Coconut Free Classic Arnold Palmer

Total time45 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time5 min

5.0

(29)

Few drinks hit quite like a cold, sweating glass of half iced tea, half lemonade on a warm afternoon. This version is built entirely from scratch — steeped black tea, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and a quick homemade simple syrup — so you know exactly what's going into every sip. Store-bought versions can sneak in flavored syrups or blended bases with unexpected additives, but here every ingredient is straightforward and easy to verify. The lemonade side is bright and genuinely tart, the tea is clean and lightly robust, and together they strike that perfect balance that makes this drink so iconic. A handful of ice, a lemon slice, and a sprig of fresh mint turn it into something that looks as good as it tastes. It's endlessly refreshing, naturally free of any tropical or nut-based ingredients, and honestly one of the easiest crowd-pleasers you can make in a single pitcher.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the tea

4 cups water, divided
4 black tea bags

For the lemonade

½ cup granulated sugar
2 cup water
¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4–5 lemons)

For serving

ice, for serving
lemon slices, for serving (optional)
fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat, add the 4 tea bags, and steep for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags without squeezing them, then stir in the remaining 2 cups of cold water. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
2
While the tea cools, combine the sugar and 1/2 cup water in the saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved and the syrup is clear, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

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