Nightshade Free Herbal Arnold Palmer with Fresh Herbs
This drink is the ultimate warm-weather refresher — a fragrant, garden-fresh twist on the classic half-and-half that feels genuinely special without requiring much effort. Black tea gets steeped alongside fresh mint and basil, pulling out layers of herbal flavor that make every sip feel a little more interesting than your average iced tea. The lavender is optional, but if you have it on hand, it adds a subtle floral note that takes the whole thing to another level. A quick homemade simple syrup keeps things balanced, while bright, freshly squeezed lemon juice brings just the right amount of tartness to cut through the sweetness. Nightshades are nowhere near this recipe — it's built entirely on tea, citrus, fresh herbs, and sugar, so there's nothing to second-guess or swap out. It's the kind of drink that looks impressive served in tall glasses over ice with a sprig of mint, but comes together with pantry staples and a little patience. Make a big pitcher and keep it in the fridge — it disappears fast.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the herbal tea
- 4 cups water, divided
- 3 black tea bags
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, lightly packed
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
- 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender (optional)
For the simple syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
For the lemonade
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4–5 lemons)
- 1 ½ cups cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring 2 cups of the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags, mint leaves, basil leaves, and dried lavender (if using), and steep for 5 minutes.
- 2
Remove and discard the tea bags. Strain the tea through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing the herbs gently to extract their liquid, then discard the solids. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of cold water and let the tea cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
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