A bright and refreshing combination of sweet and tangy, this mint hibiscus lemonade is ideal for spring and summer gatherings.
As a kid, I was only aware of three lemonades: regular lemonade, strawberry lemonade, and that strange pink lemonade that simply tasted like regular lemonade. Then I grew up and learned about the wide world of lemonades, limeades, and Arnold Palmers.
One of my favorite taco places in Los Angeles, serves a delicious agua de jamaica (hibiscus tea). It’s this intense crimson red drink that’s sweet, yet tangy, and oh so addicting. PLus, it’s naturally caffeine-free! I’ve shared several variations of cold brew hibiscus tea on the blog.
Here I am sharing (in my opinion) the best hibiscus variation- mint hibiscus lemonade!
Ingredients
Similar to how an Arnold Palmer mixes lemonade and iced tea, this drink combines mint lemonade with mint hibiscus tea. The resulting drink is sweet, sour, floral and herbal. It’s so many things packed into one.
You will make three components for this drink: 1) mint hibiscus tea, 2) lemonade, and 3) mint simple syrup.
There are a few ways to make hibiscus tea. I prefer the cold brew method because it results in a less bitter, more flavorful drink.
To make this mint hibiscus tea, simply place dried hibiscus flowers and torn mint leaves in a large pitcher. Pour in water, cover with lid, and pop in the fridge to steep overnight. That’s all!
Use fresh squeezed lemon juice to make the best tasting lemonade! Nothing bottled or from concentrate will ever taste as bright and clean are fresh squeezed juice. Simply combine lemon juice, water, and mint syrup to make lemonade.
Mint simple syrup is a mixture of mint leaves steeped in water and sugar. If you prefer, you may purchase mint syrup for to save time. Use this to sweetened hibiscus tea and lemonade as needed.
Serving Suggestions
There are two ways to assemble and serve this drink. One, you can make individual servings (pouring the lemonade and tea at the last minute) or two, you can pre-mix the drink together ahead of time.
I prefer to mix the two liquids right before serving. Fill a glass with ice. Then, pour equal parts lemonade and tea over the ice. Stir gently to mix and enjoy!
This hibiscus lemonade is super easy to make for large crowds. To make it easier for guests, pre-mix the lemonade and tea ahead of time in a large pitcher. Then, allow guests to pour themselves servings.
One thing to note- pregnant women should avoid drinking hibiscus tea. According to WebMD, “phytoestrogens in hibiscus tea may cause complications during pregnancy.” The article concludes, “It has no caffeine, but it does contain vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial chemical compounds. It’s considered to have medicinal properties, but the clinical research is limited.”
More Lemonade Recipes
- Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade
- Cucumber Mint Lemonade (aka spa lemonade!)
- Honey Whiskey Lemonade
Mint Hibiscus Lemonade
Ingredients
Hibiscus Tea:
- ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers
- handful torn mint leaves
- 4 cups water
- ⅓ cup mint syrup, (up to ¾ cup)*
Lemonade:
- 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 4 ½ cup water
- ¾ cup mint syrup, (up to 1 cup)*
Mint Syrup:
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup water
- ¼ cup torn mint leaves
Instructions
Hibiscus Tea:
- Place dried hibiscus and torn mint leaves in a large pitcher. Pour in 4 cups water. Cover with lid and place in the fridge to steep overnight, or up to 24 hours.
- Strain tea and discard hibiscus and mint.
- Sweetened tea as desired with mint syrup. Start with ⅓ cup syrup for a lightly sweetened tea. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Lemonade:
- Stir together lemon juice, water, and mint syrup. Add more syrup depending on taste preferences. Chill until ready to serve.
Mint Syrup:
- In a medium sauce pot, combine sugar, water, and mint leaves. Bring to a boil until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Cover sauce pot and let mint steep for 10-15 minutes. Taste, if syrup has enough mint flavor, strain out mint leaves, otherwise steep for another 5 minutes or so. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature. Transfer to air tight container and keep chilled in the fridge until ready to use.
Notes
- Adjust sweetness according to your taste preferences
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Do you make the lemonade and then add the hibiscus tea to each glass or do you add it to the lemonade pitcher?
That’s up to you! I like to serve it the way you’d make an Arnold Palmer. Have one pitcher of lemonade and one pitcher of hibiscus, then mix to order. However, you can mix the two together ahead of time.
Great post.
Hi, I thought pregnant women can’t have hibiscus and that it isn’t safe for them. Am I wrong?
Hi! Thank you so much for pointing that out! Yes, pregnant women should avoid hibiscus. I was unaware of that when I first wrote this post. It has since been updated.
I am definitely making this lemomade! I keep seeing these straws they are so cute! Where did you get them? Or what are they called so I can purchase?
Hi Vee, they’re called “paper straws.” You can buy them online at Amazon, PaperMart, or Oriental Trading. I think I bought these gold ones at Target.
Love the paper straws! https://paperm.art/paperstraws
What a GORGEOUS lemonade! Like you, I didn’t know too many lemonade renditions when I was a kid, and since hitting adulthood, I’ve discovered so many.
I’ve never had hibiscus tea. I’ve never thought to have it in ANY drink. Clearly, I’ve been doing it wrong, and I need to give this a go ASAP.
Thanks so much for participating in the Great Blogger BBQ with us today. This has been SO much fun! I hope you and yours have a lovely holiday weekend!
Thanks Erin! And than you for putting together this fabulous roundup of summer recipes! :)
This looks like the DEFINITION of summer! What amazing flavors, and I can only imagine how refreshing it tastes!
Thanks Amy!