Starbucks Medicine Ball Recipe Without Lemonade

This copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe without lemonade only needs 5 ingredients. Just add two bombs to your favorite cup of tea for an instant pick-me-up!

Whether you need to soothe a sore throat, a hot tea to curl up with on chilly days, or just want to sip something relaxing at night, this Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe without lemonade is for you. 

Lemons, ginger, coconut water, and honey combine for this healing elixir that tastes as refreshing as Starbucks’ “Cold Buster.”

Just blend the ingredients together and pour the mixture into an ice cube tray. And voila!

You have Medicine Ball cubes ready to transform your favorite cup of tea into the perfect concoction when you are not feeling your best. 

These bombs are best enjoyed with mint tea. 😉

What Is a Medicine Ball Drink?

The Medicine Ball is a Starbucks drink made with steamed lemonade, hot water, peach tea, mint tea, and honey.

And just by seeing the ingredients, I know you’ll immediately understand why some people called this Starbucks beverage a flu season essential. In fact, it became so popular that it was removed from Starbucks’ secret menu and added to the official menu with a new name!

So in case your barista doesn’t know what Medicine Ball is, just ask for honey citrus mint tea.

But wait. Let’s be realistic for a second.

If you’re already feeling under the weather, scratchy throat, runny nose, headache, and all, would you be in the mood to go for a Starbucks run? 

I think a soothing cup ready in 5 minutes will be more up your alley! You just need to add two of these Medicine Ball ice cubes to your favorite mint tea for the perfect drink. 

Oh, and you don’t need to wait until you have a cough or cold to enjoy this dupe for Medicine Ball. Since they’re more like ice cubes, you can use them on cold and hot teas.

Prepare yourself a cup and be instantly reminded to slow down.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in a Pinch: Do you feel under the weather? Forget the queues and make this Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe at home instead! You only need 5 ingredients, and you can even make a big batch so you have the Medicine Ball cubes ready whenever you need them.
• No Refined Sugars: This Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe without lemonade ditches the refined sugars and swaps lemonade for actual lemons. This copycat drink also takes its feel-good properties to the next level by incorporating ginger in the blend!
• Customize Your Cup: Try this copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball tea recipe with different kinds of tea. Adjust the strength of the brew, sweeten it more with honey, or add different extracts and spices. Who says a cold-busting tea has to taste like bad medicine? 

What Does Starbucks Medicine Ball Recipe Without Lemonade Taste Like?

Don’t be fooled by this comforting drink’s name. 

Medicine Ball, thankfully, doesn’t taste like medicine. 

Instead, it’s a soothing and refreshing drink that perfectly combines mint and citrus flavors. Since this is also a Starbucks medicine ball recipe without lemonade, you’ll get a strong lemon flavor, which goes especially well with mint tea. 

Furthermore, this version of Medicine Ball has two unique ingredients: coconut water and ginger. 

The former, together with honey, adds a nice sweetness to the citrusy blend.

Ginger, on the other hand, lends a spiciness that you’ll surely enjoy, especially if you’re drinking this tea to ease those annoying cold symptoms. 

Believe me; as someone who’s not a big fan of ginger’s warming taste, you’ll still appreciate its presence in this drink. 

What’s in a Starbucks Medicine Ball?

• Lemons – How to make Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe without lemonade? Use fresh lemons in place of sugary lemonade. You don’t even need to juice them. Just clean and chop them up!
• Ginger – This makes this homemade Medicine Ball extra soothing, so don’t be scared of raw ginger.
• Raw honey – Honey will be our sweetener to make this copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball more enjoyable to sip. Yup, I bet even kids will love this drink. You can also add more honey when you assemble your cup of tea and Medicine Ball cubes. 
• Coconut water – Our main liquid for the Medicine Ball ice cubes. It also adds a delicate sweetness to balance the strong lemon and ginger flavor.
• Mint tea – You can use any tea you like, but for a soothing drink, mint tea will never let you down. It’s also the perfect tea if you plan on drinking your Medicine Ball tea at night since it’s caffeine-free!

Tools Needed To Prepare Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball

• Blender for blending the ingredients together
• Ice cube tray for freezing the Medicine Ball mixture

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Starbucks Medicine Ball Recipe

What could I use instead of coconut water?

Can’t get your hands on coconut water? You can still make this delicious drink at home with regular water.

What kind of tea is the Medicine Ball at Starbucks?

This Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe without lemonade will give you Medicine Ball cubes ready to be stirred into any tea, hot or cold. 

But if you want a taste super close to the honey citrus mint tea from Starbucks, use peach and green tea from Teavana. 

I’ve been seeing mixed opinions regarding the actual Starbucks Medicine Ball. Some like its very fruity taste, while others are looking for a more minty flavor.

So, for those of you who love Medicine Ball’s fruity sweetness, definitely go for this tea combo.

Optional add-ins

Customize your Starbucks Medicine Ball tea recipe with extra ingredients!

Make an extra refreshing cup by adding some peppermint extract for an extra refreshing cup.

Or, if your taste buds feel something is missing in this sweet, citrusy mint tea, try it with a dash of cinnamon.

How to Make a Starbucks Medicine Ball

Ingredients:

• 5 fresh lemons, scrubbed, washed, and chopped
• 1 ginger, scrubbed and washed
• 1/3 cup raw honey
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• Mint tea for serving

Tools you need:

• Blender
• Ice cube tray

Instructions:

STEP 1: Let’s gather the ingredients for this Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe without lemonade.

STEP 2: Blend all the ingredients until smooth.

STEP 3: Pour the mixture into an ice cube tray. Freeze overnight.

STEP 4: To serve, prepare your mint tea as usual. Steep for 5 minutes or until you get your desired strength.

STEP 5: Add two Medicine Balls to your cup of tea. Stir until melted and combined.

STEP 6: You can also add more lemon juice or honey to taste. Enjoy!

What To Serve With Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea

Medicine Ball tea is not just for flu season. You can also enjoy the cozy drink whenever for an instant pick-me-up. 

Because of its refreshing, citrusy, minty taste, this copycat Starbucks tea will be perfect with something sweet on the side. Think cake, pastries, or cookies like our chai-spiced sugar cookies for afternoon snacking. 😋

Want a comforting meal? Pair this cozy cup with a hot bowl of stovetop chicken noodle soup! 

For hot nights, drink your Medicine Ball tea cold. I imagine it with something wholesome, like a shrimp sushi bowl for a nourishing dinner. 

Tips About Making Starbucks Medicine Ball Recipe At Home

• Feel free to use a food processor to blend your Medicine Ball mixture more smoothly. Some blenders might not be powerful enough to blend the lemons. 
• If you find the lemon flavor too strong on your Medicine Ball tea, juice the lemons instead of blending them with their peels. This option is also better if you hate having floaties in your drink. 
• For summer, swap regular ice cubes with these Medicine Balls in your iced tea! You can also try these bombs with green tea or black tea if you’re not a fan of mint tea.

How To Store Medicine Ball Tea

• Fridge: If you’ve already stirred and melted these Medicine Ball ice cubes in your tea but failed to finish the cup, you can refrigerate the leftovers for up to 5 days. 
• Freezer: These Medicine Balls will last in the freezer for several months. But for the best flavor, just make them from scratch. You can make them the night before!

What Is a Medicine Ball from Starbucks Called?

The Medicine Ball was a Starbucks secret menu item, so don’t be surprised if your barista doesn’t know what it is.

Instead, ask them for honey citrus mint tea, which is just Medicine Ball, renamed when it was added to the official menu.

Some people also call the Medicine Ball the “Cold Buster,” so I’m not surprised why there are many copycat recipes for this soothing drink. It’s definitely a must-have in your DIY drinks repertoire, cold season or not.  

What Does the Medicine Ball from Starbucks Do?

Medicine Ball is nicknamed the “Cold Buster” because it’s a soothing beverage. It’s one of those warm, refreshing drinks that can relieve the discomfort of cold symptoms. 

But despite the name, Medicine Ball tea can’t substitute for cold medicine. This drink is not a cure. 

Its benefits come from being hydrating and from the relief of colds and sore throats that can be experienced when drinking a warm beverage.

FAQ About Medicine Ball

Does Medicine Ball have caffeine?

This Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe without lemonade is made with mint tea, so it’s caffeine-free. But if you get the honey citrus mint tea from Starbucks, be aware that it contains caffeine from green tea. 

How much caffeine is in a Medicine Ball from Starbucks?

Starbucks Medicine Ball, now called the honey citrus mint tea, contains around 16 mg of caffeine. If you want your drinks caffeine-free, consider this copycat Medicine Ball drink!

How much is a Medicine Ball at Starbucks?

The starting price of the Medicine Ball drink is around $3.15. However, it will still depend on your Starbucks location and, of course, your chosen cup size.

Is honey citrus mint tea the same as a Medicine Ball?

Yup. So next time you want to try the raved-about soothing beverage, just ask for honey citrus mint tea. This is now the name of Medicine Ball when it was added to Starbucks’ official menu. 

What tea is similar to Teavana for copycat Starbucks medicine ball?

It was mentioned that Starbucks uses Teavana for the peach and mint/green tea in their Medicine Ball. But if you can’t find this particular tea brand, try the peach tea and mint tea from Celestial Seasonings for your DIY hot drink.

Conclusion

This Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe without lemonade is ready in 5 minutes with 5 simple ingredients! Just blend the ingredients together and pour the mixture into an ice cube tray.

Your honey citrus bombs are ready to upgrade your cup of mint tea in no time. 

You can also add the Medicine Ball cubes to any flavor or temperature of tea! 

So, while it’s a delicious and refreshing way to power through the cold and flu season, Medicine Ball tea is perfect for year-round sipping.

It’s also more affordable and practical than going to Starbucks. 😉

Do you have a favorite drink from Starbucks? You probably can make it at home! Check out these Starbucks drink recipes:

• Kiwi Starfruit Refresher
• Apple Crisp Frappuccino
• Mango Dragonfruit Refresher
• Caramel Brulee Latte