Arnold Palmer Drink Recipe

WRITTEN BY: SCOTT VAN DORT

The Arnold Palmer is a popular non-alcoholic drink particularly in the United States, where it can be found in bars and restaurants everywhere. 

Also known as a Half-and-Half, the Arnold Palmer combines half Iced Tea and half Lemonade. Can you imagine drinking anything more refreshing than this combination on a hot summer’s day? Nope, neither can we. 

Best yet, an Arnold Palmer recipe is easy to make and delicious to drink!

How To Make an Arnold Palmer

What You’ll Need

• Jigger or Measuring Instrument 
• Highball Glass
• Paring Knife
• Bar Spoon

 How to Mix

1. Fill a Highball Glass with Crushed Ice.
2. Measure and pour Iced Tea into the Glass using a Jigger.
3. Measure and pour Lemonade into the Glass.
4. Stir everything in the Glass well with a Bar Spoon.
5. Cut one Lemon in half with a Paring Knife.
6. Slice a Lemon Wedge and place it directly into your Glass as a garnish.
7. Sip and enjoy!

The History of the Arnold Palmer 

The story goes that in the 1960 a certain famous golfer was at a golf course in Palm Springs, California, and asked the waitress for an Iced Tea with Lemonade. This combination is something the golfer had been drinking for years. After a hot day on the golf course, he would ask his wife to make him an Ice Tea with Lemonade.

A woman nearby overheard his order and when ordering her drink, she said she wanted the same drink as what the golfer was drinking, and referred to the drink by his name.

From that moment on, the name stuck, and the refreshing blend became a staple, cementing its place in drink history.

Tips for Making the Perfect Arnold Palmer 

• Chill your glassware
  Place your glassware in the freezer for 30 minutes – 2 hours in advance. A chilled glass heightens the whole drinking experience.
• Homemade Lemonade
  How do you make a good Arnold Palmer? With fresh ingredients.

  Let us say this – there’s Lemonade, and then there’s HOMEMADE Lemonade. And the difference is remarkable. Homemade Lemonade is made with real Lemons as opposed to store bought stuff that’s often Lemon-Flavored but doesn’t actually contain any juice.

  Here’s how to make your own Lemonade:
  

1. Mix 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in a small saucepan.
2. Heat over medium-low, stirring until the sugar dissolves. 
3. Remove from heat and let it cool for 10 minutes. 
4. Pour 1 cup of Fresh-Squeezed Lemon Juice into a Pitcher. 
5. Add the sugar-water mixture.
6. Add 5 cups of water and stir well. 
7. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

• Make your own Iced Tea
  Making your own batch of Iced Tea is super simple. Here’s how to make 2 liters of Iced Tea:

1. Boil 4 cups of water in a Saucepan.
2. Remove from heat and add 5-6 Black Tea Bags, letting them steep for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the Tea Bags from the water.
4. Add 1/4 cup sugar into the Saucepan and stir until dissolved.
5. Add 4 more cups of water.
6. Refrigerate until chilled (approx. 2 hours)

Variations of an Arnold Palmer 

• Flavored Iced Tea
  Instead of using Black Tea, you could also use a Flavored Iced Tea to create a whole new drink profile. Peach Iced Tea, Lemon Iced Tea, Mango Iced Tea – the possibilities are endless!

• Top off with Soda Water
  Follow the recipe on this page but top off your drink with Soda Water for added effervescence and a refreshing touch.

• Shaken and strained version
  Although our recipe above is for a built drink version, you can also make an Arnold Palmer as a shaken drink.

  To do this, add 60 ml Iced Tea, 30 ml Rich Syrup and 35 ml Fresh Lemon Juice into a Cocktail Shaker filled with Ice Cubes.

  Strain the cocktail into a Highball Glass filled with Ice Cubes and top off with Soda Water. Delicious!

Serving and Garnish Ideas for an Arnold Palmer 

A traditional Arnold Palmer is served in a Highball Glass filled with Crushed Ice and garnished with a Lemon Wedge. And that’s just the way we like it!