Hibiscus Iced Tea Recipe

This Hibiscus Iced Tea recipe is one of those perfect summer drinks! It’s unique, refreshing, and definitely delicious!

Whether you’re on a “me-time” break or you’re with some friends or family, this drink is great for celebrating the hot season while cooling yourself down.

Things I Love About This Recipe

Flavor: I had no idea that hibiscus flowers were edible. A few years ago, a friend showed me they made it and I was hooked! It’s a sweet and tart delicious beverage that’s great to have, honestly, any time of the day.

Color: I love its gorgeous crimson and deep magenta color, that’s so pretty when you add lemon or any other citrus garnishes to it.

Simple: It’s easy to make, and best when you make it by the pitcher full! You can serve this on hot summer days which makes it more refreshing to cool you down.

Ingredients And Substitutions

It’s a pretty small list!

• Hibiscus flowers: You’ll need dried FOOD GRADE hibiscus flowers. Food grade is most important here. Organic is great if you can get them, but if not, regular ones will do just fine. Typically we only use the petals of the flower, nothing else. They’ll come dried and the minute you add them to water, you’ll see them imparting their gorgeous color.
• Candied ginger: This is optional but I love the slight hint of spiciness that ginger gives to the drink. I used candied because that’s what I had on hand, but if you prefer not to have the added sugar then try adding fresh grated/sliced or even powdered.
• Water: I used water from my fridge-filtered spout. You can be as particular as you’d like with this; using mineral, distilled, filtered, or even tap water is just fine.
• Honey: I like using local, raw honey for my iced tea and I highly recommend it. Not only are you supporting your local beekeeper, but very often, the honey sold in the grocery stores is cut with cheap high fructose corn syrup and isn’t pure honey.

How Do I Make Hibiscus Ginger Tea?

1. Boil the water and add the flowers. – Bring water to a boil then add the dried flowers. Boil for 3-4 minutes, then turn off the heat. Let them steep a few minutes.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients. – Adding the sugared ginger and honey is easiest to do when the water is hot. Mix everything to dissolve the honey and let it cool completely in the fridge. 3-4 hours is great, overnight is even better.

3. Sieve the contents. – I like to line a colander with cheesecloth and sieve all the petals, ginger, etc from the drink. Pour into a nice pitcher, and adjust for sweetness by adding your choice of sugar/sweetener. Mix well and keep refrigerated.

3. Serve. – Add ice to a large glass and pour the steeped hibiscus tea, add a straw and enjoy!

**** All the exact ingredient amounts and detailed cooking instructions with notes are located in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

What Are Hibiscus Flowers?

Hibiscus flowers, or also called Sorrel, are large colorful flowers that are usually white, red, purple, or lilac. It has a lot of different types: some are used for ornaments and others, for cooking.

That’s why, for this recipe, you have to make sure you get food-grade flowers that are safe to eat and not sprayed with chemicals.

These are the dried hibiscus flowers I used.

Serving and Recipe Variations

You can serve this tea in a combination of half hibiscus tea and half-flavored seltzer water. In the past, I’ve added pineapple seltzer water that’s carbonated so it adds even more yummy flavors and bubbles. I’m all about carbonated beverages!

Use pineapple, mango, orange, peach, and any berry-flavored carbonated water. Using a lemon-lime soda would be wonderful with this as well. You can also serve the iced tea with pieces of fruit like raspberries or strawberries to infuse those flavors with the tea.

If you want to make it more of an adult cocktail, then you could easily add an ounce of light rum or vodka would be a nice addition.

If, on a chilly day, you want something warm and non-caffeinated, pour a mug of this after it’s been reheated in the microwave or stove-top to warm you to your toes!

Storing

Hibiscus Iced Tea can last on the fridge for up to a week. You can also freeze it for up to six months as long as you put it in a freezer-friendly container.

Another freezing idea is to put the tea in ice cube containers, freeze it, and then place all the cubes in freezer bags. That way, you can simply add the cubes to a pitcher and let them melt. They’d also be great as the replacement for the ice cubes in serving, that way, regular ice wouldn’t dilute the flavor of your hibiscus tea!

When freezing, just remember to leave room in the freezer container for expansion as it freezes.

Looking for More Drink Ideas?

My recipe for Watermelon Vodka Punch and the Tropical Mermaid cocktail are all adult-orientated drinks, but can easily be made child-friendly by omitting the alcohol.

Also, if you’re looking for more child-friendly summer drinks, try taking a peek at my 25 Ideas For Mocktails recipe collection!

Thank you so much for stopping by The Salty Pot today, and I hope you have a wonderful day!