SHARE

Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea

February 16, 2024
Shanika | Orchids + Sweet Tea

DISCLAIMER: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you. Please read my policy page!

Try out the refreshing and soothing blend of flavors from Starbucks' famous Medicine Ball Tea in a whole new way! Turn your regular ice cubes into a revitalizing immune boosting treat that's quick + perfect for any occasion.

Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea

This Starbucks-inspired Medicine Ball Tea recipe is the ultimate soothing hot drink, perfect for those under-the-weather days when you need comfort. Made with healing manuka honey, zesty fresh lemon, peach, mint, and wild orange tea, plus fresh mint leaves. It's a comforting blend that's both refreshing + revitalizing. Transformed into immune-boosting large ice cubes for easy access—just pour over boiling water whenever you need a comforting sip! Vegan option.

Tea with a box of tea bags and honey stick.

I'm a huge tea lover, and while I enjoy plenty of tea bag options out there, nothing beats homemade tea for me. This tea is inspired by a popular Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea--- made by mixing brewed peach, citrus + mint teas with lemonade and manuka honey. I love brewing homemade teas. I decided to change things up by turning it into ice cubes for easy access. All you need to do is pour hot water over them. Busy working mamas totally get the convenience, right? Haha. Gotta love it!

I recently made some Citrus Ginger Turmeric Ice Cubes and figured I would use my favorite Starbucks tea as inspiration for my next easy ice cube tea recipe to keep loaded in my freezer. These Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea Ice Cubes are truly the most easiestconvenientimmune-boosting ice cubes that you can make and as with many of my recipes, you can always substitute and swap specific ingredients to meet your preference. You can also make it normally if you don't want to make icecubes!

If you love to sip on herbal tea give my Roasted Dandelion Strawberry Tea, Honey Grapefruit Cucumber Thyme Tea, Detox Green Tea Shot, and Citrus Pear Ginger Detox Tea a try next. They're all refreshingly delicious + healthy.

Jump to:

What Does Medicine Ball Tea Taste Like?

The Medicine Ball Tea, or as it's known by many as 'Honey Citrus Mint Tea' at Starbucks, brings together a wonderful mix of flavors. It's:

  • Warming + cozy
  • Citrus-infused with sweet orange tea + freshly squeezed lemon.
  • Refreshing with the minty notes.
  • Slightly fruity from the peach tea.
  • Sweet + rich with the addition of healing Manuka honey.

Why You’ll LOVE Medicine Ball Tea Ice Cubes

  • It’s super easy to make.
  • Only uses a handful of ingredients.
  • Oh so healthy—-awesome benefits with digestion, immune support, antioxidants, etc.
  • All NATURAL—including the sweetener!
  • Full of flavor + Caffeine-free
  • All delicious, warmness in a glass.
Ingredients on a burnt orange table.

What Are Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea Ice Cubes?

The Medicine Ball Tea, also dubbed "The Coldbuster," was once a secret menu item until Starbucks HQ caught on--- Now, you can order it as Honey Citrus Mint Tea. But it's reassuring (and budget-friendly) to know how to whip it up at home, especially when you're not feeling your best. I opted to turn it into ice cubes that you can easily pour boiling water onto for convenience without missing out on its perks.

What’s in a Starbucks Medicine Ball?

These ice cubes pack a powerful punch, ensuring that when you pour boiling water over them, your tea won't become weak or tasteless. Here's all you need! And if you prefer making the tea the traditional way, see below for the regular recipe!

Ingredients

MEDICINE BALL ICE CUBES:

  • Filtered water.
  • Lemons. Freshly-squeezed works best.
  • Manuka honey. You can also use raw organic honey if desired
  • Peach tea bags. I love Bigelow Tea
  • Mint tea bagsTazo tea has a great version.
  • Wild sweet orange tea bagsTazo tea has a great version of this also!
  • Lemon. Diced + seeds removed.

TEA:

  • Boiling hot water. To pour over your ice cube.
  • Manuka honey. To taste. It's best to add this in once the tea isn't boiling hot to maintain its health properties.
Ice cube trays with tea bags and lemon.

How To Make Traditional Medicine Ball Tea

If you prefer not to make ice cubes, no worries! Here's how you can make the original recipe at home!

Traditional Tea Process Ingredients

  • 1 cup water, filtered (boiling)
  • 1 tea bag Peach tea
  • 1 tea bag Mint tea
  • 1 tea bag Wild sweet orange
  • 1 lemon, freshly-squeezed
  • 2 Tbsps Manuka honey (or fave sweetener)
  • 1 lemon, sliced thin
  • 2-3 fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Simply combine all the ingredients together and give it a good stir. This recipe yields 1 serving, so feel free to double or triple it if you're making it for more than one person!

SHOP MY FAVORITE DRINKWARE ITEMS AND ACCESSORIES!

Here, I’ve curated a list of drinkware and tea essentials that I use to achieve my favorite drinking experiences, especially with this Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea. Everything from my fave glassware, teapots, ice cube trays, and more. SEE THEM HERE!

How to Order a Starbucks Medicine Ball

Originally a secret menu item, the Medicine Ball is now officially known as Honey Citrus Mint Tea on the Starbucks menu. However, if you're about to order and can't recall the name, don't worry. Most Starbucks baristas recognize it as the Medicine Ball, its original name and how it originated!

Sliced lemons on a cutting board with a knife.

What Else Can I Add To This Medicine Ball Tea?

Although this tea is undoubtedly delicious as is, here are a few more ideas if you're looking to add an extra health boost:

Jumbo ice cubes in a brown wood bowl.

What Ice Cube Trays Work Best?

Honestly, I'm a big believer in using whichever type of ice cube tray molds you'd prefer. I used a jumbo ball ice cube molds which comes with 4 molds, however, you can use various sizes depending on your preference. For smaller molds, you can adjust the amount of tea bags needed so that each mold has all THREE flavors.

Personally, Amazon has some amazing options and you can also purchase ice cube molds from large retailers such as Target, Walmart, etc. Of course, depending on the size and shape, you'll get a different amount of ice cubes per batch, so keep that in mind!

Ice cube in a glass mug.

Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea Ice Cubes Q + A's

How to store?

Store them in an airtight container or resealable bag in the freezer after they ar frozen to prevent them from absorbing unwanted odors and maintain their freshness for longer periods. They can be stored in the freezer for several weeks!

Can i use a different sweetener or none at all?

You can adjust the amount of sweetener depending on how sweet or unsweet you'd like for your tea to be. For the vegan option, use maple syrup, Agave, or organic cane sugar or brown sugar as the sweetener instead of honey.

Can these ice cubes be enjoyed cold?

Absolutely! While they're primarily designed for hot beverages, you can certainly add them to cold drinks for a subtle infusion of flavor.

Tea in a glass mug with honey stick and tea boxes.

More Copycat Starbucks Recipes

You've likely caught on that I'm big into Starbucks-inspired recipes/remakes! While grabbing a treat from Starbucks now and then is nice, it can definitely dent the wallet. That's why I love being able to make things at home where I have control over the ingredients + sweetness levels. So, here are a few more of my go-to Starbucks copycat recipes that I've whipped up:

Powerful Teas You Need To Try

If you’re like me, I am constantly walking around all day with a teacup in my hand. As much as I love my coffee, the variety of flavors and health benefits of tea make it my go-to choice throughout the day. This list of Powerful Teas You Need to Try will give you so many ideas for your tea habit!

Up close shot of tea with honey stick.

Sweetener Options? Vegan-friendly?

I like to add a bit of natural sweetener to most things that I drink, including these Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea Ice Cubes. I use manuka honey or raw honey, but if you are vegan you can sub it for maple syrup or agave. They are great options because they have antioxidants, much like honey which adds additional nutrients. However, you can try any healthy sweetener substitutions you like.

In fact, this post about The Best Healthy Sugar Alternatives + Substitutes is a great place to start!

Love Healthy Flavor Packed Drinks?

If you loved this Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea recipe, then you have to give these drinks a try next!

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you tried this Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea [Ice Cubes] recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!

Up close shot of tea with honey stick.

Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea [Ice Cubes]

February 16, 2024
5 from 2 votes
This Starbucks-inspired Medicine Ball Tea recipe is the ultimate soothing hot drink, perfect for those under-the-weather days when you need comfort. Made with healing manuka honey, zesty fresh lemon, peach, mint, and wild orange tea, plus fresh mint leaves. It's a comforting blend that's both refreshing + revitalizing. Transformed into immune-boosting large ice cubes for easy access—just pour over boiling water whenever you need a comforting sip! Vegan option.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4 LARGE ICE CUBES

Ingredients

MEDICINE BALL ICE CUBES:

  • 2 cups filtered water
  • 4 lemons, freshly-squeezed
  • ¼ cup Manuka honey (You can also use raw organic honey if desired)
  • 4 organic peach tea bags (I love Bigelow Tea)
  • 4 organic refresh mint tea bags (Tazo tea has a great version)
  • 4 wild sweet orange tea bags (Tazo tea has a great version)
  • 1 lemon, diced + seeds removed

TEA:

  • Boiling hot water
  • Monuka honey, to taste

Instructions

TO MAKE THE ICE CUBES:

  • In a bowl, mix together the water, lemon juice, and honey until combined.
  • Pour the stirred mixture into jumbo ball ice cube molds, add each flavor of tea bag to each mold (ensuring that there are 3 tea bags per mold) along with the small pieces of lemon, and freeze until solid, about 5 hours (minimum), depending on size.

TO MAKE THE TEA:

  • In your favorite mug, add 1 jumbo ball ice cube and top with hot boiling water, stirring until the ice dissolves and the tea bags are steeped. NOTE: You can add additional sweetener, if desired.
  • Sip and enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

  • ADDITIONAL BOOST: To add a boost to make these ice cubes more powerful, you can add cayenne pepper, turmeric powder,  or apple cider vinegar to the mix (1 teaspoon of either)!
  • ICE CUBE MOLDS: I used a jumbo ball ice cube molds which comes with 4 molds, however, you can use various sizes depending on your preference. For smaller molds, you can adjust the amount of tea bags needed so that each mold has all THREE flavors.
  • TRADITIONAL TEA [MINUS THE ICE CUBES]: See Post for details!

Nutrition

Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

DID YOU MAKE THIS recipe?

Tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea

Xx, Shanika in script writing

Love this Post? SHARE!

LOVE THIS RECIPE?
LET US KNOW!

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Love this Recipe?