Homemade hibiscus iced tea: a simple recipe

Make your own hibiscus iced tea: fruity, tart and refreshing

Hibiscus iced tea wins people over with its bright red colour and its fruity, slightly tart flavour. Whether for a summer party or as a cool refreshment after a long day: the recipe is simple and needs only a few ingredients.

If you make the iced tea yourself, you decide how strong and how sweet it is. In this article you will find a basic recipe without sugar, ideas for flavour variations, serving tips and a shortcut that needs no brewing at all.

Introduction to hibiscus iced tea

What is hibiscus iced tea?

Hibiscus iced tea is made from the dried flowers of the hibiscus plant (Hibiscus sabdariffa), botanically speaking from its calyces. It is known for its deep red colour and its slightly tart flavour. The plant is grown mainly in tropical and subtropical regions; in Arabic-speaking countries the tea is also known as “karkadé”.

The preparation is simple and leaves plenty of room for your own ideas. Besides the basic ingredient, dried hibiscus flowers, mint, ginger or citrus fruit go well with it. Steeping produces an intense infusion that, once cooled, is drunk plain or with lemon and herbs.

Flavour, caffeine and sugar

Hibiscus iced tea tastes fruity, tart and slightly astringent. Hibiscus naturally contains no caffeine, unlike black and green tea: according to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), 200 ml of black tea contains around 45 mg and 200 ml of green tea around 30 mg of caffeine (figures retrieved on 1 October 2026).

The basic recipe needs no added sugar. The tartness of hibiscus can also be rounded off in other ways, for example with citrus fruit, berries or fresh mint (see “Tips for personalising your tea” below).

Ingredients and equipment

Ingredients you need

For about one litre of hibiscus iced tea you need:

• 4–8 tsp dried hibiscus flowers (as a guide, 1–2 tsp per 250 ml of water), also sold as “karkadé”
• 1 litre of water
• ice cubes
• optional: lemon, lime, fresh mint or berries

Dried hibiscus flowers are available from natural food shops, tea shops or online. Look for good quality, because it determines the flavour of your iced tea.

Equipment required

Everything you need can be found in any kitchen: a saucepan or heat-resistant jug for steeping, a fine sieve or tea filter, a jug or carafe for cooling, a spoon and glasses for serving. Optional extras are a measuring jug for the exact amount of water and a lemon squeezer.

Step-by-step instructions

Preparing the ingredients

Measure out the hibiscus flowers and the water. Wash thoroughly any herbs and fruit that you will use later as an addition or garnish. It is best to cut fresh ingredients just before serving.

Making the iced tea

1. Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan and remove it from the heat.
2. Add the hibiscus flowers and leave to steep for 5–8 minutes. If you like your iced tea more intense, leave it to steep a little longer.
3. Pour the tea through a fine sieve into a carafe. Left unsweetened, the iced tea stays free of sugar.
4. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge.
5. Serve with ice cubes, mint leaves or lemon slices.

Tips for personalising your tea

Additional flavours

Fruit, herbs and spices give your hibiscus iced tea a personal touch. Lemons, limes or oranges add fresh tartness; strawberries, raspberries or blueberries bring fruitiness and extra colour. Fresh mint, basil or lemon balm give a herbal character, cinnamon and ginger a spicy warmth. Let spices steep along with the tea; add fruit and herbs just before serving.

If you prefer it sweeter, you can sweeten to taste. Bear in mind, however, that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), honey, agave syrup and maple syrup count as free sugars, just like table sugar. For a recipe without sugar, leave them out and rely on the flavours of fruit and herbs.

Serving suggestions

Serve the hibiscus iced tea well chilled in a carafe with plenty of ice cubes, lemon slices and sprigs of mint. For a sparkling version, fill the glass half with iced tea and half with sparkling water. Glasses chilled beforehand keep the drink cold for longer.

Frequently asked questions about hibiscus iced tea

Can you also drink hibiscus iced tea warm?

Yes. Hibiscus tea also tastes good hot: pour hot water over the hibiscus flowers as for the iced tea, leave to steep for 5–8 minutes and flavour it to taste with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom or lemon. According to the product page, TEABALLS Hibiscus also dissolve in hot water (recommended: 60–80 °C).

How long does hibiscus iced tea keep?

There is no official shelf life for homemade iced tea. Pour it into a clean, tightly sealed container, store it chilled and drink it promptly. Add fruit slices and fresh herbs only just before serving. If the iced tea smells or tastes unusual, do not drink it.

Does hibiscus iced tea contain caffeine?

No. Hibiscus naturally contains no caffeine. For comparison: according to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), 200 ml of black tea contains around 45 mg and 200 ml of green tea around 30 mg of caffeine.

How do you make hibiscus iced tea without sugar and without brewing?

With TEABALLS Hibiscus: put 3–5 pressed pieces per 3 dl straight into cold water and stir briefly. They dissolve in seconds, with no tea bag and no waiting. TEABALLS Hibiscus contain no added sugar and no sweetener.

Hibiscus iced tea without the effort: with TEABALLS

No desire to brew, steep and strain? With TEABALLS Hibiscus, hibiscus iced tea is ready in seconds: put 3–5 pressed pieces per 3 dl straight into cold water and stir briefly, with no tea bag and no waiting. The ingredients: hibiscus extract and acidity regulators (citric acid, sodium hydrogen carbonate); they contain no added sugar and no sweetener. A bottle of 150 pressed pieces is enough for around 30–50 drinks. On the go, the Flat water bottle 380 ml is handy: it is space-saving and, according to the product page, leak-proof.

You can find all flavours in the overview TEABALLS all tea varieties. There are 24 varieties in total, 8 of them organic (16 TEABALLS varieties and 8 organic varieties). No variety contains added sugar; the sweetener sucralose is found in only four varieties (Energy, Mango, Blueberry & Coconut and Wassermelone, i.e. watermelon). The 8 organic varieties are suitable for hot drinks only. And if you would rather flavour your water subtly than turn it into an iced tea: the Aroma Bundle – flavoured water without sugar brings together several varieties for flavoured water.

You can find more inspiration for iced tea without sugar in our articles Making iced tea without sugar yourself, Iced tea without sugar at a glance and Hibiscus tea: preparation, recipes & iced tea without sugar.

Conclusion: making your own hibiscus iced tea

Making hibiscus iced tea at home is easy: pour hot water over the hibiscus flowers, leave to steep, strain and chill. You decide how strong and how sweet it is, and you can vary it as you like with citrus fruit, berries, herbs and spices.

It is even simpler with TEABALLS Hibiscus: pressed pieces in the water, stir, done.

To find out where to get TEABALLS, read our article TEABALLS: where to buy?