Recipe: Hibiscus-Infused Water
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something. I only include links for products and services I love and believe in. Please check out my disclosure policy for more details!Do you ever have those recipes you love and one day they just up and disappear on you, all before you remember to save them in case such a thing occurs?
There was this awesome hibiscus-infused water I saw Jamie Oliver make on a video once, and for the life of me, I can’t find that video. I think it may be available in a cookbook, but I wasn’t about to buy a whole cookbook for one recipe that might not even be in there. So, I did what any good food blogger would do and made one up myself.
Hibiscus water, or agua de jamaica, is a popular Mexican beverage made from hibiscus flowers. It’s a refreshingly tart and slightly sweet drink.
In the Caribbean, hibiscus flowers are combined with ginger, cloves, and allspice to make Jamaican sorrel drink. Typically served chilled, this drink is made by steeping dried hibiscus flowers in water and sweetening the infusion with sugar to balance the natural tartness of the flowers.
Here, I’ve put my own spin on these two cultural staples by adding cinnamon and strawberries as a natural sweetener. Not only does hibiscus add a gorgeous deep red hue to your water, but it’s also packed with antioxidants and known for its potential to help lower blood pressure.
Many natural food stores or wellness shops carry hibiscus tea or dried hibiscus flowers, especially for making teas. Look for them in the tea section or in the bulk herb sections.
Recipe: Hibiscus-Infused Water
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Description
This hibiscus-infused water packs a PUNCH! You can obviously adjust the recipe to fit your tastes, but there was no “hint of” anything in this water. It was extremely flavorful and I think it would make a great accompaniment with sparkling water or in a cocktail, so do with that information what you will. You could also freeze it into ice cubes and use them to flavor plain water, or iced tea for a floral, fruity twist.
Follow up with some turmeric tea for an extra hit of flavor.
Ingredients
- 8 cups hot to boiling water
- 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 7–8 large strawberries, sliced
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbsp dried licorice
- 1 tbsp dried ginger
Instructions
- Heat the water to almost boiling. While you wait, assemble the other ingredients in a large pitcher. Pour the hot water over the other ingredients and allow to sit and steep for 4 to 6 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. The longer you steep, the more flavorful the drink! I let mine sit for a couple of hours, so the final product is darker than you see in the photo.
- I ended up straining everything out before drinking by pouring it through a strainer and into a large bowl with a lip. By the end, I had about 6 cups of infused water left to drink.
Notes
I know this should be a more traditional recipe, but really, have fun with it! I had a specific idea going in and then realized I didn’t have star anise, so I had to improvise. Next time, I might add peppermint to the mix. Make it your own, and let me know your results by commenting below!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Drinks
