Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea)
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on Jan 31, 2024, Updated Apr 09, 2024
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Today I will guide you through the art of crafting the perfect Agua de Jamaica — a yummy hibiscus flower drink that’s a symphony of tart sweetness, a burst of floral and citrusy deliciousness, and an ode to the rich tapestry of Mexican flavors.
Table of Contents
Imagine taking a stroll through the bustling streets of Mexico, where the sun’s warm embrace and the vibrant colors of the mercado beckon you to explore. As you wander, a large glass beehive-shaped jar of crimson elixir catches your eye.
This, mi amigos, is the enchanting hibiscus drink known as Agua de Jamaica – a delectably refreshing cold hibiscus tea that captures the very essence of Mexico in every sip.
What is Agua de Jamaica?
First, let’s get the pronunciation straight: jamaica is pronounced (ha-MIKE-ah) — not Jamaica, the Caribbean Island. Agua de jamaica (which translates to “hibiscus water” in English) is perhaps the most popular variety of agua fresca. It’s a refreshingly bright Mexican drink that you’re sure to love.
This hibiscus iced tea is delightful, tangy, and gorgeously crimson-hued, and the flavor is sweet-tart with a subtle floral undertone. Think of it as the Mexican version of sweet tea.
To make it, we steep dried hibiscus petals in hot water, infusing it with their rich, tart flavors and lovely color. Then, we sweeten it with a touch of sugar or honey and, if you’re in the mood, add a hint of cinnamon for extra depth.
This hibiscus drink is incredibly versatile and is my family’s go-to drink, and is a fantastic base to make a Hibiscus Margarita.
Why You’ll Love This Agua de Jamaica Recipe
If a sweet-tart thirst-quenching drink sounds like something you’d like, Mexican jamaica water is absolutely for you. Aside from yielding a pitcher of a stunningly gorgeous and slurp-ably delicious refresher, this hibiscus tea recipe is also:
- Quick & Easy – You only need about 5 minutes of active time to make a batch.
- All-Natural – Unlike most bottled drinks on the market, this iced hibiscus tea is made with only 3 simple ingredients — including water!! It’s something you can feel good about serving to your family, plus if your kids are anything like mine, they’ll LOVE it!
- Versatile – Whether you enjoy it on its own with ice or use it as a canvas for your mixology experiments, one thing is certain: you’re going to love this jamaica drink recipe!
Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you only need a handful of ingredients to make this Mexican hibiscus drink. See recipe card below for the full recipe.
- Dried Hibiscus Flowers – While they’re easy to find at your local Latin supermercado or online, you likely won’t find these dried flowers at a typical grocery store. If you’re in a pinch, look for plain hibiscus tea bags instead.
- Granulated Sugar – For sweetness to balance out the tart flavor of hibiscus. Feel free to swap in the sweetener of your choice (e.g. agave nectar or honey) and adjust the amount you use to suit your taste.
- Water – If possible, use filtered water for the best taste.
- Ice – Again, use filtered water if possible.
- Mint Leaves – While totally optional, I love the bright pop of color and the subtle minty flavor a fresh sprig adds to my glass.
How To Make Mexican Hibiscus Tea
This jamaica drink recipe is SO SIMPLE. Here’s how it’s done:
- Rinse and drain the dried hibiscus flowers in a large colander.
- Steep. Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add the flowers and cover tightly with a lid. Remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain jamaica water into a pitcher and discard flowers. Add sugar and stir. Refrigerate until time to serve.
- Taste tea, and add more sugar or dilute with water to your liking.
- Serve. Ladle into a tall glass filled with ice and garnish with fresh mint leaves or lime slices (optional).
Watch my video to learn how to make Agua de Jamaica — it’s seriously so easy!
Optional Variations
As much as I love this simple hibiscus tea recipe, there are plenty of ways to make it your own. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Lower Sugar. Traditional Agua de Jamaica is fairly sweet, but you can control the sweetness by adding a bit less sugar. Bear in mind that adding ice to the tea in the end will take away some sweetness, too. Alternatively, swap in a zero-sugar option like Truvia Sweet Complete.
- Spiced. If you want a little bit of warmth to play off the sweet tart flavors, add a canela (cinnamon) stick to the hibiscus petals for steeping. Cinnamon hibiscus tea is easily one of my favorite hibiscus hot drinks!
- Make Hibiscus Paletas. You can freeze some of the mixture in popsicle molds for a deliciously refreshing treat!
- Make Jamaica Margaritas by mixing hibiscus agua fresca with tequila, lime juice, and a drizzle of agave.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Serve this traditional Mexican te de jamaica in a vitrolero (glass barrel jar) or beverage dispenser filled will ice or feel free to store and serve in a pitcher.
- Garnish with mint leaves, lime slices, or a cinnamon stick for an added boost of flavor and flair.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate hibiscus drink in a covered container, such as a mason jar in the fridge for 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
First you’ll taste a refreshing burst of tartness, like the zing of a juicy red berry, followed by a subtle hint of floral goodness. It’s like sipping on sunshine with a touch of sweetness.
The hibiscus petals give it that bright, ruby-red color, and they pack a punch of tanginess that I can’t get enough of. When you add some sugar to balance it out, it’s like Mary Poppins — practically perfect in every way. Some say it tastes a bit like cranberry juice, but with an exotic twist.
And the best part? You can customize it to your liking. Add a bit more sugar to taste, a dash of cinnamon for a touch of spice, or even a squeeze of lime for an added burst of tangy goodness.
Agua de jamaica is not just yummy; it’s pretty good for you too! First, you know those little superhero molecules called antioxidants? Well, agua de jamaica is loaded with them, especially anthocyanins. They’re the good guys that help your body fight off nasty stuff that can make you sick.
Next, sipping on hibiscus tea might help keep your ticker in good shape. Some studies suggest it can lower blood pressure and even help with cholesterol. So, this icy drink is like a little love note to your heart.
It’s also high in vitamin C, which is like a shield for your immune system. Plus, there’s iron in there, which is pretty handy for your blood. Holistic healers have also used it for centuries to help kidneys and urinary tracts do their thing.
Finally, agua de jamaica counts towards your hydration goals, and it’s way more exciting than plain water. Just make sure to keep an eye on the added sugar and don’t go overboard with it!
For an extra bit of flavor and health benefits, you can also infuse this agua de jamaica with canela (cinnamon), similar to this Hibiscus-Cinnamon Tea. It is fragrant and so flavorful. Enjoy!
Unfortunately, yes. Nothing good lasts forever! To keep agua de jamaica fresh for as long as possible, it’s best to refrigerate it. If it’s homemade, make sure it’s in a clean, airtight container before putting it in the fridge. Properly sealed, it can stay good for a few days to a week.
Yep! To make agua de jamaica, dried hibiscus petals are steeped in hot water, creating a tart and tangy herbal tisane. It can be served hot or cold and is typically sweetened to taste, making it a refreshing and flavorful beverage enjoyed in Mexican cuisine.
To make this Agua de Jamaica you need flor de jamaica (dried hibiscus flowers), which can be found in a Latin supermarket or online.
More Authentic Mexican Drink Recipes
- Horchata
- Agua Fresca de Pepino – Cucumber Lime Cooler
- Pineapple Cooler – Agua de Piña
- Agua de Sandia
- Spiked Aguas Frescas
Have you made this agua de jamaica? Rate the recipe and leave me a comment below to let me know how it turned out! To get more Muy Bueno recipes delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for my email newsletter.
Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea)
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried hibiscus flowers
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, more if desired
- 6 cups water
- Ice
- Mint leaves, optional
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the dried hibiscus flowers in a large colander.
- Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add the flowers and cover tightly with a lid. Remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain hibiscus water into a pitcher and discard flowers. Add sugar and stir. Refrigerate until time to serve.
- Taste tea, and add more sugar or dilute with water to your liking.
- Ladle into a tall glass filled with ice and garnish with fresh mint leaves or lime slices (optional).
Video
Notes
- Serve Agua de Jamaica in a vitrolero (glass barrel jar) or beverage dispenser filled with ice, or feel free to store and serve it in a pitcher.
- You can freeze some of the mixture in popsicle molds to make Hibiscus Paletas!
- This Agua de Jamaica can also be brewed with canela (cinnamon) to make Hibiscus-Cinnamon Tea.
- Make Jamaica Margaritas with tequila, lime juice, and a drizzle of agave.
- Garnish with mint leaves, lime slices, or a cinnamon stick.
- Refrigerate hibiscus drink in a covered container, such as a mason jar in the fridge for 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks.
Originally published: March 2011. This recipe is also published in the Muy Bueno cookbook.
This is the only recipe I use.
My 90 year old dad loves it. I always take him some when I go visit him.
His favorite
This recipe is the best. I have been making a batch every week. Got compliments from friends who have tried it as well. Thank you for sharing.
Just made a two big batchs of this. Enjoying it on hot days. Froze one batch for next week.
Do you add the cinnamon the same time you add the Jamaica & boil together or stir it with the cinnamon stick??
I need this agua so much right now! Such a refreshing drink to keep handy in summer. 🙂
Would love to send you a sample of our delicious blend of Hibiscus Sorrel Passion tea for your review. Thank you.
Okay, my mistake. According to the internet, they are of the same family and genus. But they are two very different looking flowers, and sorrel is usually NOT called by the name hibiscus. But as I stated before this drink is made with sorrel.
These are actually NOT hibiscus flowers. These are what Jamaicans call sorrel and Mexicans call jamaica. Hibiscus flowers and sorrel are two TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLANTS. If you use dried hibiscus flower to make a jamaica it is not the same as the Mexican jamaica drink. Hibiscus and sorrel are not even in the same family of flowers.
we used to drink in Northern Mexico all the time since is hot 10 moths of the year; but We never boiled it. We just let is soak overnight. I wonder wich way is better.
Cecy: GREAT idea! I’ll be sure to try that next time. Do you leave indoors or outdoors?
I made pitcher of agua de jamaica …. it is fabulous on hot spring day like today. This is my go to beverage in the summer.