Carrageenan Free Orange Cinnamon Agua Fresca
Bright, citrusy, and lightly spiced, this agua fresca is the kind of refreshing drink that makes you wonder why you ever reached for a bottled beverage in the first place. The base is pure and simple — fresh navel oranges blended with a homemade cinnamon tea, a touch of maple syrup, and a pinch of salt to round everything out. That cinnamon tea step is a small but brilliant move: simmering a single cinnamon stick in water coaxes out deep, warm flavor without any powders or additives you'd have to scrutinize on a label. Many store-bought drinks and flavored waters sneak in thickeners and stabilizers that people avoiding carrageenan have to watch out for, but every ingredient here is exactly what it says it is. Blending and straining the mixture gives you a silky, jewel-toned drink that looks stunning poured over ice with an orange wedge on the rim. It's naturally sweetened, genuinely easy to make, and the kind of thing you'll want to keep in a pitcher in the fridge all week.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 large navel oranges, peeled and segmented (about 3 cups flesh)
- 2 cups cold water
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp fine salt
For the cinnamon tea
- 1 cup water, for the cinnamon tea
For serving
- ice, for serving
- orange slices or wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the cinnamon stick and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the water is lightly amber and fragrant. Remove from heat and let the cinnamon tea cool for 15 minutes, then discard the cinnamon stick.
- 2
Add the orange segments, cooled cinnamon tea, 2 cups cold water, maple syrup, and salt to a blender. Blend on high for 30–45 seconds, until completely smooth.
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