My version of Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade

I used to make fun of people who were addicted to Starbucks. I didn't understand how or why anyone would regularly pay $5 for coffee. But, I can't drink coffee. It tears up my stomach. It's not that I don't like it; it just doesn't like me.

But then I started teaching and families started giving me Starbucks gift cards as Christmas and thank-you gifts. At first I started giving them away, but after doing that a couple times, I realized that they have drinks other than coffee there. Thus my addiction to chai lattes was born. Then I ventured to green tea lattes and vanilla frappuchinos.

Then last summer I introduced myself to the passion tea lemonade and it was all over. Last summer though I had a lot of gift cards to spend so I didn't bat an eye every time I was thirsty and had a hankering for one of these delicious beverages. This year, however, I think I only got one Starbucks gift card at Christmas which has been long since spent. If I didn't come up with my own recipe soon, my wallet would be bowing down to the Starbucks gods all summer. 

There are a few recipes going around Pinterest right now about how to make Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade. Many of these recipes are using store bought lemonade like Simply Lemonade, which I have tried and to me it tastes "simply" awful. I personally think Simply Lemonade tastes fake no matter how "all natural" they try to claim it is. Even my husband, who is not picky in the slightest when it comes to food and drink, said that Simply Lemonade is nasty.

So I have created my own passion tea lemonade recipe by doing it the slow, old-fashioned way of using real lemons.


Beth's version of Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade

Basking in the sun with a book and a less-than $5 beverage

7 Cups Water
3 Tazo passion tea bags
3/4 cup lemon juice (from about 6-7 lemons)
3/4 cup agave nectar or 1 cup simple syrup

Fill a tea kettle with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Steep passion tea bags for 5+ minutes. Let cool.

In a pitcher, pour in the lemon juice, agave nectar (or simple syrup), 1 cup water and cooled passion tea. Stir.

Fill a tumbler with ice, take a book with you out on the patio, enjoy the fruits of your labor, and relish in the fact that you just saved yourself $5.




Like what you see? Check out my other food-related posts this week:
Recipe: Flank Steak with Black Beans
Cookbook review & recipe: Weeknights with Giada and grilled cheese with spinach and pancetta
Restaurant review: Logan, Ann Arbor, Michigan