My cousin is *obsessed* with the Berry Hibiscus Tea Shaker at Peet's. I get a Snapchat of the pretty pink-ish red drink at least a couple of times a week, and I'm pretty sure she's on a first-name basis with the baristas at the location by her office. I wanted to love it too, but after years of drinking my tea without any sweetener, it was just too sweet for me. I loved the idea so much, though, I knew I needed to turn it into something I'd actually drink.
The version I created is filled with sweet strawberry puree, lemon juice, and freshly brewed hibiscus tea. This lemon and strawberry hibiscus tea is summer in a glass, so easy, and, because you're making it at home, you control how much sugar goes into it.
Oh, and did I mention it's great with a shot of rum?
Tips and tricks for making this lemon and strawberry hibiscus tea.
- Make sure you strain the seeds out of the strawberry puree, or your teeth will be filled with the things when you're done drinking. They take away from the lovely smooth texture of this drink, and are just a nuisance. I place my puree in a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. If your puree doesn't want to go through the strainer, push it through with a spoon or run the tip of your spoon across the bottom of the strainer. When you're done you can rinse off the seeds and save them for planting!
- Any hibiscus tea bags will work for this recipe. We use the Red Refresh tea bags from Trader Joe's, which also include lemongrass, peppermint, orange peel, and wild cherry bark. They're delicious, but if you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, you can also find plain hibiscus tea bags at most grocery stores or on Amazon. These Tazo Passion tea bags are also delicious.
- You can sweeten this with whatever you want. Sometimes I leave mine unsweetened completely, but I've also used honey, sugar, and allulose. Whatever you use, just make sure you add it to the boiling water with your tea bags, or it won't dissolve. I don't include an amount--that's up to you--but if you like drinks super sweet, you're probably going to want a tablespoon or two of sugar. Taste the plain hibiscus tea after you've sweetened it--if it doesn't taste sweet enough for you, then the finished drink probably won't either, and you should add a bit more.
- If you want to have this drink after hours, add a shot of rum and a bit more sweetener. It'll transport you to an island somewhere, promise.
Easy and Refreshing Lemon and Strawberry Hibiscus Tea
This pretty little drink is filled with sweet strawberry puree, lemon juice, and freshly brewed hibiscus tea. It's summer in a glass and so easy.
3
servings10
minutes21
kcalIngredients
1 dozen medium to large strawberries
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup water
2 hibiscus tea bags
1.5 cups boiling water
sweetener of choice, to taste
Directions
- Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and water in a food processor until the strawberries are pureed and smooth. Run the puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds (see tips).
- Add your sweetener of choice to the boiling water and steep the tea bags in it for the amount of time specified on your tea bag's instructions (should be about 5 minutes).
- Add the tea and strawberry puree to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until combined and cold.
- Transfer to glasses and enjoy!
Notes
- I place my puree in a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. If your puree doesn't want to go through the strainer, push it through with a spoon or run the tip of your spoon across the bottom of the strainer.
- You can sweeten this with whatever you want. Sometimes I leave mine unsweetened completely, but I've also used honey, sugar, and allulose. Whatever you use, just make sure you add it to the boiling water with your tea bags, or it won't dissolve. I don't include an amount--that's up to you--but if you like drinks super sweet, you're probably going to want a tablespoon or two of sugar. Taste the plain hibiscus tea after you've sweetened it--if it doesn't taste sweet enough for you, then the finished drink probably won't either and you should add a bit more.
- Add a shot of rum to turn this into a tasty cocktail.
Leave a Reply