Pecan Free Herbal Arnold Palmer with Fresh Herbs
This garden-fresh twist on a classic half-and-half drink is the kind of thing you'll want to sip on a warm afternoon and then immediately make again. Steeped black tea gets layered with fresh mint, basil, and optional culinary lavender for a floral, herbaceous depth that turns a simple beverage into something genuinely special. The homemade lemonade — squeezed from real lemons and balanced with a quick simple syrup — keeps everything bright and just sweet enough without tipping into cloying territory. Everything here is made from scratch with clean, whole ingredients, so there's no need to scan labels for hidden additives or worry about cross-contact from packaged drink mixes. The technique is straightforward: steep, strain, stir, and pour over ice. Garnished with a sprig of mint and a lemon slice, it looks as good as it tastes and is impressive enough to serve to guests without any extra effort.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
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.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!