I drink this hibiscus iced tea constantly in the warmer months and have been making a version of it since I was a kid. Added lime takes the hibiscus to the next level, and a touch of honey sweetens it just enough to drink the whole jug.
This was always my go-to when I didn’t drink plain water as a kid. If you have someone around who also refuses to drink water, try this out instead, and slowly decrease the amount of sweetener used until they’re just drinking tea. This works well if you’re the person who’s not drinking enough, too.
It’s great on its own, but if you’re making some warm weather recipes or planning a picnic, try serving the iced tea with vegan refried beans, roasted cauliflower tacos, or a simple mango avocado salad.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Hibiscus: loose tea is best here – dried hibiscus petals – but if you have a mix of hibiscus and rosehip, that works too.
- Lime: substitute lemon juice if preferred, in equal amounts.
- Honey: to make this fully vegan, you can use another liquid sweetener or stir in granulated sugar while the tea is still very hot.
- Add-ins: fresh mint leaves are a nice addition, as is a cinnamon stick while the tea is steeping (leave it in longer to add a stronger cinnamon flavour).
Recipe Notes
You can use loose hibiscus petals, or any bagged tea that has hibiscus as the main ingredient. This is also great blended with some fresh or frozen strawberries in the summer, a bit like this watermelon smoothie minus the melon.
I don’t recommend keeping lime slices in the tea as it’s stored, as they tend to add a bitter aftertaste if they steep too much into the drink. Serve with lime, but don’t mix them into the tea.
How to Store
Storage: this keeps well in the refrigerator for up to three days, and the flavour usually improves after a day or so.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this drink. If you know you’ll need ice cubes, though, freeze the tea in an ice cube tray to use instead of normal ice.
Expert Tips
- Use a heat safe jug: if you don’t have one, brew the tea in a different bowl or container and cool before transferring to a jug to serve.
- Sweeten to taste: add as much or little honey or other sweetener as you like. If you’ve added too much, another squeeze of lime juice will balance it out.
- Chill instead of adding ice: added ice cubes will only water the tea out. It’s better to refrigerate until very cold instead.
More Summer Drinks
Elderflower Lemonade
Strawberry Slush
Lilac Lemonade
Strawberry Milk
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Hibiscus Lime Iced Tea
Description
Ingredients
- 1 litre (4 cups) boiling water
- 15 grams (¼ cup) hibiscus petals dried (or 2 teabags hibiscus-based tea)
- 2 tablespoons honey*
- Juice of two limes about 4 tablespoons
- Lime slices and mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Add the hibiscus petals or teabags to a pitcher and pour the boiling water overtop. Let this steep for a few minutes before stirring in the honey until it dissolves.1 litre (4 cups) boiling water, 15 grams (¼ cup) hibiscus petals, 2 tablespoons honey*
- Let the tea cool on the counter before removing the hibiscus or teabags – you want it to be very strong. Once it's cool, add the lime juice. Refrigerate until very cold, and serve with sliced lime, ice, and mint.Juice of two limes, Lime slices and mint leaves for garnish
- This keeps well in the fridge and even improves after a day or two.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
This post was first published in July 2015. It has been updated most recently as of January 2023.