This sweet-tart hibiscus margarita is balanced with warm ginger and savory touch of tequila. Finish the cocktail with a crunchy ginger sugar rim!
You may or may not be familiar with hibiscus flowers by name, but I know you’ve tasted them. Dried hibiscus flowers are responsible for the familiar zing in red zinger tea. They’re tart, fruity and deep ruby in color. I just love their crinkly, frilly curls.
I’ve wanted to make a killer hibiscus cocktail for ages, but my trials have always fallen flat. They’ve just been too fruity. Too hibiscus driven. Too reminiscent of being a sick 10-year old and sipping Red Zinger in my parent’s bed. But they have so much to offer if you can figure out a way to balance them out.
And I finally did-- with the warm spice of fresh ginger and savory, earthy flavor of tequila. Combined, the “tutti frutti” quality of hibiscus flowers is toned down and the bright tang and rich color are given space to shine. The result is a vibrant hibiscus margarita with a subtle warmth and peppery bite. And if you coat the rim in the ginger sugar, you’ll get a bonus sweet, hot crunch with every sip.
A word about the ginger sugar...
If you have time, I really recommend making the ginger sugar. It’s hot and gingery and crunchy. Double the batch and roll molasses cookie dough balls in the leftovers. Or sprinkle it over your favorite scones. Stir it into tea. Eat a spoonful of it. The flavor is so intense and so fun to experiment with-- I can’t wait to hear how else you use it!
what does hibiscus taste like?
Hibiscus flowers are tart and fruity flavored. They taste similar to a cranberry, but with a subtle floral quality mixed in. When steeped in liquid, the dried hibiscus flowers impart a deep magenta color, delicate tannins and a tangy berry flavor.
where can I get dried hibiscus flowers?
Dried hibiscus flowers are easier to find than you’d think. The most convenient place to purchase them is online, from Amazon or specialty sites, though oftentimes the minimum quantity is a pound (which is a lot of dried flowers). In person, local spice and tea shops are your best bet and you can get much smaller quantities. I’ve even found them at a local health food store, in the bulk spice section.
I prefer the whole flowers and petals, versus the “cut and sifted”, but it’s purely aesthetic.
how to make a hibiscus margarita:
- Make ginger sugar (4 hours if you have a dehydrate option, overnight in the oven).
- Make hibiscus ginger simple syrup, strain and cool.
- Prep glass with ginger sugar rim and ice.
- Shake tequila, Cointreau, hibiscus simple syrup and lime juice in a shaker filled with ice.
- Pour into prepared glass and enjoy!
more margarita recipes and tequila cocktails to try!
spicy cilantro jalapeño margarita
mezcal sour with strawberries and ginger
mexican mule (tequila ginger beer cocktail)
Printhibiscus margarita
This sweet-tart hibiscus margarita is balanced with warm ginger and savory touch of tequila. Finish the cocktail with a crunchy ginger sugar rim!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
ginger sugar
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
- 1 tbsp finely grated ginger (from about a 2-inch piece of ginger)
hibiscus ginger simple syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 2-inch piece of ginger, sliced
- ¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers
hibiscus ginger margarita
- 1 lime wedge, notch cut in center, for salt rim
- ginger sugar (recipe above)
- 2 ounces blanco tequila
- 1 ounce cointreau
- 1 ounce hibiscus ginger simple syrup (recipe above)
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
ginger sugar
- Combine sugar and grated ginger in a small bowl. Use the back of a spoon to mix and mash out any clumps. Spread in an even layer on a foil lined baking sheet.
- Bake 5 minutes at 200°F. Let cool and dry completely, about 24 hours. Alternatively, dehydrate at 140°F for 4- 6 hours, stirring a few times in between, until fully dry.
- Grind sugar in a spice grinder, or use a mortar and pestle, to break down the sugar into a mix of coarse and fine textures (this will help it stick to the glass).
hibiscus ginger simple syrup
- Combine water, sugar, ginger and hibiscus flowers in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring and smashing the ginger every so often, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and steep for about 10 minutes.
- Strain syrup into a glass jar and discard ginger and flowers.
hibiscus ginger margarita
- Run the notched lime wedge over the rim of a rocks glass, coating it in a band of lime juice. Roll the edge of the glass in the ginger sugar to evenly coat; tap off excess. Fill with ice cubes and set aside.
- Combine tequila, cointreau, hibiscus ginger simple syrup and lime juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled. Pour into prepared glass and serve.
Notes
- ginger sugar: store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months.
- hibiscus ginger simple syrup: store, covered and refrigerated, for up to one month.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 margarita
- Calories: 282
- Sugar: 23g
- Sodium: 1.8mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 0.1g
- Protein: 0.1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: hibiscus margarita
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