Nutmeg Free Garden Mint Citrus Cooler
Bright, citrusy, and genuinely refreshing, this sparkling drink is the kind of thing you'll want to keep on rotation all summer long. Fresh orange juice and lime juice bring a natural tartness that pairs beautifully with a homemade mint simple syrup made from maple syrup instead of refined white sugar — giving it a subtle depth you just don't get from a store-bought mixer. The mint is steeped right into the warm syrup, so every sip carries that cool, herbal fragrance without any overpowering bitterness. Finishing with chilled sparkling water keeps everything light and effervescent, and a gentle stir means you hold onto every last bubble. It comes together in a single pitcher, which makes it easy to scale up for a crowd or keep in the fridge for an afternoon pick-me-up. Garnished with a fresh mint sprig and a wedge of lime, it looks far more impressive than the effort involved.
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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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