How to Make Hibiscus Tea

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Learn how to make hibiscus tea with this easy 2-ingredient recipe! This flavorful drink is delicious hot or iced, and it has amazing health benefits.

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Hibiscus tea

I make this hibiscus tea recipe at least once a week. In the winter, I enjoy it hot, the ruby red drink reviving me when the weather is cold and gray. In the summer, I crave it iced. On a warm day, its bold, tart flavor is intensely refreshing.

I’m sharing my go-to method for how to make hibiscus tea below. If you’ve never tried it, I hope you’ll give it a go! It’s delicious and SO simple to make. This hibiscus tea recipe calls for 2 ingredients and requires under 5 minutes of hands-on prep. Plus, it has some amazing health benefits. Read more about them below.

What is hibiscus?

Used on its own, the term hibiscus refers to a genus of temperate and tropical plants. In this post, I’m talking about a specific type of hibiscus, hibiscus sabdariffa, also called roselle. Native to Central and West Africa, roselle is now cultivated and consumed around the world. Though hibiscus leaves are edible, the calyx and flowers of the hibiscus plant are more widely used for making teas, jams, and syrups. For example, in the Caribbean, dried roselle flowers are used to make Jamaican sorrel drink, a sweetened hibiscus beverage spiked with ginger, cloves, and allspice. In Mexico, these same dried hibiscus flowers create agua de Jamaica, a hibiscus agua fresca.

Among hibiscus drinks, this hibiscus tea recipe is about as simple as it gets. You only need two ingredients: dried hibiscus flowers and water. Because there are no other mix-ins here, it’s a great way to get familiar with the flavor of hibiscus. It’s fruity and tart, not unlike cranberry juice. I think you’re going to love it!

Hibiscus Tea Benefits

Hibiscus tea is a caffeine-free herbal tea. As detailed by this Cleveland Clinic article, it’s thought to have a number of health benefits:

  • It’s packed with antioxidants like vitamin C and beta-carotene, which fight harmful free radicals in the body.
  • It reduces inflammation.
  • Studies have shown that drinking hibiscus tea may even lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol.

    • Check out this article to learn more about the side effects and health benefits of hibiscus tea!

    How to Make Hibiscus Tea

    This hibiscus tea recipe is SO simple to make! Here’s how it goes:

  • Place 1/4 cup dried hibiscus flowers in a quart-size Mason jar or pitcher.
  • Pour in 4 cups of filtered water and stir.
  • Chill in the refrigerator until the tea is bright red, at least 20 minutes. Let it chill overnight for a deeper color and flavor.
  • Strain the mixture into a pitcher to remove the hibiscus petals.

    • Serve this tea in glasses filled with ice. If you like, stir in a sweetener such as honey, agave, or maple syrup to taste. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and raspberries, and enjoy!

    Variations

    • Make it fizzy. Top off a glass of strong iced tea with sparkling water. Add a squeeze of lime juice for a citrusy kick.
    • Spice it up. Before you stick the tea in the fridge to chill, add a cinnamon stick to the pitcher or jar. I love its warming flavor with the fruity and floral notes in this drink!
    • Make hot tea. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tablespoon dried hibiscus flowers in a mesh tea infuser. Let steep for 5 minutes. Remove the hibiscus and enjoy the tea with honey and lemon juice.

    More Refreshing Drink Recipes

    If you loved learning how to make hibiscus tea, try one of these refreshing beverages next:

    Hibiscus Tea

    rate this recipe:5 from 6 votesPrep Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Serves 4Save Recipe Print RecipeLearn how to make hibiscus tea! Totally caffeine-free, this vibrant drink is tart and refreshing. If you can't find dried hibiscus flowers at your grocery store, they are readily available online.

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers
    • 4 cups cold filtered water
    • Ice, for serving
    • Sweetener of choice, such as sugar, maple syrup, honey, or agave, optional
    • 1 small bunch fresh mint, for garnish
    • ¼ cup raspberries, for garnish

    Instructions

    • Place the hibiscus flowers in a (1-quart) jar or medium pitcher. Add the water, stir to combine, and chill until bright red, at least 20 minutes. For a deeper color and flavor, chill overnight.
    • Pour the tea through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl or pitcher to remove the hibiscus flowers. Pour into glasses filled with ice and sweeten to taste, if desired.
    • Garnish with fresh mint and raspberries.

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