Saturday, June 23, 2012

My version of Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade

I used to make fun of people who were addicted to Starbucks. I didn't understand how or why anyone would regularly pay $5 for coffee. But, I can't drink coffee. It tears up my stomach. It's not that I don't like it; it just doesn't like me.

But then I started teaching and families started giving me Starbucks gift cards as Christmas and thank-you gifts. At first I started giving them away, but after doing that a couple times, I realized that they have drinks other than coffee there. Thus my addiction to chai lattes was born. Then I ventured to green tea lattes and vanilla frappuchinos.

Then last summer I introduced myself to the passion tea lemonade and it was all over. Last summer though I had a lot of gift cards to spend so I didn't bat an eye every time I was thirsty and had a hankering for one of these delicious beverages. This year, however, I think I only got one Starbucks gift card at Christmas which has been long since spent. If I didn't come up with my own recipe soon, my wallet would be bowing down to the Starbucks gods all summer. 

There are a few recipes going around Pinterest right now about how to make Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade. Many of these recipes are using store bought lemonade like Simply Lemonade, which I have tried and to me it tastes "simply" awful. I personally think Simply Lemonade tastes fake no matter how "all natural" they try to claim it is. Even my husband, who is not picky in the slightest when it comes to food and drink, said that Simply Lemonade is nasty.

So I have created my own passion tea lemonade recipe by doing it the slow, old-fashioned way of using real lemons.


Beth's version of Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade
Basking in the sun with a book and a less-than $5 beverage
7 Cups Water
3 Tazo passion tea bags
3/4 cup lemon juice (from about 6-7 lemons)
3/4 cup agave nectar or 1 cup simple syrup

Fill a tea kettle with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Steep passion tea bags for 5+ minutes. Let cool.

In a pitcher, pour in the lemon juice, agave nectar (or simple syrup), 1 cup water and cooled passion tea. Stir.

Fill a tumbler with ice, take a book with you out on the patio, enjoy the fruits of your labor, and relish in the fact that you just saved yourself $5.




Like what you see? Check out my other food-related posts this week:
Recipe: Flank Steak with Black Beans
Cookbook review & recipe: Weeknights with Giada and grilled cheese with spinach and pancetta
Restaurant review: Logan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

13 comments:

  1. Oh man, I'm going to be making this ... like today. I have all the ingredients and I plan to work while sitting on the deck ... passion tea lemonade here I come.

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  2. This looks so refreshing! Thanks for sharing the recipe, looks like one I'll be making with the kids.

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  3. Looks delicious!! I'm not a big tea drinker but I think with some agave nectar (my favorite new discovery) this would be just sweet enough for my taste. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Sip sip, gulp. Ah, thanks for the drink :). I don't drink coffee either but will definitely try your lemonade recipe. Sounds soooooooooo refreshing.

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  5. Thanks for this recipe, what a great way to not only save money, but to know exactly what you are drinking.

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  6. A friend of mine (also a teacher!) who loves these started making these at home too and she uses the Trader Joes lemonade. I tasted it and it was pretty good. I'm going to have to try this as A likes these and I don't want to have to spend money buying them for her!

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  7. I never had this at Starbucks..maybe I need to try it....
    Then make my own.

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  8. It probably should have occurred to me before now that you could make this at home... as it is one of my favorite summer indulgences. Good call on the homemade bit!

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  9. Home made is almost always better.
    Have a great week.

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  10. I love homemade versions of big biz classics! Good for you!

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  11. Makes me very thirsty! I will have to try this soon.

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  12. This is an awesome idea and recipe. I really enjoy these as well, but find the acid is sometimes too much for my tummy. With this recipe I can adjust the actual amount of lemon or even switch to lime (which I find a little less acidic) to my liking. Thanks for sharing.

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  13. I have a Starbuck's gift certificate and I'm not a coffee drinker -- now I know what to do with the thing!

    The recipe for making it at home looks terrific.

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