Nutmeg Free Herbal Arnold Palmer with Fresh Herbs
This refreshing twist on a classic half-and-half drink layers fragrant herbal tea with bright, freshly squeezed lemonade for something that feels genuinely special without requiring much effort. The tea base steeps black tea bags together with fresh mint, fresh basil, and optional dried lavender, so every sip carries a subtle floral and herbal depth that the original Arnold Palmer simply doesn't have. A quick homemade simple syrup brings everything into balance, letting the lemon juice shine without any harsh tartness. Warm-weather drinks can sometimes sneak in unexpected spice blends or flavored syrups that introduce unwanted ingredients, but this one is built entirely from scratch with clean, straightforward components you can see and control. Pressing the steeped herbs through a fine-mesh strainer keeps the final drink smooth and beautifully clear, which also makes it stunning over ice with a few mint sprigs and lemon slices tucked in. It's the kind of drink that looks like it came from a garden-party catering menu but comes together in your own kitchen with minimal fuss.
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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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