Arnold Palmer Slush (Iced Tea Lemonade)
A frozen half-and-half iced tea and lemonade slush — alcohol-free and sized for Margaritaville machines.
Jump to recipe ↓Half iced tea, half lemonade — the drink popularly named after golfer Arnold Palmer.
Frozen, it’s a great afternoon slush.
Brewing the tea at double strength is the key step: shaved ice dilutes everything, and weak tea turns into flavorless lemon ice.
Iced Tea Lemonade Slush recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- 6 oz strong brewed black tea, cooled
- 4 oz lemonade
- 1½ oz fresh lemon juice
- 1½ oz simple syrup (paid link)
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Lemon wheel, mint. Glass: Highball.
Instructions
- Brew tea double-strength and chill.
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add all ingredients to the jar.
- Run the cycle.
- Garnish with lemon.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| strong brewed black tea, cooled | 4½ oz | 6 oz | 4 oz | 5 oz | 10¼ oz |
| lemonade | 3 oz | 4 oz | 2⅔ oz | 3⅓ oz | 6¾ oz |
| fresh lemon juice | 1 oz | 1½ oz | 1 oz | 1¼ oz | 2½ oz |
| simple syrup | 1 oz | 1½ oz | 1 oz | 1¼ oz | 2½ oz |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- This batch uses about 13 fl oz of liquid for 3 drinks. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Double-strength tea keeps flavor after dilution.
About mocktails & kid-friendly
Without alcohol, frozen drinks set firmer, so most of our mocktails replace the spirit with an equal volume of juice, soda or water to keep the liquid-to-ice ratio right. Remember the manuals’ warning: the appliance itself should not be used by children — let an adult run the machine.
Tips for the best texture
- Brew strong tea.
- Cool completely.
- Peach tea works.
- Adults can add vodka (a ‘John Daly’).
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with lemon wheel, mint and serve in a highball. Make mocktails look as special as the grown-up drinks: colored sugar rims, fruit skewers and fun straws. Label pitchers clearly at mixed parties so alcoholic and alcohol-free batches never get confused, and blend the kids’ batch first in a freshly rinsed jar.
Variations
- Peach: Peach tea.
- Mint: Add mint.
- Spiked: Add 1½ oz vodka per drink.
Make it with (or without) alcohol
Already alcohol-free. Contains caffeine — use decaf for kids.
Shop the ingredients
- Monin Pure Cane Syrup (simple syrup), 750 ml (paid link)
We link to mixers, syrups and juices only — alcohol isn’t sold through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Caffeine?
Use decaf tea for kids.
Sweet tea?
Skip syrup.
Green tea?
Works.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
