High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Green Tea Citrus Agua Fresca
This refreshing drink is everything a summer beverage should be — bright, lightly sweet, and layered with flavor from freshly squeezed oranges and limes balanced against delicate green tea. Maple syrup does the sweetening here, which means you get a clean, natural sweetness without any of the processed corn-derived syrups that sneak into so many store-bought drinks and cocktail mixers. The technique is simple but thoughtful: steeping the tea just long enough to draw out its grassy, floral notes without turning bitter, then chilling it before combining with the citrus blend for a perfectly smooth result. A pinch of fine salt in the citrus base is the quiet secret that makes all the bright flavors pop. Everything gets strained through a fine-mesh sieve so the final pour is crystal clear and gorgeous over ice. It's the kind of drink that looks impressive garnished with a citrus wheel and a sprig of fresh mint, but honestly requires almost no effort to pull together.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the green tea base
- 4 cups water
- 4 green tea bags
- 3 tbsp maple syrup, plus more to taste
For the citrus blend
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 medium oranges)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice (from about 3 limes)
- 2 cups cold water
- ¼ tsp fine salt
For serving
- 1 cup ice cubes, for serving
- 4 thin orange or lime slices, for garnish (optional)
- 4 fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat. Add the green tea bags and steep for 3 minutes, until the tea is a clear, pale gold-green color. Remove and discard the bags — do not squeeze them, as this releases bitter tannins.
- 2
Stir the maple syrup into the hot tea until fully dissolved. Let the sweetened tea cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes, then refrigerate until cold, at least 10 minutes.
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