This classic Arnold Palmer combines fresh lemonade and iced tea into a light, refreshing drink that’s ideal for backyard barbecues, game day, or lounging on the golf course.
Table of contents
- Why you’ll love it
- How to Make the Arnold Palmer Drink
- Recipe tips
- Variations
- FAQ
- How to store
Why you’ll love it
Named for the legendary American golfer, the Arnold Palmer is a perfectly balanced non-alcoholic drink — sweet, tart and incredibly refreshing. This version uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients: homemade lemonade made from fresh lemons and a bit of simple syrup, combined with robust black tea. The classic finish is a one-to-one pour of lemonade and tea, but the recipe is flexible: spike it with vodka or bourbon for a cocktail twist, or use store-bought tea and lemonade to speed up prep.
Ingredients and substitutions
Tea:
- Family-sized black tea bags (Luzianne or your favorite black tea). For convenience, use store-bought unsweetened iced tea.
- Filtered water for best flavor.
Lemonade:
- Filtered water.
- Sugar — white sugar gives a clean flavor; use Demerara or turbinado for a deeper, richer note if desired.
- Fresh lemon juice — squeeze lemons for the brightest taste. Meyer lemons work nicely as an alternative. If short on time, swap in ready-made lemonade.
- Lemon slices, wedges or a lemon wheel for garnish. A sprig of fresh mint is optional and refreshing.
How to Make the Arnold Palmer Drink
Make the tea:
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat, add the tea bags and steep for about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining 2 cups of water to dilute, stir, then refrigerate until the tea is completely chilled.
Make the simple syrup and lemonade:
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 1 cup water over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool.
- Once cooled, stir in the remaining water and the fresh lemon juice. Refrigerate until chilled.
Combine and serve:
- In a large pitcher, mix equal parts chilled tea and chilled lemonade (1:1 is classic). Fill glasses with ice and pour the mixture over the ice.
- Garnish with lemon slices or mint if desired. This batch yields about 7 cups.
Recipe tips
- Plan for about 4 hours of cooling time in the refrigerator for both the tea and the lemonade; overnight chilling works well too.
- To save time, use store-bought unsweetened iced tea and ready-made lemonade; this shortcut delivers a great result in minutes.
Variations
Spiked Arnold Palmer
Build a dirty Arnold Palmer in a rocks glass filled with ice: add 1½ ounces vodka (regular or sweet tea vodka), then ½ cup lemonade and ½ cup tea. Stir and garnish with a lemon wheel.
John Daly
A John Daly substitutes bourbon for vodka. Mix 1½ ounces bourbon with ½ cup lemonade and ½ cup tea over ice. Add an extra splash of bourbon for more punch.
Lavender Honey Arnold Palmer
Swap the simple syrup for lavender honey syrup: simmer ¾ cup honey, 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons dried lavender for about 5 minutes, strain and cool. Use this syrup when making the lemonade for a floral, aromatic version.
FAQ
A robust black tea such as orange pekoe or a standard black tea blend works best because it pairs well with citrus and balances the sweetness.
Yes. Store-bought unsweetened iced tea and bottled lemonade are convenient shortcuts that significantly reduce prep time.
The classic is 1 part lemonade to 1 part tea (half and half). If you prefer a less sweet drink, try 1 part lemonade to 3 parts tea and adjust to taste.
A good-quality vodka or a sweet tea-flavored vodka complements the drink. Use about 1½ ounces per serving for a balanced cocktail.
How to store
Serve the Arnold Palmer the day it’s made for the freshest flavor. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days; for best texture and taste, store the tea and lemonade separately and mix just before serving.
📖 Recipe
Iced Tea Lemonade
Ingredients
Tea
- 2 family-sized tea bags
- 4 cups water, divided
Lemonade
- 3 cups water, divided
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (about 5 lemons)
- Lemon slices or wedges for serving
Instructions
Tea
- Boil 2 cups of water, add the tea bags and steep 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining 2 cups water, stir, then refrigerate until completely chilled.
Lemonade
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with 1 cup water over medium heat, stirring until dissolved. Cool, then add the remaining water and lemon juice. Refrigerate until chilled.
- Combine the chilled tea and chilled lemonade in a large pitcher. Pour over ice and serve.
- Makes about 7 cups.
Notes
- Allow about 4 hours for the tea and lemonade to chill, or cool overnight.
- Store-bought tea and lemonade are excellent time-savers.
Nutrition
Calories: 155 kcal
This Arnold Palmer Drink was originally posted on Tornadough Alli.