Arnold Palmer Iced Tea Lemonade Mocktail
Named after the legendary golfer who invented it, the Arnold Palmer Iced Tea is a refreshing drink. A combination of homemade unsweetened tea and lightly sweetened lemonade, this mocktail sips easy on a hot day. The best part is that when you make the tea and lemonade at home, you can control the sweetness and find your favorite ratio of tea-to-lemonade! Drinking an Arnold Palmer Iced Tea is the perfect way to cool down on a summer’s day.
When we honeymooned in Mexico years ago, one of the specialty drinks of the day was called an Arnold Palmiter.
Neither of us had heard of an Arnold Palmiter before, so we did some investigating when we hit the pool after breakfast.
Turns out, the drink was a boozy nod to the golf legend who invented my favorite lemonade-tea drink.
Not surprisingly, the classic summer sipper tasted just as good on the beach as it does at home on a hot summer’s day.
The Arnold Palmer gets its name from the legendary American golfer. (Hi. I know nothing about golf, but his name kind of rings a bell because I like this beverage.)
Its origin story is widely varied—I’ve read that he invented it in the dining hall at his alma mater, Wake Forest, and that he ordered it at a bar after a long day golfing.
Whenever and wherever it was invented, an Arnold Palmer Iced Tea is the perfect drink to cool down on a hot summer’s day.
What is a classic Arnold Palmer Iced Tea?
I’ve read that the golf legend liked his at the ratio of four parts tea to one part lemonade. So basically, unsweetened tea with a splash of lemonade.
I’ve changed it a bit because I like mine a little sweeter and with more lemonade. That said, you can use whatever ratio you’d like to make your Arnold Palmer. Experiment and tinker until find your happy medium—it’s a tasty endeavor. 🙂
What tools do I need to make an Arnold Palmer?
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- A saucepan (for both the tea making and the lemonade’s simple syrup).
- A liquid measuring cup.
- A citrus juicer.
- Your favorite unsweetened tea bags
- Half gallon mason jars to store the tea and lemonade (or pitchers to do so!)
Do I have to make this from scratch?
If you’re not feeling it from scratch, you can certainly pick up some store-bought ingredients to mix up your Arnold Palmer! We’ve all been there, and it certainly works in a pinch, though I’m partial to the homemade rendition because I know exactly what’s going into it.
Pro tip: Make sure to get real lemonade and your favorite unsweetened tea to make it taste as delicious as possible.
What are some other summer drink recipes that I can serve along side this mocktail?
- Blueberry Lemonade
- Limoncello Lemonade
- Blackberry Ginger White Wine Slush
- Sparkling Cider Blackberry Peach Bellini Mocktail
- Honeysuckle Cherry Smash
- Peach Raspberry Sangria
- Cherry Lemonade Margaritas
- Bourbon Peach Slush
Y’all ready to make this?
Scroll on down to learn how easy it is to make at home…
Arnold Palmer Iced Tea
Named after the legendary golfer who invented it, the Arnold Palmer Iced Tea is a refreshing drink. A combination of homemade unsweetened tea and lightly sweetened lemonade, this mocktail sips easy on a hot day. The best part is that when you make the tea and lemonade at home, you can control the sweetness and find your favorite ratio of tea-to-lemonade! Drinking an Arnold Palmer Iced Tea is the perfect way to cool down on a summer's day.
Ingredients
Unsweetened Tea
- 6 cups water, boiling
- 5 tea bags
Lemonade
- ½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 ½ cups water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Arnold Palmer Iced Tea (Makes 1)
- 4 oz. unsweetened tea
- 2 oz. lemonade
- Crushed or shaved ice
Instructions
Make the Tea
- In a medium-to-large saucepan, measure out the water.
- Bring water to a boil, and take the saucepan off the heat.
- Add the tea bags.
- Steep for 2-4 hours (or until the intensity you like your tea.)
- Refrigerate overnight in a mason jar or a pitcher.
Make the Lemonade
- In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil.
- Add the sugar and stir until there are no visible sugar crystals.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, and let cool. (This is a rendition of simple syrup that’ll sweeten your lemonade right up!)
- Using a citrus juicer, juice your lemons.
- When you have the desired amount of lemon juice, pour it into the saucepan with the simple syrup.
- Transfer the lemonade to a mason jar, and refrigerate overnight.
Make an Arnold Palmer
- Use your blender or refrigerator to make crushed ice. (I like mine almost powdery because it’s soooo refreshing. But you can use regular ice cubes, too.)
- First, pour in the lemonade.
- Next, pour in the tea.
- Stir with a spoon or a straw, garnish with a lemon slice (if desired) and enjoy immediately.
Notes
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled! If you're serving it to a crowd, feel free to combine it in a pitcher and call it a day, making sure to continually stir the ingredients so everyone gets the right amount of lemonade and tea.
If you want to spike this, feel free! The most popular rendition is called a John Daly (also after an American golfer) and uses vodka. But honestly, rum would be delicious here, as would champagne if you want some bubbles!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 22Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 10mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 0g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
Have you ever drank an Arnold Palmer?
What is your go-to summertime drink?
This post originally appeared on Julie’s Eats and Treats, where I am a contributor.
I love how insanely refreshing Arnold Palmers are! It’s super hot here this time of year, so I’ve been all about the arnie palmy lately 😉 Will definitely be making these all summer long! xo
I love how insanely refreshing they are, too, Julia! I love that you’ve been all about these recently, too. I’m with you: I’ll be making them until the end of summer. Thanks for stopping by, lady!