Rice Free Herbal Arnold Palmer with Fresh Herbs
This is the kind of drink that makes you feel like you're sitting on a porch somewhere warm, even if you're just standing in your own kitchen. Black tea gets steeped together with fresh mint, basil, and optional lavender for a floral, herbaceous base that's miles more interesting than anything you'd pour from a bottle. The homemade lemonade — squeezed from real lemons and balanced with a quick simple syrup — brings bright, tart contrast that ties everything together beautifully. Every single ingredient here is naturally grain-free, so there's nothing to second-guess or swap out. It's a genuinely refreshing upgrade to a classic that works just as well for a casual afternoon as it does for entertaining guests. The fresh herb garnishes aren't just pretty — they reinforce the garden-fresh aroma with every sip.
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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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