Walnut 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 complicated technique. Black tea gets steeped alongside 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 almost spa-like. The homemade simple syrup and fresh-squeezed lemon juice bring a bright, tart balance that store-bought lemonade just doesn't deliver. Every single ingredient here is naturally free from tree nuts, so there's zero label-reading stress — just straightforward, clean sipping. It's the kind of drink you'll want to batch up for a backyard gathering and watch disappear in minutes.
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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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