Homemade Hibiscus Syrup is going to be your next best friend in the kitchen! Beautiful colour with a tart and sweet flavour, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
What Is Hibiscus Syrup?
Hibiscus syrup is a sweet, tangy liquid made by simmering dried hibiscus petals, water and sugar, for about 10 minutes.
The result is a deep ruby-red syrup with a tart flavour, similar to cranberry or pomegranate in looks, and a floral aroma that makes it stand out in any dish or drink.
This beautifully vibrant syrup is not only simple to make at home but also carries a rich cultural heritage and a wide range of uses – from cocktails to desserts and everything in between.
Where Is Hibiscus Syrup Found?
Hibiscus drinks, whether in the form of syrup, or tea, are popular across many parts of the world, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions.
- The Caribbean: Known as sorrel in Jamaica, hibiscus is a staple in festive drinks, especially around Christmas.
- Mexico: Here it’s known as agua de jamaica, a refreshing iced tea made from hibiscus flowers.
- West Africa: Often used in a drink called bissap or zobo, hibiscus is mixed with spices, citrus, and sugar.
- Middle East and North Africa: Hibiscus tea, called karkade, is a common drink, valued for its cooling properties and health benefits.
Incidentally, hibiscus rosa sinensis is the national flower of Malaysia. It’s called Bunga Raya in Malay. Bunga means flower, and raya means celebration or great.
Language Fun
I’d originally planned to post this on my other blog. And to give it a Malay name too, which would have been Sirap Bunga Raya. Sirap is obviously syrup.
But I changed my mind!
How to Make Homemade Hibiscus Syrup
It really is the simpleast thing, just like making any sugar or infused syrup. Like our Cheat’s Homemade Rose Syrup.
All we do is:
- Simmer the water, sugar and dried hibiscus petals.
- Strain into bottles.
- Use or store.
Dried Hibiscus Flowers
We use dried hibiscus flowers to make this hibiscus cordial. You should be able to find them in Middle Eastern and Caribbean stores. And also at health food stores.
Failing that, go online. This is what I get off Amazon. You should be able to find it on Amazon worldwide.
How to Use Hibiscus Syrup
You can use this floral syrup in so many ways:
- As Tea: you could still make hot hibiscus tea with this, known as karkade in the Middle East. Just pour hot water over it, and you’ll have sweetend karkade.
- As a cordial: dilute it in a ratio of 1:3 (syrup to water), more or less, to taste. Drop some ice cubes and a sprig of mint or rosemary and enjoy its thirst-quenching goodness.
- Other Drinks and Cocktails: Add to lemonade, make iced hibiscus tea, or use in cocktails like mojitos, spritzers, or margaritas.
- Desserts: Drizzle over ice cream, pancakes, waffles, or yoghurt.
- Baking: Use as a soak for cakes or a glaze for pastries.
It also makes a great foodie gift!
How to Store Hibiscus Syrup
To keep your hibiscus syrup fresh and flavourful:
- Refrigeration: Store in a sealed glass bottle or jar in the fridge for up to a month.
- Sterilisation: For longer shelf life, sterilise your bottles, see below.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the syrup in ice cube trays and pop them into drinks as needed. Flavoured ice cubes are amazing! Freeze for up to 3 months.
What to do with the Hibiscus Flowers?
When you’ve strained the hibiscus syrup, don’t discard the flowers. They will be sweet, tangy and chewy. And so delicious!
Drop a flower into any drink you’re making or top your desserts/ice cream with them.
Freeze the rest in an airtight container for up to a month.
There you go! Homemade hibiscus syrup is a simple yet stunning addition to your culinary arsenal. You know, it should be a pantry staple, because it’ll come in handy in so many ways!
Make it today, and let me know what you think.
Sterilising Bottles
- Turn the oven on to a cool 130˚C/250˚F/Gas Mark ½.
- Wash the bottles and lids in hot soapy water.
- Place the jars and lids in the oven and leave them to dry, with the door closed for 15 minutes.
- Then turn the oven off and leave the jar and lid in there, bringing them out only when you are ready to fill. Be careful, as they’ll be hot.
More Homemade Syrups
Looking for more homemade syrups and infusions? Ta- da!
If you like the recipe, don’t forget to leave me a comment and that all important, 5-star rating. Thank you!
And if you make the recipe, share it on any platform and tag me @azlinbloor, and hashtag it #linsfood
Lin xx
Homemade Hibiscus Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 ml water
- 200 g white sugar
- 60 g dried hibiscus flower
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat.250 ml water, 200 g white sugar, 60 g dried hibiscus flower, 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Bring everything to a simmer, and leave to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring a couple of times.
- Rest for 10 minutes for the flavour and colour to deepen, then strain into sterilised bottles. Just wash your bottles in hot soapy water and rinse well, or sterilise them as in the article above.
- Store in the fridge, for up to 1 month. Serve as suggested.
