By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 8
10 cal · 35 min
Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)
Recipe GLPR3b4220e16ce45f
A refreshing Caribbean hibiscus tea made by steeping vibrant dried hibiscus flowers with warming spices and natural sweetness. Traditionally served chilled over ice, this tart and floral beverage is naturally caffeine-free and endlessly customizable with citrus, ginger, and cinnamon for depth and complexity.
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Ingredients
2 quarts Water, divided
1 cup Dried hibiscus flowers
⅞ cup Sugar
½ stick Cinnamon stick, halved (optional)
3 slices Fresh ginger, thinly sliced (optional)
Allspice berries (optional)
Fresh lime juice (optional)
Orange or lime slices for garnish
Directions
In a large pot, bring 1 quart of water to a rolling boil over high heat.
Add the dried hibiscus flowers to the boiling water, stirring gently to ensure they are fully submerged.
If using cinnamon, ginger, and allspice berries, add them to the pot at this time and stir well.
Remove from heat and allow the mixture to steep for 15–20 minutes, until the liquid deepens to a rich ruby color and the flowers have released their flavor fully.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher, pressing gently on the solids to extract all the liquid; discard the spent flowers and spices.
Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved, then add the remaining 1 quart of cold water to dilute and cool the concentrate.
Taste and adjust sweetness with additional sugar if desired, and add fresh lime juice if using for a brighter tang.
Refrigerate until chilled, then serve over ice in glasses, garnishing each serving with a slice of orange or lime.
Comments
Hibiscus flowers are the gating ingredient for this recipe—Harris Teeter and Kroger carry them in the bulk or international section, but most readers will need to stop at a Latin market in Charlotte like La Forqueta or one of the mercaditos in the Beatties Ford corridor, adding a second trip for a weeknight. The rest (cinnamon, ginger, allspice, lime) stock everywhere. The actual time is closer to 15 minutes hands-on plus 20 steeping; the stated 35 minutes is honest enough. Cost per serving runs about 60 cents in bulk hibiscus and sugar, very affordable. This reheats perfectly and makes a big batch, ideal for a hot Charlotte summer week, and it's a Southern-leaning beverage that fits regional tastes, though it skews more Caribbean than specifically North Carolina. The prep is minimal and forgiving, requiring no real attention once the flowers hit the water.
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