A golf legend in his own right, Arnold Palmer was one of the first superstars in the sport. From the mid-1950s onward, Arnold Palmer would go on to pocket over 90 wins in his career. But perhaps these finer details aren't what comes to mind for all when someone utters the name, Arnold Palmer. The Arnold Palmer drink was an accident from the get-go. Rumors say a woman overheard him ordering his unsweetened ice tea and lemonade and said, "I'll have that Arnold Palmer drink!" Whether you enjoy this drink in its classic form, with a twist, or a little booze, the Arnold Palmer is a hole-in-one.
Traditional Arnold Palmer
The classic Arnold Palmer, as he enjoyed it, is a ratio of three parts unsweetened ice tea to one part lemonade. If you want a ratio of equal parts, you may find it called a half and half, but your ratio is up to you.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces unsweetened ice tea
- 2 ounces lemonade
- Ice
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add lemonade.
- Add unsweetened ice tea slowly to create a layer.
- Garnish with lemon wheel.
Winnie Palmer
Named for Arnold Palmer's wife, Winnie, the Winner Palmer is another nonalcoholic version, but this time features delicious sweet tea.
Ingredients
- 4½ ounces sweet tea
- 1½ ounces lemonade
- Ice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, sweet tea, and lemonade.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with mint sprig.
John Daly
If golf is your game, then you'll immediately enjoy the John Daly, named for another legendary golfer. The difference here is that the Arnold Palmer is spiked with some vodka.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 5 ounces unsweetened ice tea
- 3½ ounces lemonade
- Ice
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, unsweetened ice tea, and lemonade.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lemon wheel.
Bourbon Arnold Palmer
Give your Arnold Palmer a boost with the sweet, caramel notes of bourbon. If you want yours to have a bit of a spicier bite, you can easily use your favorite bottle of rye instead. Consider adding a splash of nutty amaretto to this spin, as well.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 4 ounces unsweetened ice tea
- 3 ounces lemonade
- Ice
- Lemon wheel and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add bourbon, unsweetened ice tea, and lemonade.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lemon wheel and mint sprig.
Arnold Palmer Old-Fashioned
Lighten up your spiked Arnold Palmer with this combination classic cocktail meets classic golfer. If you desire a bolder lemon flavor, add a squeeze of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces lemon-infused bourbon
- 1 ounce unsweetened ice tea
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Lemon peel for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, lemon bourbon, unsweetened ice tea, and simple syrup.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lemon peel.
Georgia Palmer
Summon the flavor of Georgia peaches in the summery version of the Arnold Palmer drink. It'll almost be like you're at the course in the summer sun.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce bourbon
- 1½ ounces peach liqueur
- 4 ounces sweet tea
- 2 ounces lemonade
- Ice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, bourbon, peach liqueur, sweet tea, and lemonade.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with mint sprig.
Arnold Palmer Pitcher
Make enough spiked Arnold Palmer cocktails for a crowd with this refreshing recipe. This recipe makes six servings.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sweet tea vodka
- 4 ounces lemon liqueur
- 16 ounces sweet tea
- 10 ounce lemonade
- Ice
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, add ice, sweet tea vodka, lemon liqueur, sweet tea, and lemonade.
- Stir to mix.
- Serve in cocktail glasses over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lemon wheel.
Raspberry Arnold Palmer
No one said that lemon has to be the only flavor you can mix into your Arnold Palmer lemonade.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces raspberry vodka
- ½ ounce raspberry liqueur
- 6 ounces unsweetened ice tea
- 4 ounces lemonade
- Ice
- Mint sprig and two raspberries for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, raspberry vodka, raspberry liqueur, unsweetened ice tea, and lemonade.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with mint sprig and two raspberries.
Gardener's Arnold Palmer
Capture a beautiful day in the garden with this floral version of an Arnold Palmer.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce elderflower liqueur, such as St-Germain
- 1 ounce citron vodka
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- 5-ounce unsweetened ice tea
- 2 ounces lemonade
- Ice
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, elderflower liqueur, citron vodka, lemon juice, unsweetened ice tea, and lemonade.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lemon wheel.
Arnold Palmers for Any Occasion
From classic to boozy, there's a style of Arnold Palmer for any desire. However you take your tea, sweetened or unsweetened, you can quickly whip up a boozy Arnold Palmer iced tea and lemonade however you wish. So pull up a chair and let the world know you, too, want that Arnold Palmer drink.
