The Arnold Palmer Half & Half Iced Tea is a classic beverage that's perfect for any occasion. It's a refreshing blend of iced tea and lemon, with a perfect balance of sweet and tart.
The drink is named after the famous golfer Arnold Palmer, who was known for his love of iced tea and lemonade.

Why You Will Love This Recipe
When living in Virginia, May is the beginning of summer respite. The garden soiree's, gatherings, and Polo matches are all accompanied with banquet tables laden with tidbits and appetizers.
Large decanters of Arnold Palmer Half and Half Iced Tea are ubiquitous as the heat. The climate gets cloyingly hot and humid, and this crisp, sweet, tart beverage over ice is pure refreshment.
Whether or not your summers are as hot, you'll love this cool, refreshing beverage.
- Easy to make. All you need is some iced tea, lemonade, and sugar.
- It's versatile. You can also add strawberries, peach slices, basil, or mint to give it a unique flavor.
- Refreshing. The combination of crisp tea and tart lemon over ice make this a perfect hot weather drink. It's perfect at parties and gatherings.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Arnold Palmer Lemonade Iced Tea Ingredients
- How to Make Arnold Palmer (Half Lemonade Half Tea)
- Lemonade Iced Tea Serving Suggestions
- Related Recipes
- Substitutions and Variations
- Equipment
- Storage and Reheating
- Arnold Palmer Iced Tea Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Food Safety
- Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
- Connect with Smells Like Delish!
- 📖 Recipe
Arnold Palmer Lemonade Iced Tea Ingredients
I use black tea, as I really enjoy the crisp tanin taste that black tea has. You can also use green tea for a softer taste, or your favorite herbal tea. Peppermint tea is nice for a caffeine free herbal tea option.
- Black Tea Bags - I use Lipton, but other brands like Tetley, PG Tips, Taylors, Typhoo, or Red Rose are also perfect. You can also use bottled tea or dry iced tea mix.
- Water
- Lemons - Fresh made lemonade with squeezed lemons is best, but frozen lemonade concentrate or dry lemonade mix is great also. You may not need the sugar if using the concentrate or powdered lemonade mix.
- Sugar - You'll need this sugar if you're using freeze squeezed lemon juice.
- Ice Cubes - I like nice big ice cubes, as they don't melt so quickly.
- Mint and Lemon slices - For garnish.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Arnold Palmer (Half Lemonade Half Tea)
This recipe makes 64 oz (one half gallon) of Arnold Palmer Half and Half Lemonade.
Prepare the Tea
- Add the water to a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
- Unwrap the tea bags and drop in the boiling water. Turn heat off and let the tea steep for 5 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and discard. Let the tea cool, then transfer to a large pitcher.
PRO TIP: While fresh brewed tea tastes the best, you can also use ready to serve iced tea sold in cartons.
Prepare the Lemonade
- Squeeze the lemons into a mixing bowl with a spout. Remove any seeds.
- Add the water and sugar and mix until dissolved.
PRO TIP: You can also use dry lemonade mix, a can of frozen lemonade, or ready to serve lemonade.
Make Half and Half Iced Tea
- Pour the lemonade into the pitcher of black tea and mix well.
- Pour over glasses filled with ice, and garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs. Serve immediately.
Lemonade Iced Tea Serving Suggestions
This refreshing beverage is perfect with anything and anytime, but it's especially welcome when mingling with friends on a hot day. Or, enjoy it relaxing on your deck with loved ones. It's non alcoholic, and you can make it sugar free also!
Serve Arnold Palmer Iced Tea in glasses over ice, or you can pour it into pitchers and serve it at a party. You can also add other ingredients to the drink, such as mint leaves, lemon slices, or fruit.
We have a delicious twist with our Strawberry Arnold Palmer Iced Tea, and if you're looking for a real kick in the pants, see our Arnold Palmer Cocktail!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Related Recipes
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations using this Arnold Palmer half and half iced tea recipe:
- Instead of black tea, you can use green tea or herbal tea.
- If you don't have lemons, you can use limes or oranges.
- You can add other fruits to the drink, such as strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
- You can add other herbs to the drink, such as basil or rosemary.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making Arnold Palmer half and half iced tea.
- Pitcher
Storage and Reheating
- Any remaining half and half iced tea can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can also freeze it as ice cubes and store for up to 2 months.
- Add the frozen cubes to your sparkling water or iced tea later!
Arnold Palmer Iced Tea Tips
- Use strong brewed tea for the best flavor.
- If you don't have fresh lemonade, you can use store-bought lemonade, dry mix or frozen. Just make sure to dilute it with water so that it is not too sweet.
- Add sugar to taste. Some people prefer their Arnold Palmer lemonade tea to be sweeter, while others prefer a more tart lemon tang.
- If you are serving this lemonade iced tea at a party, you can make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Just make sure to add the ice right before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can use store-bought powdered iced tea, or bottled ice tea for this recipe.
Yes, you can use a sugar free lemonade and sugar free tea for this half and half iced tea recipe. I have used Crystal Light lemonade mix and unsweetened tea many times!
Some other variations of this recipe include adding fruit, herbs, or spices to the drink. You can also add sparkling water or club soda to give it a fizzy twist.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
Connect with Smells Like Delish!
📖 Recipe
Arnold Palmer Half and Half Iced Tea
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz water
- 6 Lipton tea bags unwrapped
- 16 oz cold water
- 8 oz lemon juice 6 freshly squeezed lemons
- 24 oz cold water
- 1 cup sugar
- ice cubes
- lemon slices for garnish
- mint sprigs for garnish
Instructions
Make the Tea
- Add the water to a sauce pan and bring to a boil.16 oz water
- Unwrap the tea bags and drop in the boiling water. Turn heat off and let the tea steep for 5 minutes.6 Lipton tea bags
- Remove the tea bags and discard. Add 16 oz of cold water and let the tea cool, then transfer to a large pitcher.PRO TIP: While fresh brewed tea tastes the best, you can also use ready to serve iced tea sold in cartons.16 oz cold water
Make the Lemonade
- Squeeze the lemons into a mixing bowl with a spout. Remove any seeds. You'll need 8 oz of lemon juice, or 6 lemons.8 oz lemon juice
- Add the water and sugar and mix until dissolved. PRO TIP: You can also use dry lemonade mix, a can of frozen lemonade, or ready to serve lemonade.1 cup sugar, 24 oz cold water
Make Half and Half Iced Tea
- Pour the lemonade into the pitcher of black tea and mix well. Add additional cold water to reach the taste you like.
- Pour over glasses filled with ice, and garnish with lemon slices and mint sprigs. Serve immediately.ice cubes, lemon slices, mint sprigs
Notes
- Use strong brewed tea for the best flavor.
- If you don't have fresh lemonade, you can use store-bought lemonade, dry mix or frozen. Just make sure to dilute it with water so that it is not too sweet.
- Add sugar to taste. Some people prefer their Arnold Palmer lemonade tea to be sweeter, while others prefer a more tart lemon tang.
- If you are serving this lemonade iced tea at a party, you can make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Just make sure to add the ice right before serving.
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