High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Garden Mint Citrus Cooler
This refreshing drink is everything a warm-weather cooler should be — bright, herby, and just sweet enough to feel like a treat. The sweetness here comes entirely from real maple syrup, which gets gently simmered with fresh mint leaves to create a fragrant, naturally flavored simple syrup that no store-bought bottle can match. Freshly squeezed orange and lime juice bring a tart citrus punch that balances the syrup beautifully, while chilled sparkling water keeps things light and effervescent. Skipping corn syrup-sweetened mixers and sodas doesn't mean sacrificing flavor — it just means you're building something better from scratch. The steeping step is where the magic happens, coaxing every bit of herbal fragrance out of the mint before it ever hits a glass. It comes together quickly, looks stunning with a sprig of fresh mint and a lime wedge, and tastes like something you'd order at a fancy garden brunch. Make a big pitcher and keep it in the fridge — it disappears fast.
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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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