I’ve indulged in my fair share of cocktails this year, but sometimes, I just want a fun, fizzy, non-alcoholic drink. Something cold to savor on a hot afternoon, or an enticing alternative to chilled wine in the evening. Something party-worthy to offer my friends and family members, and all the cute kids who come with them.
This beauty is refreshing and hydrating, and so colorful that it makes a slow afternoon seem downright festive. The outrageous pink color comes from hibiscus tea, which is easy to find at the grocery store if you look for Tazo’s “Passion” blend.
Once the tea has had a chance to cool, we’ll fill our glasses (or a pitcher) with ice. We’ll finish off these drinks with some honey simple syrup (as little or as much as you want), a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and a gentle glug of Topo Chico, the finest of sparkling waters.
I’ve been on a Topo Chico kick this summer, but really, any sparkling water will do. The end result is full of flavor, lightly sweet, and irresistibly bubbly.
A note on pregnancy safety: Hibiscus is considered potentially unsafe for pregnancy, so out of an abundance of caution, I would not recommend this mocktail if you are expecting.
A Not-Too-Sweet, Non-Alcoholic Drink
The word “mocktail” makes me cringe a little, but this drink? It makes me happy. My issue with mocktails, beyond the name, is that they tend to be sugary sweet. Copious amounts of sugar or soda have always seemed unnecessary, especially since these drinks lack the bite of alcohol.
This mocktail recipe is closer to a homemade LaCroix than a 1950s punch. I wish I could order low-calorie drinks like this at coffee shops, when it’s too late in the day for coffee. In fact, I’d venture to say that we could use more light, fizzy drinks like this right now—what do you say?
More non-alcoholic drinks:
- Cold Brew Iced Tea
- Frozen Mint Lemonade
- Hibiscus Pink Lemonade in Love Real Food, page 138
- Pink Drink
- Summertime Aguas Frescas
- Watermelon Juice
Please let me know how your drink turns out in the comments! I really love hearing from you.
Refreshing Hibiscus Mocktail
- Author:
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes (plus 20 minutes cool time)
- Yield: 4 drinks 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Calorie
Looking for a not-too-sweet mocktail recipe? This sparkling non-alcoholic hibiscus drink is just the ticket! It’s colorful, festive, and simple to make. Recipe yields 4 medium (12-ounce) drinks. Multiply as necessary, or double it to make a big pitcher (combine just when you’re ready to serve).
Scale
Ingredients
Mocktails
- 3 bags of hibiscus tea or 2 tablespoons loose hibiscus tea (I used Tazo’s “Passion” blend)
- 3 cups (24 ounces) water
- 2 small limes (about 4 tablespoons lime juice), plus lime rounds for garnish
- Topo Chico or other sparkling water or club soda
- Ice, for serving
Honey Simple Syrup*
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- To prepare the tea component, heat the water to a low simmer, either in a tea pot or in a saucepan on the stovetop. Steep the tea in the hot water for 3 minutes, then remove the bags (or strain off the loose tea). Set the tea aside to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- To make the honey syrup: Combine equal parts honey and water (say, 2 tablespoons each if you’re only making one batch of drinks) in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Warm in the microwave or over the stovetop just until you can completely stir the honey into the water. Set aside.
- When you’re ready to serve, fill four medium glasses with ice. Fill each halfway with hibiscus tea. Top each with about a tablespoon of lime juice and 1 teaspoon of the honey simple syrup, and stir to combine. Fill the rest of each glass with sparkling water, gently stirring afterward to combine. You may want to adjust to taste by using less lime juice or more simple syrup—totally up to you! Serve promptly.
Notes
Prepare in advance: You can make the tea component and honey simple syrup in advance, and chill both separately until you’re ready to serve. I’d suggest mixing the drinks just before serving since the sparkling water loses its carbonation over time.
Change it up: For a fun twist, add a splash of homemade watermelon juice to each drink!
Make it vegan: Use traditional simple syrup instead of honey simple syrup (substitute vegan cane sugar for the honey, and warm the mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved).
*Simple syrup note: We mix the warm water with honey in this fashion because full-strength honey doesn’t mix well with liquids. You might have a bit of simple syrup left over—save it to sweeten your coffee/tea/cocktails (it keeps well for up to 2 weeks), or discard it.
A note on pregnancy safety: Hibiscus is considered potentially unsafe for pregnancy, so out of an abundance of caution, I would not recommend this mocktail if you are expecting.
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