High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Pink Lemonade with Hibiscus
That deep ruby color alone is enough to stop anyone in their tracks, and the flavor absolutely delivers on the promise. Store-bought lemonades and flavored drinks are notorious for sneaking in corn syrup or other sweeteners, so making your own from scratch is the only way to know exactly what's in your glass. Here, a simple homemade hibiscus syrup — just water, granulated sugar, and dried hibiscus flowers — gives the drink its gorgeous hue and a subtly floral, tart depth that no bottled version can match. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice does all the heavy lifting on brightness, and the result is something that tastes genuinely special without any mystery ingredients. It comes together in well under an hour, and the hibiscus steeping process fills your kitchen with the most incredible aroma. Serve it over ice with a few lemon slices and a sprig of mint for a pitcher drink that looks like it came from a fancy café — because honestly, it's better.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the hibiscus syrup
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers
For the lemonade
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 6–8 lemons)
- 3 cups cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- lemon slices, for serving (optional)
- fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine 1 cup water, the sugar, and dried hibiscus flowers in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 3–4 minutes.
- 2
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat and let the hibiscus steep for 15 minutes, until the syrup is a deep ruby red.
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