Hibiscus Lemonade
Naturally vibrant, tart, and refreshing, this easy Hibiscus Lemonade is made with just three simple ingredients. Fresh lemon squeezed juice and my floral Hibiscus Simple Syrup make the perfect combination for this refreshing lemonade with gorgeous color and plenty of flavor. It’s an effortless summer drink perfect for sipping on a sunny afternoon or serving at your next gathering.
To learn how to make this delicious and easy lemonade recipe, see the printable recipe card below or take a look at the recipe video. For other recipe variations and to learn about the history of how hibiscus flowers came about being used in teas and syrups, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips below.
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RECIPE
(Printable recipe card below.)
HIBISCUS LEMONADE
Naturally vibrant, tart, and refreshing, this easy Hibiscus Lemonade is made with just three simple ingredients. Fresh lemon squeezed juice and my floral Hibiscus Simple Syrup make the perfect combination for this refreshing lemonade with gorgeous color and plenty of flavor.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Using a juicer, squeeze lemon.
- To a tall highball glass (18 ounce), add lemon juice, and Hibiscus Simple Syrup, and stir to combine. Add water, and stir well to combine. Fill the glass with ice cubes, and stir again to chill. Serve immediately with a reusable straw, and enjoy!
Notes
- This lemonade ratio is based on the balance of tartness and sweetness of the lemon juice and my Hibiscus Simple Syrup recipe. You can make this simple syrup recipe ahead of time, and store it refrigerated for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container.
- For Make Ahead Instructions to serve 8 or more, visit the Pimp My Recipe section for this recipe in my Blog Comments & Tips on the website.
- Makes one 7 ounce serving (18 ounces with ice).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
71Fat (grams)
0 gSat. Fat (grams)
0 gCarbs (grams)
19 gFiber (grams)
0 gNet carbs
19 gSugar (grams)
17 gProtein (grams)
0 gSodium (milligrams)
7 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mgNutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Optional garnishes are not included in the nutritional calculations.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve immediately with a slice of lemon as a garnish (optional), and a reusable straw.
Note: For Make Ahead Instructions to serve 8 or more, or to learn how to make this a Sparkling Hibiscus Lemonade, visit the Pimp My Recipe section for this recipe in my Blog Comments & Tips on the website.
VIDEO
How to Make this Refreshing 3-Ingredient Hibiscus Lemonade Recipe!
(COMING SOON)
Blog Comments & Tips
Easy 3-Ingredient Hibiscus Lemonade Recipe!
Bright, tart, floral, and naturally vibrant, this 3-ingredient Hibiscus Lemonade is a refreshing twist on classic homemade lemonade. Made with fresh lemon juice, water, and my recipe for Hibiscus Simple Syrup, it comes together quickly and delivers beautiful color and bold flavor with very little effort.
Hibiscus has been enjoyed in beverages for centuries. The culinary hibiscus used for tea and drinks is Hibiscus sabdariffa, commonly known as roselle. While its exact origins are debated, evidence points to a long history of cultivation in Africa, including the western Sudan region. Over time, roselle became an important ingredient in traditional drinks throughout Africa and beyond.
In Egypt and Sudan, hibiscus is traditionally prepared as karkadé, while West African versions include drinks such as bissap, zobo, and sobolo. Through trade and migration, hibiscus found its way into beverages throughout the Caribbean and the Americas, including Mexico’s beloved agua de Jamaica.
Today, dried hibiscus is perhaps best known for its ruby-red herbal tea, but its tart, cranberry-like flavor also makes it wonderful in syrups, lemonades, cocktails, mocktails, jams, and desserts. The calyces, not the large ornamental hibiscus flowers commonly grown in gardens, are what give these drinks their distinctive color and flavor. The calyces are small, colorful, fleshy, leaf-like structures at the base of a flower that protect the flower bud before it opens. Once the flower dies, the colorful calyces are left behind to be used for tea and other wonderful recipes.
For this easy hibiscus lemonade recipe, my homemade Hibiscus Simple Syrup does the work of adding both sweetness, and concentrated floral flavor and color. The result is a gorgeous, refreshing summer drink that's as lovely to serve as it is delicious to sip.
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 3 tips to making this perfectly balanced Hibiscus Lemonade:
Use organic lemons. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the only option for this recipe. Bottled lemon juice will not work.
Use my recipe for Hibiscus Simple Syrup. It has the right ratio of hibiscus flavor and sweetness for this recipe. Timing is everything for this simple syrup recipe, as it can easily turn bitter if you let it steep too long, so follow my instructions in the linked recipe.
What is the best ratio for lemonade? In my opinion, a 1:1:5 ratio has the best balance of tartness, sweetness, and dilution. This ratio simply means 1 part lemon juice, 1 part sweetener (sugar, or simple syrup), and 5 parts water.
If you are using a natural sweetener for your traditional lemonade (like pure maple syrup or agave syrup), you will need less as these two are naturally sweeter than sugar.
For example, instead of 1 ounce of simple syrup, you can use 0.75 to 0.85 ounces of agave or pure maple syrup.
In tablespoons, that is about 1.5 to 1.7 tablespoons, depending on taste.
In general, the standard ratio is 2/3 to 3/4 of a cup of agave for every 1 cup of granulated sugar.
It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Make a Pitcher: To make 8 servings, add to a large glass pitcher (xx ounces), 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, and 1 cup Hibiscus Simple Syrup, and stir to combine. Add 5 cups offiltered cold water, and stir again. Cover pitcher, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, fill individual glasses with ice, stir the lemonade in the pitcher, and pour into each glass. Garnish with lemon slices (optional).
Make it a Sparkling Lemonade: Just replace the filtered water with sparkling mineral water or club soda! Since mineral water and club soda contain sodium, you may have to adjust the sweetness. Taste and add more Hibiscus Simple Syrup, if desired.
Make it a Boozy Lemonade: To each glass of lemonade, add 2 ounces of vodka. Stir all ingredients to combine. Add ice, and serve!
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Prep My Recipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Santé!
Mich
Footnote: For the perfect sweetness and hibiscus flavor, remember to my Hibiscus Simple Syrup for this recipe.
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