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I love starbucks drinksso when I wasn't feeling well, I decided to try their classic pill tea. (I have kids, so I tend to catch…everything!) It turns out that Honey Citrus Mint Tea is exactly what I need – the perfect soothing combination of lemon and honey to soothe my sore throat.Because I have my own nature Zero sugar honeyI used it to make a copycat Starbucks pill tea recipe at home!
Why you'll love this Starbucks medicine ball
- A delicious mixture of lemon and honey
- Smooth and soothing hot tea
- natural ingredients
- Ready in minutes
- Less sugar (and money!) than the Starbucks version
- Great for colder days

What is a Starbucks medicine ball?
Starbucks Medicine Ball, also known as Cold Buster Tea, is a honey citrus mint tea made with a blend of Teavana Peach Quiet and Jade Citrus Mint teas, steamed lemonade, and honey.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for your medicine ball drink, the role of each ingredient in the recipe, and substitution options.For measurements see Recipe card below.
- Tea – If you want this recipe to be as close to Starbucks as possible, use Teavana Jade Citrus Mint Tea Bags and a Teavana Peach Serenity Tea Bags. You can also substitute other peach and citrus green teas from your local grocery store.
- hot water – Simply boil water in a kettle or small saucepan on the stove.
- lemon juice – If you want to get closer to the original Starbucks recipe, you can use half lemonade and half tea instead of lemon juice. However, I find that fresh lemon juice reduces the sugar content and gives the drink a fresher taste.
- Honey – Starbucks uses regular honey for its exercise ball recipe (you can too).I prefer to use Natural sugar-free honey for the same sweet flavor.
Variation: Add fresh mint or extract!
If you like a mint flavor, add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon spearmint or peppermint extract, a pump of peppermint syrup, or add a handful of fresh mint leaves and stir gently to release their flavor.

How to Make Starbucks Pill Tea
This section shows how to make honey citrus mint tea similar to Starbucks pill drinks, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique to help you visualize it.For full instructions, including quantities and temperatures, see Recipe card below.
- combine. Place peach and citrus mint tea bags in cup. Add hot water and lemon juice.
- steep. Let the pill tea sit for a few minutes to steep.
- Adjust flavor. Stir in honey and adjust lemon juice to taste if desired.


Variation: Ice it!
You can also enjoy cold tea. Add a cup of ice to a glass and pour the prepared tea into it.
How to order penalty balls at Starbucks?
The exercise ball is a secret menu item at Starbucks, and you can order it with a cup of “Honey Citrus Mint Tea.” You can also say you'd like a hot cup of tea made with equal parts Teavana tea (peach and citrus mint), steamed lemonade, and honey.
Healthier drink recipes
This Starbucks copycat recipe is great if you're not feeling well. If you'd like another lighter drink, check out these recipes:
Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea (Honey Citrus Mint)
Brighten up your day with this 5-minute Starbucks pill tea recipe! It's a soothing blend of peach and citrus mint tea, lemon and honey.
Prepare: 5 Every minute
All: 5 Every minute
Serving size: 1 (Adjust according to recipe proportion)
raw material
Click on the underlined ingredients to see where you get them. Please turn off Safari reader mode to view ingredients.
instruct
Click on the time in the instructions below to start the kitchen timer while cooking.
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Place peach and citrus mint tea bags in cup. Add hot water and lemon juice.
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Let the pill tea sit 5 minutes Steep.
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Stir in honey to taste. Adjust lemon juice to taste if needed.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: Entire recipe (1 cup)
Nutritional Information Purpose Zero sugar honeybut routine also works.
nutrient content
Amount per serving. Serving sizes in recipe instructions above.
Calories 13
fat 0 grams
protein 0 grams
total carbohydrates 5 grams
net carbs 0.9 grams
fiber 4.1 grams
sugar 0.8g
Nutritional facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you're getting different results?Please check out our nutrition policy.
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