Hot days, cool ocean breezes, and turquoise waters. This is what we think of when we are sipping on a hibiscus mocktail. It is such a tropical, summery drink that we can’t get enough of. Hibiscus is such a unique flavor but a super potent one, too. Let us tell you all about it and then you can give it a try.

Well, you should actually only make this drink if you feel like being instantly transported to a tropical island. But who doesn’t want that?!

What is Hibiscus?

Before we dive into how to make our hibiscus mocktail, let us tell you about hibiscus. Hibiscus is actually an edible flower. It is native to tropical and subtropical regions and known for the bright, shiny petals.

Hibiscus is typically dried and then ground to use as an ingredient. You can find hibiscus powder in most health food stores or order it online. Hibiscus tea is also quite common.

Dried flowers are stuffed into tea sachets, sometimes with other herbs or spices. You can even make your own hibiscus tea bags if you can find dried, loose leaf flowers. That would be the best case scenario for this hibiscus recipe!

What Does Hibiscus Taste Like?

Hibiscus has a tart and floral flavor. It is a little sour and also has hints of berry. Hibiscus is not very sweet so it is good to sweeten it with honey or sugar.

Besides the delicious, fruity and floral taste of hibiscus, it is also a very pretty ingredient. Hibiscus is a brilliant pink color. It makes a gorgeous mocktail that you will eat with your eyes. The pretty pink drink and the bright yellow lemon peel have a very tropical, fun look.

Ingredients for a Hibiscus Mocktail

So what do you need to make a hibiscus mocktail? A few key ingredients is all it takes! Here is a quick look at what you will need to make a non alcoholic hibiscus cocktail:

Hibiscus tea- You should be able to find hibiscus tea in your local grocery store. Look for tea that is made solely with dried hibiscus. You can also look for dried hibiscus flowers which you can steep and strain just like tea.
Boiling Water- You will need boiling water to steep the hibiscus tea. Make sure it is boiling when you pour it over the tea bag. Boiling water will extract the most flavor from the dried flower leaves.
Sugar- A little sugar will sweeten the mocktail. We like to use real, white sugar which compliments the tart taste of the flowers the best.
Lemon Juice- Lemon juice adds a little extra tartness to the drink. It makes it even more refreshing and tropical.
Ginger- We love the spice that ginger adds to this mocktail. Fresh ginger is peppery and sweet. It has a very strong scent and powerful bite that goes very well with the bright, berry taste of the hibiscus mocktail.
Lemon Twists- A lemon twist garnish is a beautiful garnish for this beautiful drink. It looks elegant but is simple enough to make. You should be able to get about 10 twists from one lemon!

Fresh ginger is super important for making the mocktail have the most flavor. However, the rest of the ingredients you can stock up on, keeping them on hand so you can quickly make this drink anytime you need something tropical.

How to Make a Non Alcoholic Hibiscus Cocktail

There are two major parts to this recipe. The first part is making the hibiscus tea. The second part is mixing up the mocktail itself. You do need to wait a little bit between part one and part two just to let your freshly brewed hibiscus tea cool.

You can make a big batch of the tea and save it in the fridge, giving you enough tea to last a few days. We highly recommend this make ahead method. You are going to want it!

just to let your freshly brewed hibiscus tea cool.

Take a look at the steps to make a great hibiscus mocktail:

Brew the hibiscus tea by steeping the tea bag in the boiling water. About 5 minutes of steeping time is all it takes!
Chill the brewed tea in the fridge. You don’t want to add ice to chill it or it will get too watered down. Pop it in the freezer if you want it to cool quickly but try to avoid ice!
Prep your martini glasses by running a lemon twist around the edges to get them wet then dip the rim in sugar. Set the glasses aside.
Add the fresh ginger slices to the cocktail shaker. You can keep the peel on to make it easier.
Add the sugar to the shaker and muddle the ginger and sugar together well.
Add the chilled hibiscus tea and lemon juice to the cocktail shaker then fill it up with ice.
Shake for about 10 seconds.
Put the strainer on the cocktail shaker and strain it into the prepared glasses.
Garnish each glass with a lemon twist and then enjoy right away.

The first time you make this drink, it may take a little time but the second and third time you make it, you will be a pro! It is a fun recipe to make with all the brewing, muddling and shaking. You can really get into making this drink. Make it into a whole show!

Our hibiscus mocktail is going to give you all the beachy feels you are looking for. It is such a fresh, tropical drink that looks as good as it tastes. You must give it a try! You must…

You Asked, We’re Answering

You have questions and we have answers. Take a look below for the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. You can always ask more questions in the comment section below and we will answer ASAP!

What flavours go well with hibiscus?

Hibiscus goes well with many fruit flavors. It is great with lemon, orange, apple and strawberries. Mint, basil, honey and ginger are also delicious with hibiscus. Keep the floral, tart taste of hibiscus in mind when you look for ingredients to pair it with.

What do you replace alcohol with in mocktails?

You don’t always need to replace alcohol in a cocktail in order to make it a mocktail. A lot of the time, you can simply remove the alcohol and use a little extra juice or non alcoholic mixers that are in the recipe.

There are lots of non alcoholic liqueurs on the market that you can use, too. For example, you can try Ritual Zero Proof Gin in place of regular gin. Read all about non alcoholic liquors in our article here to learn more.

Refreshing Hibiscus Mocktail Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Recipe by Mocktail.net

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Ingredients

1 hibiscus tea bag
1 cup boiling water
1 Tbsp sugar
2 ounces lemon juice
4 thin slices ginger
Lemon twists

Directions

Place the hibiscus tea bag in a mug and add the boiling water. Let the tea steep for about 5 minutes.
Squeeze the tea bag and discard.
Place it in the fridge to cool.
Run a lemon twist around the rim of each martini glass then dip the rims in some granulated sugar. Set the glasses aside.
Place the ginger slices and sugar in a cocktail shaker then muddle them together. Grind the ginger well.
Add the lemon juice and chilled hibiscus tea to the shaker then fill with ice.
Cover and shake the mocktail well.
Strain the mocktail into the prepared martini glasses and float the lemon twists on top of the drink. Enjoy!

Tips and Tricks

• Add 5 mint leaves to the cocktail shaker to muddle with the ginger and sugar. This is a great way to add a bright flavor to your drink!
• Add ¼ cup passion fruit juice to the mocktail to make the drink even more tropical.
Tools:
• Measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• Mug
• Cocktail Shaker with Strainer
• Muddler
• 4 martini glasses