Monday, June 21, 2010

Homemade Black Tea Lemonade

homemade black tea lemonade

Happy first day of summer, everyone! To celebrate, I’m bringing you a recipe for my favorite summer drink. I was first introduced to this delicious concoction through Starbucks - their black tea lemonade. It’s also known as an Arnold Palmer.

No matter what you call it, it’s delicious. I don’t know about you, but I find lemonade a little strong on it’s own. It’s yummy, of course, but not exactly thirst-quenching. This totally is. The tea mellows out the lemonade, it’s so perfect for these hot summer days.

I couldn’t find a recipe I liked, so I made up my own. It’s pretty easy, all your doing is making tea and lemonade and combining the two. I hope you enjoy!

Homemade Black Tea Lemonade

Tea:
4 large black tea bags (or 6ish regular sized tea bags)
6 cups of water

Lemonade:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
1 cup lemon juice (from 4-6 lemons)


Bring 6 cups of water to boil, remove from heat, add tea bags and allow to steep for 10 minutes.

While the tea steeps, make your simple syrup: heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Meanwhile, juice your lemons.

Combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, and steeped tea in a pitcher. Stir! Refrigerate for about an hour.

If it’s too strong for you, just add some cold water!

Serve over ice, with stripey straws, if at all possible. :)

44 comments:

  1. yum! this drink is one of my favorites for summer. usually just pick it up from Trader Joes, but now i definitely want to try and make my own.
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  2. This sounds so refreshing and delicious!
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  3. Are those the paper stripey straws? FUN!

    I'm going to give this a try. I hear ya about the lemonade thing - adding something else sounds perfect. I tried lavender lemonade at the Blanco Lavender Festival last weekend and it was so good, gonna give that a try too.
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  4. I looove Arnold Palmers. Lemonade is way too sweet for me, but Arnold Palmers are just right. I'm excited to test out this recipe.
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  5. Perfection!! Arnold Palmers are my favorite drink!!! xo
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  6. This looks so refreshing, I am an iced tea addict, so this is just perfection in my book!
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  7. I love an AP! I'm so glad you posted this. It's such a perfectly summery drink.
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  8. This sounds delicious, Hannah! And refreshing. Your photo is ever so cute.
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  9. yum - that is my sister's favorite drink
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  10. I adore Starbucks, but I never tried their black tea lemonade. It sounds very tasty, especially because I love tea :D
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  11. A delightful drink! Perfect during the summer!

    Cheers,

    Rosa
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  12. i'm so excited to try this- i just got another recipe for mint lemonade that i'm dying to try too!
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  13. I want to try that! And it's the dead of Winter here.
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  14. wow..it seems so refreshing.. I never had it at Starbucks.Here in Zürich at a local cafe I had something similar.It had a stick of lemon grass in it which made it very refreshing!
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  15. Must confess I've never made an Arnold Palmer at home, but I've had it out many times. Thanks for posting the recipe...perfect time of year to make these for company!
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  16. beautiful picture! the tea sounds so light and refreshing!
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  17. Arnold Palmer's are my favorite.. I can't wait to make this!
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  18. That sounds delish... If only I had warm enough weather to need a cold, refreshing glass full!
    :) Flick
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  19. Looks great as always.

    LisaDay
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  20. I still wait for summer weather to come. In the mean time, I might try your black tea lemonade to enjoy a bit of summer!
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  21. Looks yummy - and of course I am in awe of your mad photography skillz.

    Aren't the stripey straws the best? I have red ones, and am thinking it's important I get a few more. :)
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  22. Great recipe and, as always, beautiful picture! I'm so in awe of your talent... you have a true and natural talent. Julia M
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  23. This is a great simple and delicious sounding recipe! Perfect for the heat of the Summer!
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  24. Love this too!

    We always make our own sweet tea (not too sweet though) and I picked up some organic lemonade (that wasn't too sweet either) and added some to the glass..
    I am TOTALLY addicted. I had always heard of Arnold Palmers but just always had my tea plain, well, this steps it up a notch!
    great pics!

    -Elizabeth
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  25. That Arnold Palmer really knew what he was doing! We went to Charleston last summer and drank peach iced tea mixed with lemonade for three days. Heaven! I really need to make my own now and your recipe looks wonderful.
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  26. This sounds absolutely delicious and refreshing. I never thought to make it myself! Bring on summer, could you? Seattle is immersed in rain. Aaack!
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  27. Sounds delicious, I love iced tea made properly and without sugar.
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  28. i love arnold palmers so much that i named my cat after the drink. he's called ap most of the time, unless he's in trouble, then it's the full name!
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  29. My favorite summer drink! So refreshing! I'm going to have to find some stripey straws.
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  30. This looks absolutely delicious! Diet Coke can't quench my thirst on 90+ degree days like today, so I am adding all of these ingredients to my grocery list. Yum!
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  31. Mmmm. I love these from Starbucks, as well as the minty green tea lemonades. I think lemon and mint work well together!
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  32. Love love the photos! And the recipe, must be a keeper!
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  33. This is probably one of my favorite summer drinks! It's also great if you add a little vodka and make it an adult beverage on those hot summer nights.
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  34. Had to comment on the cow post...I love them too. I am so happy to hear I am not the only one that has been thoroughly infatuated with them :)

    http://www.stephmodo.com/2009/10/for-love-of-cows.html
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  35. I LOVE the shaken black tea lemonade at Starbucks, so I'll definitely give this a try. You make this look absolutely beautiful, too. Love the photos!
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  36. I adore those straws! Where did you get them?
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  37. love your photos.
    In similar spirit, I just made summer "sun tea": http://www.ztastylife.com/2010/07/summer-sun-tea.html
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  38. please can you tell me where to find those bottles? patriciao82173@gmail.com

    lovely photo and sounds wonderfully refreshing!
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  39. yes! i did it
    http://amenlugo.blogspot.com/2011/10/al-almuerzo-de-hoy-2-recetas.html
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