As delicious as it is beautiful, hibiscus lemonade (sometimes referred to as hibiscus tea lemonade) is a tribute to warmer weather with a refreshingly sweet and slightly tart flavor. Made with simple ingredients and no added sugar, this lemonade will be your new favorite for a lovely summer refresher.
vegan • simple • no sugar added
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A thirst-quenching lemonade that has extra fruit flavor and LOTS of color, this is a vegan drink recipe I'm really excited to share. You'll find this hibiscus lemonade to be a beautiful and delicious treat for the warmer months, and one of the best features is this recipe involves no added sugar!
🩷 💛 what you'll love about hibiscus lemonade
Sweet, tangy fruit flavor. Lemonade and hibiscus both offer tart flavors that are as bright as the color of the drink. When combined with Stevia for the sweetness balance, this drink becomes the perfect blend of sweet and tart that we love in any lemonade variety.
Beautiful color. The deep red hues from the hibiscus are absolutely beautiful, capturing a vibrancy that's perfect for spring and summer.
Sweetened with Stevia instead of sugar. This natural, zero-calorie sweetener is a more environmentally-friendly choice compared to granulated sugar; though, if you prefer sugar be sure to choose organic. We love any opportunity to decrease added sugar we consume throughout the day, so this is a refreshing option to do just that!
🥣 ingredient details
Fresh lemon juice and zest. We recommend selecting organic varieties whenever possible. Please note lemons can vary greatly in size, so be prepared to use more or fewer lemons to get the correct amount of lemon juice and zest.
Dried hibiscus (also called sorrel flower). You will likely see this sold in stores as hibiscus tea or dried hibiscus flowers. Our local farmer's market also lists sorrel flower as the type. Additionally, you may see it called roselle or Jamaica.
Stevia. I use packets in this recipe, but have listed the weight so you can accommodate a bulk variety (not packaged in packets). If using granulated sugar instead, taste as you make the lemonade to make adjustments. Generally, one packet of stevia equals two teaspoons granulated sugar.
Water. The majority of the liquid in this recipe comes from water. You can adjust to dilute the lemonade, if needed.
🔪 equipment notes
Zester. I use a Microplane zester (affiliate link) regularly, and have had good success with it. You will need a zester for the lemon
Saucepan. A medium saucepan (affiliate link) is needed to create the simple syrup that serves as the base of the lemonade.
Measuring cups and spoons. Liquid and dry measuring cups and spoons are necessary. Use a kitchen scale to measure by weight, if desired.
Fine mesh strainer. Be prepared to strain a few times if the strainer (affiliate link) you have on hand is too large.
Spoon to stir. You will need to stir the simple syrup occasionally, as well as the lemon juice and simple syrup before refrigerating.
Pitcher. Select a pitcher that's large enough to handle at least 8 cups of liquid. The pitcher in the photos was a wedding gift, so the closest I can find to its style is this Mikasa pitcher (affiliate link).
Recipe
Hibiscus Lemonade
Equipment
Ingredients
Hibiscus Simple Syrup
- 4 cups water 942g
- ½ cup dried hibiscus 39g, may also be sold as hibiscus tea
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest 10g
- 8 packets Stevia extract 8g
Lemonade
- 6 cups water 1416g, add more to dilute, if desired or if serving more people
- 1 cup lemon juice 133g, freshly squeezed, seeds removed
- 7 packets Stevia extract 7g
- mint sprigs optional (for garnish)
- lemon slices optional (for garnish)
Instructions
- Zest your lemons and add to saucepan while preparing remaining ingredients.2 tablespoon lemon zest
- Juice your lemons and strain out the pulp and seeds.
- Add the freshly-squeezed lemon juice to your pitcher and set aside.1 cup lemon juice
Hibiscus Simple Syrup
- To the saucepan with lemon zest, add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.4 cups water
- Reduce to a simmer and add the hibiscus leaves as well as 10 packets of Stevia. Stir occasionally and allow to simmer for several minutes before removing from heat and allowing to cool. This creates the simple syrup mixture.NOTE: Allowing to cool is an important step, especially if using a glass pitcher. Don't pour simmering hot water directly into glass pitcher to prevent cracking.½ cup dried hibiscus, 8 packets Stevia extract
Lemonade
- Strain the simple syrup through the fine mesh strainer into your pitcher. If any hibiscus pieces breach the strainer, be prepared to strain again.
- Add remaining Stevia packets and 6 cups of water. Taste and adjust the Stevia or water as desired.7 packets Stevia extract, 6 cups water
- Allow to cool for several hours, or leave overnight before serving. Enjoy!mint sprigs, lemon slices
Notes
Nutrition
🧊 storage
Store in the refrigerator for up to one week and serve cold.
Another option is to freeze the lemonade for future use! Consider adding to ice cube trays for a pretty and flavorful addition to your beverages. Or, use freezer-safe containers to freeze blocks of the lemonade that can later be "smashed" for lemonade slushies.
✅ acceptable substitutions and variations
Bottled lemon juice. While this recipe was tested with fresh lemon juice and zest, you can usually interchange fresh with bottled lemon juice for a more convenient option. Please note this may impact the finished product, since fresh lemons usually create a more vibrant flavor.
Organic granulated sugar. As mentioned in the recipe, granulated sugar can replace Stevia using the formula of two level teaspoons per Stevia packet. This recipe was only tested with Stevia, so be prepared to add more sugar to taste.
🥰 for the best hibiscus lemonade
Allow the lemonade to cool for best experience. Cooling the lemonade enhances the flavor so you don't get more tart versus sweet. Plus, the cooler temperature makes this a refreshing choice on warm days!
Be prepared to strain the liquid a few times before adding the final six cups (or more) of water. Sometimes, lemon pulp or dried hibiscus can breach the strainer, so just be prepared to strain it again to achieve a purely liquid consistency.
Experiment with fun garnishes. Consider a sprig of mint, a lemon slice, twist of a lemon peel, or even some fun ice cube shapes!
♻️ sustainability profile
Stevia as a sugar replacement. Stevia is widely considered to be a more sustainable sweetener when compared to sugar, largely because it's much more sweeter than sugar and just requires less.
According to a study by the University of Surrey, "stevia may produce as little as 10% of the greenhouse gas emissions of sugar, while still providing the same level of sweetness." Thanks to its sweet superpower, it appears to also reduce land use and water use impacts as well.
Additionally, the National Institutes of Health report, "a carbon and water footprint assessment from one of the largest stevia producers, using sweetness equivalence for comparison, found an 82% reduction in carbon footprint for stevia compared with beet sugar and a 64% reduction compared with cane sugar. The water footprint for stevia was 92% lower than beet sugar and 95% lower than cane sugar (www.purecircle.com)."
Choose organic whenever possible. As with any crop, lemons and hibiscus can be exposed to pesticides. Mitigate this risk (and support organic practices) by choosing organic options when you can. The hibiscus plant is also known for its multiple uses (cleansers, food dyes, and more), making it an even more versatile plant to support!
Note: Reduce food waste by freezing your leftover lemon zest for future use, dry your peels and create your own lemon pepper seasoning, create a simmer pot with lemon rinds for a refreshing aroma, and save your lemon seeds to add to your next homemade jam as a thickening agent.
❓frequently asked questions
What does hibiscus lemonade taste like?
Hibiscus lemonade offers a few delightful, complex flavors that can be described as sweet, tangy, and fruity. The tart, tangy flavors from lemonade are the foundation of the drink, blending nicely with the sweet, subtle fruitiness of the dried hibiscus leaves. Of course, lemonade traditionally includes an added sweetener which only balancing these flavors.
Do hibiscus and lemons go together?
Yes, hibiscus and lemons are a great pairing thanks to their flavor profiles. While lemons create a tart flavor, hibiscus brings a fruitiness to balance the intensity of fresh lemons. The result is a refreshing recipe that is best when served cold and ideal for the spring and summer months.
🍋 more fruit drinks
- No Sugar Added Strawberry Basil Iced Tea (part of our 4 Favorite Summertime Drinks post)
- Watermelon Iced Tea (part of our 4 Favorite Summertime Drinks post)
- No Sugar Added Blueberry Lemonade (part of our 4 Favorite Summertime Drinks post)
- Skinny Rosemary Lemonade (part of our 4 Favorite Summertime Drinks post)
- Blackberry Strawberry Banana Smoothie
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