Gelatin Free Classic Arnold Palmer

Total time45 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time5 min

5.0

(29)

Few drinks are as satisfying as a tall, ice-cold glass of equal parts sweet tea and fresh lemonade — it's the kind of refreshment that feels like summer in a sip. This version is made entirely from scratch, with real brewed black tea and a quick homemade simple syrup stirred together with freshly squeezed lemon juice. The result is bright, tart, and just sweet enough, with none of the artificial flavors or mystery additives you'd find in a bottled version. For anyone avoiding animal-derived thickeners or gelling agents, this drink is naturally in the clear — it's just tea, citrus, sugar, and water doing exactly what they do best. Steeping the tea without squeezing the bags keeps it smooth and clean-tasting, while the simple syrup ensures the sweetness blends in evenly rather than settling at the bottom. Garnish with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint and you've got something that looks as good as it tastes. It's endlessly refreshing, effortlessly crowd-pleasing, and genuinely hard to stop drinking.

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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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