• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Mexican Please

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Most Popular
    • Most Recent
    • Salsas
    • Appetizers/Sides
    • Beans
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Enchiladas
    • Main Dish
    • Mexican Cooking 101
    • Tacos
    • Soup
    • Tortillas
    • Vegetarian
  • Articles
  • Cooking Course
  • About Me
  • Contact

Agua de Jamaica — Hibiscus Iced Tea

May 23, 2018 By Patrick 20 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin
1644shares

Next time you come across one of these bags of Hibiscus flowers, consider buying it — you can use them to make a delicious batch of Agua de Jamaica, one of Mexico’s most common agua frescas.

Agua de Jamaica is one of Mexico's most popular agua frescas. This version uses less sugar but feel free to sweeten it up if you want to. So good! mexicanplease.com

You’ll definitely find these Hibiscus flowers in Hispanic markets, but even some general grocers are starting to carry them.  Sometimes you’ll see them labeled as Flor de Jamaica.

Give ’em a squeeze and buy the ones that are still soft, if they are hard and brittle they are probably a bit past their prime.

Then it’s just a matter of steeping the flowers and you’ve got an authentic batch of Agua de Jamaica on your hands.

Agua de Jamaica is one of Mexico's most popular agua frescas. This version uses less sugar but feel free to sweeten it up if you want to. So good! mexicanplease.com

Agua de Jamaica Recipe

Most restaurants in Mexico that offer Comida Corrida will serve up an agua fresca alongside the day’s special.   Here’s a menu from a Comida Corrida spot in Cozumel.

restaurant menu board cozumel mexico

Cozumel, Mexico — Photo by Chloe Miller

Don’t let the chaos of that awesome menu board fool you — it was real deal Mexican food.  You can see the Comida Corrida options on the board to the right — all for 60 pesos!

And served up with a daily agua fresca that could include Tamarind water, Horchata, Watermelon water, or of course…Agua de Jamaica.

Agua de Jamaica is one of Mexico's most popular agua frescas. This version uses less sugar but feel free to sweeten it up if you want to. So good! mexicanplease.com

Agua de Jamaica is as close to the source as you can get, and it might make you view the tea aisle in the supermarket from a newfound perspective.

The process is simple.  And ancient.

Add 1.5 cups of Hibiscus flowers to a pot along with 4 cups of cold water.  Bring to a boil and then remove the pot from the heat.

Agua de Jamaica is one of Mexico's most popular agua frescas. This version uses less sugar but feel free to sweeten it up if you want to. So good! mexicanplease.com

Set aside, cover, and let this steep until it cools, 30 minutes or so.

Strain the mixture and discard the flowers (although some people save them for tacos?!!).

You’re left with 4 cups of Agua de Jamaica concentrate that will conveniently fit into a quart-sized Mason jar.

Agua de Jamaica is one of Mexico's most popular agua frescas. This version uses less sugar but feel free to sweeten it up if you want to. So good! mexicanplease.com

This is a concentrated mixture that will give you leeway on how much you want to dilute and sweeten the final product.

Most versions in Mexico are bombed with sugar, but for me that is no bueno and over time I’ve been using less and less sugar.  I’ve also stopped diluting it as much (by adding water) and instead prefer to drink it when it’s potent and barely sweetened.

So you can consider the instructions in the recipe box below a starting point only, feel free to adjust based on your palate.  (Most peeps will want a little more sugar.)

I use a 1:1 concentrate-to-water ratio when making a batch.   So we’ll add the 4 cups of concentrate to a 2 quart sized pitcher along with 4 cups of water.

My starting point for 1 cup of concentrate is 1 Tablespoon of sugar, so we’ll add 4 Tablespoons of sugar (1/4 cup) to the pitcher.  Combine well and take a taste, adding more sugar if you want.   White sugar is most commonly used but you can definitely substitute honey or agave.

Agua de Jamaica is one of Mexico's most popular agua frescas. This version uses less sugar but feel free to sweeten it up if you want to. So good! mexicanplease.com

Serve over ice and just like that you’ve got a delicious, homemade Agua de Jamaica that is as close to the source as you can get.

It has a light, satisfying, tart flavor that is a great accompaniment to spicy foods or grumpy mornings.

Agua de Jamaica is one of Mexico's most popular agua frescas. This version uses less sugar but feel free to sweeten it up if you want to. So good! mexicanplease.com

There are all sorts of ways to customize this (ginger, bubbly water, spirits, wine) but the more I have it the simpler it becomes.  There’s something grounding about a simple, potent batch.

So the next time you come across a bag of Jamaica flowers toss ’em in your shopping cart.  Who knows, maybe it will have you questioning your morning beverage and heading towards something a bit simpler.

Buen Provecho.

Agua de Jamaica is one of Mexico's most popular agua frescas. This version uses less sugar but feel free to sweeten it up if you want to. So good! mexicanplease.com

Agua de Jamaica iis one of Mexico's most popular agua frescas. This version uses less sugar but feel free to sweeten it up if you want to. So good! mexicanplease.com

Agua de Jamaica -- Hibiscus Iced Tea

Agua de Jamaica is one of Mexico's most popular agua frescas. This version uses less sugar but feel free to sweeten it up if you want to. So good!
4.79 from 19 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 112kcal
Author: Mexican Please

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups Hibiscus flowers (Flor de Jamaica)
  • 4 cups water (for steeping)
  • 1/4 cup sugar (or agave)
  • 4 cups water (for diluting)

Instructions

  • Add 1.5 cups of Hibiscus flowers to a saucepan along with 4 cups of cold water.  Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat.  Cover and let steep until it cools, 30 minutes or so.    
  • Strain the  mixture and discard the leftover flowers.  You'll end up with 4 cups of Agua de Jamaica concentrate.
  • I use a 1:1 concentrate-to-water ratio and approximately 1 Tablespoon of sugar per cup of concentrate, but you can easily alter these once you give it a taste.   Add 4 cups of concentrate to a 2 quart sized pitcher along with 4 cups of cold water and 1/4 cup of sugar.  Combine well and take a taste, adding more sugar or diluting further if you want to.
  • Serve over ice and store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Notes

You can find Flor de Jamaica at Hispanic markets and even some general grocers.
 
I like Agua de Jamaica best when it is potent and barely sweetened, but feel free to dilute it further or add more sugar (especially if serving to kids).
 
Although the instructions are for a big batch, I will frequently keep the concentrate in the fridge and just make it one glass at a time as I need it, using a 1:1 concentrate-to-water ratio. 
Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

 

Our latest post is Chicken served up with a Green Mole (Pipian Verde).

This is a delicious Green Mole sauce that works wonders on grilled meats. You'll need some pepitas (pumpkinseeds) to make the sauce -- and don't forget to roast them first. So good! mexicanplease.com

 

And our latest drink recipe is this wicked Michelada:

This is a fiery, easy-to-make Michelada recipe that is great option for anyone disappointed in the watered down versions on the market. Yum! mexicanplease.com

Still hungry?!

Want to receive Mexican Please recipes via email when they are posted?  Sign up below to subscribe.  All recipes are spam free.

And don't worry, we hate spam too!  You can unsubscribe at any time.

Thank You For Subscribing!

Filed Under: Drinks, Mexican Cooking 101, Most Recent

Previous Post: « Migas: Eggs and Tortillas Recipe (Plus Bacon!)
Next Post: Green Mole (Pipian Verde) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alanna

    May 1, 2022 at 8:50 pm

    I really want to try this recipe but make 6 gallons how many cups of hibiscus flower and water should I use

    Reply
    • Patrick

      May 5, 2022 at 3:51 pm

      Hi Alanna. The recipe as written will make 2 quarts worth. There are 4 quarts in a gallon so if you want to end up with 6 gallons you can multiply the whole recipe by 12. Cheers.

      Reply
  2. Regine Lopez

    July 24, 2021 at 7:54 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious and easy to make!!!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      July 29, 2021 at 12:52 pm

      🙂

      Reply
  3. Dan

    October 8, 2019 at 4:20 pm

    5 stars
    Good Recipe!
    I thought I was the only user who didn’t sweeten it. I find it very flavorful and sweet enough without 30+ gs of sugar per serving! I do like adding a slice of line.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      October 9, 2019 at 1:49 pm

      Thanks Dan!

      Reply
  4. Karina

    March 19, 2019 at 11:23 am

    I am a guera who has been adopted by all my Latino karaoke fans, and I have loved this drink for decades! I have made it several times, via slightly different recipes. After looking through a few recipes on line, I have chosen this one as my go-to for concentrate. The ratio of flowers to water and the steeping (NOT BOILING!) for thirty (30!) minutes is the first reason. Also, the fact that the amount of water used will fit into a glass quart jar is something nobody else took into account. The suggestions for variations on this drink are very nice indeed! All the twists and turns in one place!

    Reply
  5. Jeffrey Sanford

    October 4, 2018 at 12:17 pm

    5 stars
    This is very good good with any combination of ginger, clove, and cinnamon. Popular Caribbean drink. Except it is called sorrel. It’s a special type of hibiscus that creates that tart flavor and deep red. Love this stuff!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      October 5, 2018 at 5:10 pm

      Thanks for mentioning this Jeffrey! I’m curious to try out that combo. Cheers.

      Reply
  6. Suzy B

    August 25, 2018 at 11:59 am

    5 stars
    So happy to have found you, Patrick! Fiddling with my carnitas recipe, I googled “Mexican Oregano “ and there you were! Can’t find it in the wilds of the NC mountains, but I grow lemon balm, so, thanks to your verbena tip, will try a handful of that this time. Looking forward to my recipe emails…

    Reply
    • Patrick

      August 27, 2018 at 6:06 pm

      Thanks Suzy! I hope you find some keeper recipes on the site. Cheers.

      Reply
  7. David Christy

    July 3, 2018 at 6:41 pm

    5 stars
    Another great and simple recipe Patrick! My first batch had a bit of funky earthiness that I attribute to steeping for too long. Batch 2 and 3 which I steeped for 30 minutes, did not have that quality. I finally found a way to use these Thai palm sugar disc things that have been in my pantry for many years. Two or three inches of the tea and a can of club soda works for me. Great way to hydrate the morning after a night of craft beers…or anytime.

    Reply
    • Patrick

      July 9, 2018 at 2:45 pm

      Awesome, thanks for your feedback David — and thanks for mentioning the funkiness with the longer steeping time, that’s helpful for peeps to know.

      Reply
  8. Jacqueline Dawson

    May 25, 2018 at 7:46 pm

    Thank you! So excited to try this!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      May 28, 2018 at 6:00 pm

      Cheers Jacqueline, hope you like it!

      Reply
  9. J Gentry

    May 25, 2018 at 8:24 am

    You got me again Patrick, but this time I’m not going for the recipe just to have a refreshing drink..
    I’m after the steeped leaves for tacos. Your comment has piqued my curiosity, I’ll get back to you with a ‘yuk’ or ‘yum’
    Take care,
    JG

    Reply
    • Patrick

      May 25, 2018 at 5:46 pm

      Ha awesome, I’m curious about that one too. I hope it’s a ‘yum’!

      Reply
  10. Robert

    May 23, 2018 at 9:40 pm

    Great post Patrick! I am used to drinking horchata at some Mexican places, but after seeing your recipe I would like to make some Agua de Jamaica! I spent some time in Costa Rica and they had lots of similar fruity drinks they call refrescos. I remember liking the tamarind-flavored one…

    I will have to check out your Horchata post. Keep up the great work!

    Reply
    • Patrick

      May 24, 2018 at 9:02 pm

      Thanks Robert, I hope you enjoy it! Refrescos, what a great name — I’ll try to get a Tamarind water recipe up at some point too. Cheers.

      Reply
    • Michelle

      February 21, 2019 at 5:53 pm

      5 stars
      I like to use Better stevia for my sweetness, but I also squeeze in a 1/4 lime and plop the rest in for extra flavor.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

Footer

Mexican Recipes

Cooking Course

Mexican Cooking 101

Ingredients

Salsas

Starting a Food Blog

Enchilada Recipes

About Me

Contact

Disclaimer

© 2022 Mexican Please
 - Privacy Policy