Alpha Gal Friendly Garden Mint Citrus Cooler
Fresh citrus and garden mint come together in a sparkling drink that feels like summer in a glass. The mint simple syrup is made by steeping bruised fresh leaves in warm maple syrup, which gives the whole cooler a natural, herbaceous sweetness without any refined sugar or mystery additives. Freshly squeezed orange and lime juice keep things bright and tangy, while chilled sparkling water adds just the right amount of fizz. For anyone managing alpha-gal syndrome, beverages can be a surprisingly tricky category — certain flavorings and additives in store-bought drinks sometimes contain mammal-derived ingredients — so making this one from scratch puts you fully in control. Every single ingredient here is plant-based and straightforward, so there's nothing to second-guess. It comes together quickly, looks gorgeous garnished with a sprig of mint and a lime wedge, and is just as welcome at a backyard gathering as it is on a quiet afternoon. Keep a batch of the mint syrup in the fridge and you're only minutes away from a refreshing glass whenever the mood strikes.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the mint simple syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, plus more for garnish
For the cooler
- 1 cup fresh orange juice (from about 3 medium oranges)
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
- 3 cups sparkling water, chilled
- 2 cups ice cubes
For serving
- 4 lime wedges (optional)
- 4 small fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the water and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the maple syrup fully dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- 2
Add the mint leaves to the warm syrup and press them gently with a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon until fragrant and slightly bruised. Let the mint steep for 15 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing the leaves to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard the spent mint.
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