Hibiscus Iced Tea with Mint and Rose Petals
Ten minutes of work – and a whole summer in a glass
Hello foodie,
you know how it is when it's so hot outside that all you really want to do is hold a cold glass in your hand? This hibiscus iced tea is made for exactly those days. And the best part: it takes less than ten minutes of work.
Dried hibiscus flowers turn the water deep red in seconds – you'll see, it almost looks too beautiful to drink. On top of that comes this floral, tart flavour that doesn't taste of tea at all, but of summer.
I serve it very simply: over ice, with a sprig of fresh mint and a few dried rose petals on top. That's all it needs – the red of the tea and the pink of the flowers do all the work. On a tray with glass straws it looks like something from a little garden café, and everyone asks what's in it.
You can sweeten it exactly to your taste: a spoonful of honey, a dash of agave syrup, a squeeze of lemon. And if you like, a little ginger turns it into a spicy version, or a splash of prosecco makes it the aperitif for the evening.
I'll show you step by step how it's done – and at the end I'll tell you why I always make a double batch straight away.
Ingredients
FOR THE TEA
Step by step
Preparing the tea
Boil the water and add the flowers
Bring the 2 cups of water to a boil in a small pan, then take it off the heat immediately. This matters more than it sounds: if the hibiscus flowers stay in boiling water, they turn bitter – in hot but no longer boiling water they release only their flavour.
Now add the dried flowers. Take a moment to watch, it's worth it: the water turns deep red within seconds. That's exactly how you know the flavours are releasing.
Dried hibiscus flowers, 40 g
Steep for 5 to 10 minutes and season to taste
Let the tea steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Five minutes gives a mild tea, after ten minutes it's strong and properly tart – feel free to taste in between, you'll notice the difference clearly.
Then it's time to season: a spoonful of honey, a dash of agave syrup or both, plus a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Stir until everything has dissolved, and sweeten in small steps – the tea will taste slightly less sweet cold than warm.
Agave syrup, 250 ml
Honey spoon
Straining and serving
Pour through the sieve and let cool
Pour the tea through a fine sieve into a jug or glass container so no bits of flower remain. What's left is a clear, bright red liquid.
Now the tea just needs time to cool. The fastest way is in the fridge; if you're in a hurry, place the container in a bowl of cold water. Don't pour it hot over the ice cubes – they'll melt instantly and water down the whole tea.
Flat-bottomed stainless steel sieve
Fill the glasses and garnish with mint and flowers
Fill the glasses with ice cubes – large cubes are clearly the better choice here, they melt more slowly and dilute less. Pour the cold hibiscus tea over them.
Finally comes the decoration, and that's what makes the difference: a sprig of fresh mint in the glass, a few dried rose petals on top, a glass straw alongside. Serve straight away while everything is cold. By the way: the tea tastes just as good warm, in which case you simply drink it right after seasoning.
Edible flower petals - spring mix
Glass straws
Flat-bottomed stainless steel sieve
Silicone mold XL ice cubes, 4 pieces
Hibiscus Iced Tea with Mint
Ingredients
FOR THE TEA
TO SERVE
Preparation
- Boil: Boil 2 cups of water, take the pan off the heat.
- Steep: Add 2 tbsp hibiscus flowers, let steep for 5–10 min.
- Sweeten: Season with honey or agave syrup and a squeeze of lemon.
- Strain: Pour through a fine sieve and let cool.
- Serve: Pour over ice cubes, garnish with mint and rose petals.
Nutritional values per 100 g
Storage & shelf life
Everything for this recipe
Recommended from our bakery — exactly the sizes the recipe was tested with.
Ingredients
Dried hibiscus flowers, 40 g
Agave syrup, 250 ml
Edible flower petals - spring mix
Silicone mold XL ice cubes, 4 pieces
Equipment
Glass straws
Honey spoon
Flat-bottomed stainless steel sieve
Delivery in 1–2 working days · Free shipping from CHF 100
So your hibiscus iced tea turns out perfectly
The longer the flowers steep, the stronger and more tart the tea becomes. Five minutes gives a mild, floral infusion, after ten minutes it's intense and dark. Taste in between the first time – then you'll know forever how you like it. Prefer it chilled? A cold brew hibiscus tea works too: simply steep in cold water in the fridge overnight.
Overnight in the fridge the tea becomes rounder in flavour, and you have nothing left to do the next day. That's why I always make a double batch straight away: the jug empties faster than you'd think.
Small cubes melt in minutes and turn the tea into a watery drink. Large cubes from the silicone mold last much longer – and look far nicer in the glass too.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, absolutely! Simply serve it right after seasoning, without cooling it – then it's a wonderfully floral herbal tea for cool evenings.
Well sealed, up to 3 days. It tastes best on the first day, though – and keep it plain, adding the decoration only in the glass. It's just as lovely mixed as a hibiscus blueberry tea, or as an easy alternative to twinings cold tea infusions.
Dried rose petals are my favourite: they hold their shape, don't bleed colour and match the red of the tea perfectly. Edible flowers in spring colours or cornflowers are just as beautiful. The only important thing is that they are actually sold as food – flowers from a florist are usually treated.
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