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Warm summer days call for a refreshing drink. The natural flavors of sweet berries, fresh citrus, and bright hibiscus come together in a delicious herbal tea that's the perfect afternoon refresher.
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Whether you're looking for a delicious sip for relaxing pool-side, or just want to dream of warm summer days while it snows outside, this berry hibiscus iced tea has you covered. Hibiscus contains both citrus notes and floral, so pairing it with fresh orange and sweetening it with honey draws out both of those delicious flavors.
This recipe is easily doubled or tripled (use the tools in my recipe card) for summer parties or backyard entertaining. Just make sure you choose a big enough pitcher or container for the larger batches!
How to Make Hibiscus Berry Iced Tea
Place sliced strawberries, blackberries and sugar into a quart jar.
Juice the orange into the jar.
Stir to combine and let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
Muddle the mixture to completely crush the berries.
Add honey and set the berry mixture aside.
Bring water to a boil.
Remove from heat and add dried hibiscus flowers and fresh mint.
Let mixture steep for 5 minutes.
Strain out the flowers and mint.
Pour half of the hot tea into the quart jar with the berry mixture.
Stir until the honey has dissolved, then add in the rest of the tea.
Cover and place the jar in the refrigerator until it has cooled completely. (At least 3-4 hours, preferably overnight.)
Note: You MUST let the tea cool completely in the refrigerator before you drink it. Do NOT pour the tea over ice while it’s hot, warm, or even room temperature. The ice will melt quickly and you’ll end up with a SUPER watery drink with much less flavor. Make the tea the day before - or at least morning before - you intend to serve it so it can chill completely.
Shake the jar well before serving the tea in highball glasses over ice.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and/or a fresh strawberry.
Recipe Tips
- If you’re making this recipe 3-4 days before you plan to serve it, strain out the berry pieces after the tea has chilled completely. This will give it the longest shelf-life in the refrigerator.
- Use agave nectar instead of honey for a vegan option.
- Make the garnish as fancy as you want! Add a cocktail pick of blackberries, a large piece of strawberry, or a big bouquet of mint to the glass, if desired.
- Feel free to leave out the blackberries or swap them for fresh blueberries, but don’t skip the strawberries. They’re an important component of this drink.
Try These Refreshing, Non-Alcoholic Drinks
FAQs and Substitutions
No. While similar, this iced tea is not intended in any way to be a Starbucks copycat recipe. It doesn’t contain any green coffee extract, green tea, or any other kind of caffeinated ingredients.
Yes, just use the same number of fresh berries as listed in the recipe and let them thaw at room temperature before using.
As written, there is no caffeine in this recipe. However, if you choose to use a hibiscus tea bag instead of dried hibiscus flowers, you may be adding in caffeine as many of the hibiscus teas you find at the grocery store contain black tea or white tea. Check the ingredients on your tea box if caffeine is an important ingredient for you to avoid (or add).
If you don't like pieces of crushed berries in your iced tea, simply strain the cooled berry hibiscus tea before serving.
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Print the Recipe Card
PrintVery Berry Hibiscus Iced Tea
Fresh berries and citrus pair with bright hibiscus flowers and honey for a delicious, slightly sweet, caffeine-free iced tea that's an ideal summer drink.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
- Category: Mocktails
- Method: Infusion
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 4 large strawberries
- 3 large blackberries
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 navel orange
- ⅓ cup honey (or agave nectar)
- 1 Tbsp dried hibiscus flowers (not tea)
- 3 large sprigs of fresh mint or 10-12 fresh mint leaves
- 2.5 cups water
Instructions
Place sliced strawberries, blackberries and sugar into a quart jar.
Juice the orange into the jar.
Stir to combine and let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
Muddle the mixture to completely crush the berries.
Add honey and set the berry mixture aside.
Bring water to a boil.
Remove from heat and add dried hibiscus flowers and fresh mint to the hot water.
Let mixture steep for 5 minutes.
Strain out the flowers and mint.
Pour half of the hot tea into the quart jar with the berry mixture.
Stir until the honey has dissolved, then add in the rest of the tea.
Cover and place the jar in the refrigerator until it has cooled completely. (At least 3-4 hours, preferably overnight.)
Shake the jar well before serving the tea in highball glasses over ice.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Notes
You MUST let the tea cool completely in the refrigerator before you drink it. Do NOT pour the tea over ice while it’s hot, warm, or even room temperature. The ice will melt quickly and you’ll end up with a SUPER watery drink with much less flavor. Make the tea the day before - or at least morning before - you intend to serve it so it can chill completely.
Keywords: very berry, hibiscus iced tea, summer drinks, sweetened tea, herbal tea
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