Turmeric Free Herbal Arnold Palmer with Fresh Herbs
This garden-fresh twist on a classic Arnold Palmer is the kind of drink that makes a hot afternoon feel like a proper occasion. Black tea gets steeped alongside fresh mint and basil, pulling out bright, aromatic flavors that go way beyond anything you'd get from a standard tea bag. A quick homemade simple syrup keeps things perfectly balanced, and the fresh-squeezed lemon juice gives the lemonade side a clean tartness that bottled versions just can't match. Many flavored teas and store-bought lemonade mixes sneak in unexpected spices or colorings, so making this from scratch means you know exactly what's in your glass. The optional lavender adds a floral note if you're feeling fancy, but the drink is absolutely stunning without it. Poured over ice with a sprig of mint and a lemon slice, it looks like something from a restaurant patio — and it comes together with nothing more than a saucepan, a strainer, and a pitcher.
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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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