Thanks to El Molcajete for gifting me the dried hibiscus flowers featured in this post. All opinions are my own.

If you love a refreshing glass of iced tea, you have to try making homemade hibiscus tea. I had hibiscus tea at a couple of restaurants this summer and loved it so much that I decided to try making it at home.

I’d never made tea from dried hibiscus flowers before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But it turns out that making homemade hibiscus tea is surprisingly easy, and the finished drink is absolutely beautiful!

That gorgeous deep red color is all natural, and the flavor is light, refreshing, and delicious. Best of all, you can make an entire pitcher to keep in the refrigerator.

Here’s a video showing you how I made mine and the recipe is below:

What Is Hibiscus Tea?

Hibiscus tea is made by steeping dried hibiscus flowers in hot water. It’s naturally caffeine-free and has a tart, fruity flavor that’s especially refreshing when served cold.

You may also know it as agua de Jamaica, a popular hibiscus drink often enjoyed in Mexico and other parts of Latin America.

You can drink hibiscus tea hot or cold, but after enjoying it at restaurants this summer, I knew I wanted to make a big pitcher of iced hibiscus tea.

Ingredients for Homemade Hibiscus Iced Tea

You only need a few simple ingredients:

• 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
• 8 cups boiling water
• 1 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
• Additional cold water
• Ice

For this recipe, I used El Molcajete Dried Hibiscus Flowers (Flor de Jamaica). If you’d like to make your own homemade hibiscus tea, you can find the exact flowers I used below.

How to Make Hibiscus Tea Step by Step

Step 1: Boil the Water and Add the Hibiscus

Start by bringing 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.

Once the water is boiling, add 1 cup of dried hibiscus flowers. Give everything a gentle stir to make sure the flowers are submerged.

Remove the pot from the heat and cover it with a lid.

Step 2: Let the Hibiscus Steep

Allow the hibiscus flowers to steep in the hot water for about 20–30 minutes.

I let mine sit for the full 30 minutes.

When I removed the lid, I couldn’t believe how beautiful the tea looked. The water was a gorgeous, deep ruby-red color.

Step 3: Strain the Hibiscus Flowers

Next, you’ll need to strain the tea to remove the dried flowers and any smaller pieces.

Now, here’s where my hibiscus tea adventure got a little interesting.

I couldn’t find my strainer!

After a little searching online, I discovered that a coffee filter could work as an alternative. I placed a coffee filter over a Mason jar and used a large measuring cup to transfer the tea in smaller batches.

It took a little longer, but it worked!

My tip: Make sure you have a fine-mesh strainer ready before starting this recipe. It will make this step so much easier.

Step 4: Add Sugar

Once all the hibiscus flowers have been strained out, it’s time to sweeten the tea.

I added 1 cup of sugar to the warm hibiscus tea and stirred until it dissolved.

You can adjust the sugar depending on how sweet you like your tea. I recommend starting with less sugar if you’re unsure and adding more to taste.

Step 5: Add Cold Water and Ice

Pour the sweetened hibiscus tea into a large pitcher.

Add cold water and ice, stirring everything together with a long-handled spoon.

The additional water helps dilute the concentrated tea to your preferred strength, while the ice gets everything nice and cold.

Taste the tea and adjust the sweetness or add more water if needed.

Step 6: Pour a Glass and Enjoy!

And that’s it! Your homemade hibiscus iced tea is ready.

I poured myself a glass, took a sip, and was so happy with how it turned out.

It’s light, refreshing, and has that wonderful hibiscus flavor I enjoyed so much at the restaurants this summer.

Plus, the color makes it such a pretty drink to serve when you’re having friends or family over.

Tips for Making the Best Hibiscus Iced Tea

After making my first pitcher, here are a few things I’d recommend:

• Have a strainer handy. A fine-mesh strainer makes removing the dried flowers much easier. A coffee filter can work in a pinch, but it’s definitely slower!
• Adjust the sweetness. Hibiscus tea has a naturally tart flavor. Start with less sugar if you prefer a less sweet drink.
• Taste before adding too much cold water. You can make your tea stronger or lighter depending on how much water you add after steeping.
• Make a pitcher ahead of time. This is a great drink to prepare in advance and keep chilled in the refrigerator.
• Serve over ice. I especially love hibiscus tea served cold. It’s such a refreshing drink on a warm afternoon.
• Try adding fresh fruit. Lemon, lime, orange slices, or berries could be fun additions if you want to experiment with different flavors.

Where to Buy Dried Hibiscus Flowers

If you’re wondering where to buy dried hibiscus flowers to make your own tea, you can find them on Amazon. I’ve included the ones I used below so you can easily find them and give this refreshing drink a try.

I was really pleased with how my first batch turned out, and I’m excited to experiment with using these dried flowers in other drinks, too.

Is Homemade Hibiscus Tea Worth Making?

Absolutely!

I loved being able to recreate a drink I’d enjoyed at restaurants, right in my own kitchen.

It was much easier than I expected, even with my missing-strainer situation, and I ended up with an entire pitcher of delicious iced hibiscus tea.

If you’re a tea lover or just looking for something different to drink, homemade hibiscus tea is definitely worth trying.

And now that I know how easy it is, I’ll definitely be making it again soon!

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Homemade Hibiscus Iced Tea Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Steep time: 20–30 minutes
Additional time: Straining, sweetening, and chilling
Yield: One pitcher, depending on added water and ice

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
• 8 cups water
• 1 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
• Additional cold water, to taste
• Ice

Instructions

1. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.
2. Add 1 cup of dried hibiscus flowers.
3. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and steep for 20–30 minutes.
4. Strain out the hibiscus flowers using a fine-mesh strainer.
5. While the tea is still warm, stir in the sugar until dissolved.
6. Transfer the tea to a large pitcher.
7. Add cold water and ice to your desired strength.
8. Stir well, taste, and adjust sweetness if needed.
9. Serve chilled over ice.

Storage: Refrigerate in a covered pitcher and enjoy within 3–4 days.