This Homemade Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea is a wonderfully refreshing summer drink and is made with fresh strawberries and hibiscus tea. It’s a lightly sweetened iced tea that will cool you down on a hot day.
This homemade strawberry hibiscus iced tea has made Georiga’s hot summer days tolerable. I can’t believe I didn’t share this recipe before. I have shared a sparkling hibiscus iced tea with you and I love that one, but this fruity version is amazing, plus the deep pink color is just so stunning.
Typically I drink my tea unsweetened or with a little bit of honey; however, I will drink this strawberry hibiscus tea a little sweet. It’s made with a strawberry simple syrup that is plenty sweet for me but I know Southerners (and others) love their sweet tea so I give you options with this recipe!
This iced tea would be perfect to sip on after a long day or to serve at a fun summer party, like the Fourth of July!
Table of Contents
- Homemade Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea
- What is Hibiscus Tea?
- Ingredients
- How to Make Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea
- Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
- Printable Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea Recipe
Homemade Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea
In the summer I drink gallons of iced tea, all different flavors. I really prefer herbal teas over black tea unless it’s in the form of a tall glass of Thai Iced Tea. I’m not a fan of teas with lemonade but I love this copycat version of Passion Tea Lemonade. My favorite has to be iced hibiscus tea and not many care to drink it without some type of sweetener or mixed with fruit.
Easy recipes like this strawberry hibiscus tea start with a simple syrup made with strawberries, sugar, and water. Simmered on the stovetop until thickened and deep red in color.
Brewing the floral hibiscus tea is easy and takes about 10 minutes, including steeping time. Then you just add your sweetener, if using, and some fresh lemon juice. Chill and serve over ice. This recipe does make quite a lot of tea, a little more than half a gallon but can be halved.
What is Hibiscus Tea?
Dried hibiscus flowers make up the tea and when brewed the tea turns a ruby red or deep magenta in color with a tart taste, caffeine-free, and full of health benefits. Many people who drink this tea will sweeten it and one popular way is to add spices like ginger to give the tea balance. Drinking hibiscus tea can lower blood pressure since it is a natural diuretic. Some studies have shown that drinking hibiscus tea can raise cholesterol HDL levels, the “good” cholesterol levels. Other benefits of drinking this delicious tea include improving mood, aiding in weight loss, boosting immunity, and a few others.
You can find hibiscus tea in the form of tea bags or loose tea in your grocery store, online, or at an Asian or Mexican market.
Ingredients
Strawberry Simple Syrup
- 3 cups sliced strawberries
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
For the tea:
- 3 family-sized hibiscus tea bags
- 3 cups water
- sugar to taste (optional, and add to taste)
- 8 cups cold water
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Ice
- Lemon wedges and strawberries for garnish
How to Make Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea
To make the strawberry simple syrup:
Step 1
In a medium saucepan add the strawberries, 1 cup of sugar, and 2 cups of water. Give it a stir and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
Step 2
Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until strawberries are soft and the liquid is a deep red color.
Step 3
Using a mesh strainer, strain the strawberry syrup into a large pitcher. If you’re using a glass pitcher make sure it can withstand the hot syrup and tea. Using the back of a spoon, press down on the fruit to get the juice out, but not too hard. Set aside.
To make the hibiscus tea:
Step 1
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in the microwave. Carefully remove the container from the microwave and add the 3 family-sized hibiscus tea bags to the hot water. Let it steep for 5 minutes, then remove the tea bags. If you’re wanting to make this a sweeter tea, add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of sugar and stir well.
Note: I did not add more sugar as I prefer my iced teas more on the unsweetened side. The strawberry syrup was enough sweetener for me.
Step 2
Pour the hot tea into the large pitcher with the strawberry syrup. Add 8 cups of cold water and the juice of one lemon. Stir well. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
Step 3
To serve: fill glasses with ice, pour the tea, and garnish with strawberries and lemon wedges. Don’t forget the straw!
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
- Frozen strawberries can be used to make the simple syrup but thaw first.
- If you can’t find the family-size hibiscus tea bags, use 9 of regular-sized tea bags. I like this brand.
- When sweetening the hibiscus tea, start with the least amount of sugar and taste. Add more if needed.
- You can also use honey or stevia in place of the sugar, just be sure to add a little and taste first.
- Try this iced tea recipe with blackberries, or other berries like blueberries. Raspberries are delicious in this recipe, too.
- Garnish with a sprig of mint if desired.
- If making this for only a few people, you can half the recipe. OR, pour some of the tea into ice cube trays and freeze. Add them to your iced tea so it doesn’t get watery.
Printable Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea Recipe
Homemade Strawberry Hibiscus Iced Tea Recipe
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Simple Syrup
- 3 cups sliced strawberries
- 2 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
For the hibiscus iced tea
- 3 family-sized Hibiscus tea bags
- 3 cups water
- ½ – 1 cup sugar (see note about sweeteners)
- 8 cups COLD water
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Ice
- strawberries and lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
To Make the Strawberry Simple Syrup
- In a medium saucepan add the strawberries, 1 cup sugar and 2 cups of water. Give it a stir and cook over medium high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
- Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until strawberries are soft and the liquid is a deep red color.
- Using a mesh strainer, strain the strawberry syrup into a large pitcher. Using the back of a spoon, press down on the fruit to get the juice out, but not too hard. Set aside.
To Make the Hibiscus Tea
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in the microwave. Carefully remove the container from the microwave and add the 3 family sized hibiscus tea bags to the water. Let it steep for 5 minutes, then remove the tea bags. If you're wanting to make this a sweeter tea, add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of sugar and stir well. *Note: I did not add more sugar as I prefer my iced teas more on the unsweetened side. The strawberry syrup was enough sweetener for me. If you prefer a sweet iced tea, start with ½ cup of sugar and taste. Add more if needed.
- Pour the hot tea into the large pitcher with the strawberry syrup. Add 8 cups of cold water and the juice of one lemon. Stir well. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
- To serve: fill glasses with ice, pour the tea and garnish with strawberries and lemon wedge. Don't forget the straw!
Notes
- Frozen strawberries can be used to make the simple syrup but thaw first.
- If you can’t find the family-size hibiscus tea bags, use 9 of regular-sized tea bags. I like this brand.
- When sweetening the hibiscus tea, start with the least amount of sugar and taste. Add more if needed.
- You can also use honey or stevia in place of the sugar, just be sure to add a little and taste first.
- Try this iced tea recipe with blackberries, or other berries like blueberries. Raspberries are delicious in this recipe, too.
- If making this for only a few people, you can half the recipe. OR, pour some of the tea into ice cube trays and freeze. Add them to your iced tea so it doesn’t get watery.
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