Mamá Maggie's Kitchen

Easy and Authentic Mexican Recipes for the Busy Home Cook

Agua de Jamaica, or Hibiscus Tea

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Agua de Jamaica, or Hibiscus Tea, is a sweet, tart, and refreshing Mexican drink. by Mama Maggie's Kitchen

It kills me when I go to a Mexican restaurant and pay extraordinary amounts of money for something that is a million times cheaper to make at home. One of these such menu items is Agua de Jamaica. Most taco shops will charge $1.99 for an 8 oz container of this refreshing drink. That’s just plain insane! You can make a full pitcher for that amount at home. Let me show you how it’s done.

Agua de Jamaica, or Hibiscus Tea, is a sweet, tart, and refreshing Mexican drink. by Mama Maggie's Kitchen

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Jamaica, or JAH-mai-kah, not pronounced like the country, Jamaica. However, “Everyting be irie when you have dis drink, mahn.” 🙂

Agua de Jamaica is basically hibiscus tea. Literally translated, it means “Hibiscus Water.” It’s tart and sweet. Think cranberry juice but three to five time better! You know the wine rule of thumb: red wine goes with red beef, and white wine goes with chicken or fish? Well, this drink goes perfectly with just about any Mexican dishes. Chicken, beef, pork, fish, you name it. Agua de Jamaica is light, just right and DELICIOUS!
If you can’t find it at the store: BUY IT HEREAgua de Jamaica, or Hibiscus Tea, is a sweet, tart, and refreshing Mexican drink. by Mama Maggie's Kitchen

Boil water. (No. We’re not about to deliver a baby… just a great drink.) Then add the Jamaica “flowers” and sugar. Let boil for 10 minutes and turn off the heat so it can steep. The water will concentrate and will take on a deep red color as well as a thick consistency – almost like a thin syrup.

Agua de Jamaica, or Hibiscus Tea, is a sweet, tart, and refreshing Mexican drink. by Mama Maggie's Kitchen

Here’s another thing that we, Mexicans, do when we’ve eaten one too many tacos and our pantalones are too tight. (yes, it can happen!) We drink Agua de Jamaica. Jamaica, or Hibiscus, is a natural laxative. Now that you know this, please don’t drink too much or you’ll be spending “mucho tiempo” on the toilet. 🙂 Lol. Enjoy!

Agua de Jamaica, or Hibiscus Tea, is a sweet, tart, and refreshing Mexican drink. by Mama Maggie's Kitchen

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Agua de Jamaica, or Hibiscus Tea
Author: 
Recipe type: Drink
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 12
 
Agua de Jamaica, or Hibiscus Tea, is easy-to-make and always refreshing. Sweet and tart, this drink goes well with just about any Mexican dish.
Ingredients
  • 12 cups of water
  • 1 ½ cups dried Jamaica flowers (or hibiscus, or flor de Jamaica)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • Mint (for garnish)
Instructions
  1. Boil 4 cups of water.
  2. Add the jamaica flowers and sugar.
  3. Return to boil for 10 minutes.
  4. Turn off heat and cover.
  5. Let cool.
  6. Strain the flowers, pressing down to extract as much water as possible.
  7. Add remaining water.
  8. Garnish with mint.
  9. Add more sugar if needed.
  10. Enjoy!

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Comments

  1. We’re big on tea, we have a cupboard overflowing with different kinds, though we’ve never had hibiscus tea before! We must hunt this down 🙂

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  4. Awesome recipe. I was went to try this – as I was boiling water, I had a brief panic attack. Was I about to deliver a baby? I don’t even know this lady – I’m not even a doctor, I just tell people I am. I am in over my head. I ran back to reread your blog and then it became clear. I’m NOT delivering a baby. Whew. You have no idea how freaked out I was.

    PS: I’ve had this at Ethiopian restaurants as well as Mexican.

    Reply

  10. How long does it need to steep once the heat is tuned off? Making it for my dad who is from Mexico…. hoping he likes it 😉 but I’m using stevia instead of sugar…

    Reply

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