make this medicinal tea at home.  

 The Starbucks Medicine Ball used to only be available on the Starbucks secret menu, 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!

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 colds and scratchy sore throats is pretty common.  Once she discovered the Medicine Ball – 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 tea 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. 

The Secret Starbucks Medicine Ball Decoded

The Medicine Ball is Jade Citrus Mint Green Tea, Peach Tranquility Herbal Tea, hot water, steamed lemonade, and a bit of honey. Call it a Medicine Ball and charge Starbucks prices for it…

Lemonade and tea? When did that become a secret? 

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 is beginning to sound like the wisdom of the ancients just repackaged into a viral trending hashtag worthy beverage.. Kudos to Starbucks for making it into another home run for the shareholders.  

But I guess it completely makes sense why people refer to it as a “Medicine Ball.”  It certainly does have a lot of healthy components. Maybe it is “heavy” on colds and flu so it is like a medicine ball.  

You just don’t want to toss a medicine ball around. That is how people catch colds. 

In any event, I can see why people during cold and flu season seek them out enough to put them on the menu. 

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. In fact, you save so much money making your own that you might think of going into business and beating Starbucks pricing. 

What did you think you would need? A special lemonade steamer? 

But if you feel up to it, then go ahead and make steamed lemonade. Starbucks probably has a few “lemonade steamers” leftover from the holiday season sales. 

Variations On The Copy Cat Starbucks Medicine Ball

Some folks apparently like to add a bit of peppermint syrup as well. I think that sounds great, but some folks might find that it sweetens the drink too much. If you don’t want to add a ton of sugar, but you do want to kick up the mint a bit, then add some peppermint extract. 

You probably have some leftover from the last time you made a mint frosting way back in the back of your cupboard. 

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
• Easy Fruit Salad
• Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup
• Miracle Slushie Sore Throat Remedy
• Cinnamon Sore Throat Tea

^Love it? Pin it!^

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?

Yield: 1

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.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

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

1. Combine water and lemonade and heat until hot, either on the stovetop or in the microwave.
2. Steep tea bags in the hot lemonade tea mixture for 2-3 minutes. Remove tea bags.
3. Pour into a mug, add in honey and peppermint extract. Stir to combine.
4. 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 of you don't like that extra bit of mint.

Makes one 12 ounce serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 17mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 3gSugar: 45gProtein: 2g

nutrition isn't guaranteed accurate.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to know! Snap a picture, share the photo on social media with the hashtag #AnAffairFromTheHeart – I’d love to see what you made! – Michaela