Yeast Free 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 water and maple syrup, which pulls out every bit of that cool, herbal fragrance before you ever add a drop of juice. Freshly squeezed orange and lime juice give the cooler a bright, tangy backbone that bottled juice simply can't match. Because every ingredient here is naturally free of fermentation and leavening agents, this is one of those refreshing drinks you can enjoy without second-guessing a single thing on the label. The chilled sparkling water goes in last with just a gentle stir, so you keep all that satisfying fizz right up until the first sip. Garnished with a lime wedge and a sprig of fresh mint, it's pretty enough to serve at a brunch or backyard gathering without any extra effort. Make the mint syrup ahead of time and keep it in the fridge, and you're only minutes away from a gorgeous, crowd-pleasing cooler.
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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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