Pistachio Free Garden Mint Citrus Cooler
Bright, citrusy, and refreshingly herbal, this sparkling cooler is the kind of drink that makes any afternoon feel like a special occasion. Fresh orange juice and lime juice bring a natural, sun-ripened sweetness and tang, while a homemade mint simple syrup — steeped right in the warm liquid so every drop is fragrant — ties everything together beautifully. Maple syrup stands in for refined sugar, giving the syrup a subtle depth that pairs surprisingly well with the citrus. The whole thing gets lifted by chilled sparkling water, so each sip is light and effervescent without being cloying. Since every ingredient here is whole and straightforward, there's zero guesswork about what's actually in your glass — no store-bought mixes, no mystery additives. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a lime wedge and it looks just as good as it tastes.
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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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