This sweet, tart, and floral hibiscus simple syrup recipe is perfect for elevating cocktails, teas, sodas, and more. I recommend trying it with some rosehip tea!
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Homemade hibiscus syrup is incredibly easy to make, and its gorgeous ruby-red color and naturally tangy flavor can be used to enhance a wide variety of beverages and sweets.
You only need 3 simple ingredients and a few minutes of prep time. This syrup makes a great gift and is naturally gluten-free and vegan-friendly.
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🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Dried hibiscus flowers: Make sure they're culinary-grade!
- Sugar: Granulated white or cane sugar.
- Orange peel: This is optional, but I think it really complements the hibiscus. You can also try it with lemon or lime.
- Optional ingredients: Consider adding warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, or cloves.
🌺 How to Make Hibiscus Syrup
Step 1: Add water and sugar to a small saucepan and stir occasionally over medium heat until a gentle simmer is reached and sugar has dissolved.
Step 2: Remove saucepan from heat, then add hibiscus flowers and orange peel. Cover and steep 15-20 minutes.
Pro Tip: Don't allow the hibiscus leaves or orange peel to boil, as this can extract more tannic/bitter notes.
Step 3: Pour syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a heat-safe container. Allow it to cool before transferring to a flip-top bottle or mason jar.
Pro Tip: Feel free to adjust the steeping time to taste. A shorter steep produces a lighter, more delicate flavor, while a longer steep makes it increasingly tart and concentrated. Start tasting around the 10-15 minute mark if you're unsure.
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
What does hibiscus syrup taste like?
Hibiscus has a tart, fruity, floral flavor often compared to cranberry or pomegranate. Turning it into a simple syrup balances that natural acidity with sweetness, while the orange peel in this hibiscus syrup recipe adds a subtle citrus aroma.
Is hibiscus simple syrup the same as grenadine?
No. Traditional grenadine is made with pomegranate, though they do have some similarities. Both are deeply red, sweet-tart syrups that work beautifully in cocktails and mocktails.
Can I use hibiscus teabags to make hibiscus syrup?
Yes, although the flavor may be somewhat different depending on the tea. Many hibiscus teas include rose hips, fruit, or other ingredients.
Can I use fresh hibiscus flowers to make hibiscus syrup?
Dried culinary hibiscus is preferable because it's easy to measure, concentrated in flavor, and readily available. Plus, not every hibiscus variety is intended for culinary use, so don't use flowers from your garden unless you're certain they're an edible variety and haven't been treated with pesticides.
🍹 Serving Suggestions
Add hibiscus simple syrup to iced tea, this lemonade recipe, a limoncello martini, margaritas, green tea, matcha, vodka, sparkling water, soda, shaved ice, ice cream, fruit salad, mango sago, matcha cheesecake cups, and more.
👩🏻🍳 Pro Tips
- Use a vegetable peeler for the orange. This makes it easy to remove wide strips of peel while leaving most of the bitter white pith behind.
- Let the syrup cool before judging the flavor. Aromas and flavors can seem different while the syrup is hot.
- Remember that the flavor changes once diluted. The syrup should taste fairly intense by itself. Once you add a tablespoon or two to sparkling water, tea, or a cocktail, the tartness and sweetness should become more subtle.
- Start small if you choose to add warming spices. Hibiscus has a beautiful flavor of its own, and strong spices can quickly overpower it.
- Stored in a clean, airtight container in the fridge, hibiscus simple syrup is best used within 2-3 weeks.
- For longer storage, pour syrup into an ice cube tray and freeze, then thaw individual portions as needed.
🍯 More Tasty Syrups You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Method
- Add water and sugar to a small saucepan and stir occasionally over medium heat until a gentle simmer is reached and sugar has dissolved.
- Remove saucepan from heat, then add hibiscus flowers and orange peel. Cover and steep 15-20 minutes.
- Pour syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a heat-safe container. Allow it to cool before transferring to a flip-top bottle or mason jar.
Nutrition
Notes
- Don't allow the hibiscus leaves or orange peel to boil, as this can extract more tannic/bitter notes.
- Feel free to adjust the steeping time to taste. A shorter steep produces a lighter, more delicate flavor, while a longer steep makes it increasingly tart and concentrated. Start tasting around the 10-15 minute mark if you're unsure.
- Use a vegetable peeler for the orange. This makes it easy to remove wide strips of peel while leaving most of the bitter white pith behind.
- Let the syrup cool before judging the flavor. Aromas and flavors can seem different while the syrup is hot.
- Remember that the flavor changes once diluted. The syrup should taste fairly intense by itself. Once you add a tablespoon or two to sparkling water, tea, or a cocktail, the tartness and sweetness should become more subtle.
- Start small if you choose to add warming spices. Hibiscus has a beautiful flavor of its own, and strong spices can quickly overpower it.
- Stored in a clean, airtight container in the fridge, hibiscus simple syrup is best used within 2-3 weeks.
- For longer storage, pour syrup into an ice cube tray and freeze, then thaw individual portions as needed.
Nena Sterner says
We hope you enjoy this recipe!