Iced Guava White Tea Lemonade (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)

The summer of ’09 saw the birth of a couple of new Starbucks tea lemonades. Starbucks tweeted, “All the ahhh you need in three new ways.” And one of those new ahhhs was the iced guava white tea lemonade. 

I must say, these tea lemonades are the most refreshing items on Starbucks’ menu, and you just feel healthy when you know you’re drinking tea and not just a sugary soft drink.

So, here’s my take for a fabulous iced guava white tea lemonade. It’s easy to prepare and making your own saves you tons of money. I also end up drinking two or three during a hot summer evening, so it makes sense to make my own. 

We start with some Teavana white tea, or any other whole leaf white tea you can find. We have to brew the tea beforehand in boiling water for three minutes and then let it cool; this is our tea lemonade base.

Instead of mixing the tea with lemonade, we’ll emulate the Starbucks version’s intense flavors by using the tea as water for lemonade. Raw sugar or turbinado is also critical; Starbucks uses cane sugar, and so will we. 

As for the guava flavor, you’ll be fine with boxed guava juice, there are plenty of options on the market, and they’re all quite tasty. Sweet and gritty, guava is a fantastic fruit that deserves more recognition, that’s why today it will be the star of the show!

Did you know white tea is the same as black and green teas? They’re all the same plant, but the leaves are treated differently. Legend has it white tea was reserved exclusively for the Chinese Emperor, so some call it Emperor’s tea. 

Back to our tea lemonade, we’re using fresh lemon juice, and that’s where our version is even better than the original. Nothing can beat fresh ingredients.

Now we’re ready to craft a thirst-quenching iced guava white tea lemonade Starbucks copycat. Did I tell you it’s ready in less than ten minutes? Just shake it all, and you’ll have a wonderful drink in your hands!