This is a straightforward homemade version of Starbucks’ Winter Citrus Refresher — packed with sweet citrus, a little fizz, and that sneaky jalapeño kick. Looks fancy. Feels like vacation. Comes together faster than you can text “u up?”
Jump to RecipeQuick Summary
- Prep time: 10 mins
- Cook time: 5 mins (for syrup)
- Flavor: citrusy, spicy, bright
- Great for: winter blues, mocktail hours, impressing yourself
Why I Like This Recipe
One sip and I was like—okay who let this be so good?? It’s juicy and punchy and that jalapeño hits right where it should. I made it for a random Tuesday afternoon pick-me-up and ended up sipping it in my hoodie, pretending I was somewhere warm. Citrus + heat? Instant mood lift. Also… it’s really pretty.
Ingredients
Jalapeño Simple Syrup
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 small jalapeño (seeded + sliced)
Mocktail
• 1 oz jalapeño syrup
• 2 oz freshly squeezed clementine juice
• 1 oz orange juice
• ½ oz lime juice
• 2 oz club soda
• Ice
• Garnishes: lime wheel, clementine wedge, jalapeño slice
How To Make Winter Citrus Refresher
- Simple syrup: Combine sugar, water, jalapeño in saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stir gently.
- Kill the heat, let it sit 15 mins. Strain it. Chill it. Syrup done.
- Build the drink: Fill your glass with ice. Add syrup, citrus juices.
- Stir a few times. Top with club soda.
- Garnish like you’re on a cooking show: lime, clementine, jalapeño.
Tips for Success
- Don’t skip seeding the jalapeño unless you love chaos.
- Use fresh juice — the bottled stuff doesn’t hit the same.
- Let the syrup cool before using or it’ll melt the ice too fast.
- You can batch the syrup — keeps a week in the fridge.
- Add tequila if the vibes call for it (wink).
Storage and Reheating
- Simple Syrup: Fridge it. Airtight container. Lasts up to a week.
- The Drink: Don’t store it — it’s a one-and-done kinda drink. Make it fresh.
FAQs
Use fewer jalapeño slices or pull them out early from the syrup.
Totally. Tequila, gin, or vodka work great.
Go with tangerines or more orange juice. Still great.
Yes — multiply everything except the soda. Add that per glass.
Lemonade, margaritas, iced tea — it’s versatile and spicy.
Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them
- Too spicy → didn’t strain the syrup soon enough. Fix: Taste at 10 mins, don’t over-infuse.
- Flat drink → soda added too early. Fix: Pour soda last.
- Weird taste → bottled juice or old fruit. Fix: fresh citrus only.
- Melty mess → syrup too hot. Fix: let it cool fully.
- Syrup crystallized → didn’t stir while heating. Fix: stir till sugar dissolves completely.
Nutrition Facts (Per Drink)
- Calories: ~80 kcal
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Sodium: ~2 mg
- Potassium: varies
- Total Carbohydrate: 20 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0 g
- Sugars: 18 g
- Protein: 0 g
Winter Citrus Refresher Recipe
Course: DrinksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy1
servings10
minutes5
minutes80
kcalA zesty, fizzy mocktail with fresh citrus and jalapeño — bright, spicy, and totally refreshing.
Ingredients
- Jalapeño Simple Syrup
½ cup suga
½ cup wate
1 small jalapeño (seeded + sliced)
- Mocktail
1 oz jalapeño syrup
2 oz freshly squeezed clementine juice
1 oz orange juice
½ oz lime juice
2 oz club soda
Ice
Garnishes: lime wheel, clementine wedge, jalapeño slice
Directions
- Make jalapeño syrup (simmer, steep, strain).
- Fill glass with ice.
- Add syrup + citrus juices.
- Stir, top with soda.
- Garnish and sip slow.
Notes
- Control heat by straining syrup early.
- Always use fresh juice.
- Soda last = fizz forever.
- Syrup lasts 1 week in fridge.
