Sesame Free Herbal Arnold Palmer with Fresh Herbs
This drink is the ultimate warm-weather refresher — a fragrant, herb-forward twist on the classic half-and-half that feels genuinely special without requiring any fancy equipment. Black tea gets steeped together with fresh mint and basil, pulling out layers of cool, aromatic flavor that plain iced tea simply can't match. A touch of optional lavender adds a floral note that makes the whole thing feel like something you'd order at a garden café. The homemade simple syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice bring a bright, clean tartness that bottled lemonade just can't compete with. Everything here is naturally free from sesame and hidden allergens — no store-bought shortcuts that might carry cross-contact risks, just whole ingredients you can trust. It comes together in stages but the process is relaxed and low-stress, and the result is a gorgeous, layered drink that looks as good as it tastes over a tall glass of ice.
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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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