Homemade Hibiscus Syrup
Homemade hibiscus syrup is perfect for adding vibrant pink color and a tart flavor to drinks and desserts. The floral syrup only takes 3 ingredients and 15 minutes to make and is a delicious way to add floral flavors to your dishes and drinks.
I typically make a batch of this floral simple syrup during the summer months when hibiscus flowers are in full bloom here in New Zealand.
The syrup’s unique fruity, sweet-tart flavor and vibrant color make it incredibly versatile. Here’s how you can best enjoy it:
- Sweetener: Use it to sweeten desserts such as my mini cheesecakes, adding a delicious tang.
- Natural food dye: Give you cakes, drinks, and desserts a beautiful pink hue without the need for artificial colorings.
- Topping: Drizzle the syrup over desserts like ice cream, cakes, or puddings. Add it to your sweet breakfasts such as pancakes, German waffles, overnight oats, or homemade Greek yogurt.
- Drinks: Create pink cocktails, such as a hibiscus margarita, or mocktails for a non-alcoholic treat. Use it as a vibrant sweetener in iced tea, herbal tea, or lemonade such as my chia seed lemonade.
For more flavored simple syrups, check out my Rosé syrup recipe, honey and lavender syrup, and homemade vanilla syrup.
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Homemade Hibiscus Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water filtered
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine water and sugar.1 cup water, 1 cup sugar
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Once the mixture reaches a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the dried hibiscus flower. Let everything simmer for 5-10 minutes to infuse.1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
- Remove the saucepan from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.
- Strain the syrup through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a mason jar or another airtight container.
- Store the syrup air-tight in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and substitutions
Hibiscus: This infused simple syrup is made with dried hibiscus flowers. If dried flowers are not available, you can use hibiscus teabags, hibiscus powder, or fresh hibiscus petals instead. You can find dried hibiscus flowers at select grocery stores or health food stores.
Sugar: Granulated white sugar works best but you can also experiment with natural sweeteners like agave syrup, maple syrup, or honey for a richer flavor. I don’t recommend using brown sugar.
Variations
- Citrus: Add lemon or lime peel during the infusion for a citrusy kick.
- Spice it up: Incorporate a cinnamon stick or cloves while simmering to add warm, spicy notes into your syrup.
- Hibiscus lavender: Combine dried lavender flowers with hibiscus for a floral simple syrup.
- Herbs: Infuse your syrup with fresh herbs like mint or basil for an extra layer of flavor.
- Hibiscus Rose: Add culinary rose petals or rose water to the infusion.
Step-by-step photos
- Dissolve the sugar to make a simple syrup.
- Add dried hibiscus flowers.
- Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes until you have reached the desired color and flavor.
