Hibiscus Margarita Recipe

This Hibiscus Margarita recipe is a fun twist on a traditional margarita. Made with an easy homemade hibiscus tea concentrate, grapefruit juice and tequila. The ingredients are simple, but the taste is amazing!

You already know I’m a sucker for a fun twist on a classic margarita.

This Italian Margarita is one of my favorites, and these St. Germain Margaritas are perfect if you’re looking for a more floral flavor. Or for a little kick, this Grilled Pineapple Margarita with Jalapeno always delivers. 

Why not make hibiscus margaritas?

I once took a cocktail class focused on spiked tea cocktails.

We learned a bunch of techniques for incorporating tea into spirits, but one of my favorite techniques, and honestly the easiest, is to make a tea concentrate. Technically, you’re just steeping a bunch of tea bags in a relatively small amount of water. Simple. 

So, for these hibiscus margaritas, I steeped five tea bags in a cup of hot water and then just let that cool. Remove the tea bags and you’re left with about a cup of concentrate which will make four margaritas.

I used 2 ounces of hibiscus tea concentrate in each margarita, combined with equal parts tequila and grapefruit juice, which makes measuring super simple.

These cocktails have the most vibrant color and are a fun tropical take on a traditional margarita.

I like to serve these hibiscus margaritas in salt-rimmed glasses, but if you prefer no salt, you can definitely omit this step. Or, you can rim your margarita in other ways too. See those tips below.

This cocktail only requires a few simple ingredients, but the flavors are amazing together. 

Here’s what you’ll need:

Hibiscus Margarita ingredients:

• Tequila
• Hibiscus Tea Concentrate
• Grapefruit Juice
• Simple Syrup (or agave nectar or fine sugar)
• Lime Wheel, for garnish

How to make hibiscus tea concentrate:

• Steep 5 hibiscus tea sachets (I used Tazo Passion Tea) in 1 cup water for 10 minutes.
• Remove tea bags and let cool to room temperature.

What tequila is best for margaritas?

• This recipe is best with a silver tequila or blanco tequila. Because it isn’t aged very long, it has an almost clear color and a lighter flavor.

How to rim a Hibiscus Margarita:

To make your margaritas even more impressive, dress up your prepared glasses with some extra flavor. Simply run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass then dip in one of the following:

• Salt
• Sugar
• Homemade citrus salt
• Combine kosher salt with a bit of chili powder to give your margaritas a spicy kick.

Tip for making a Hibiscus Margarita:

• Make a large batch by adjusting the serving size in the recipe card below.
• Try swapping out the tequila for mezcal to add a smoky kick.
• Want to lighten things up? Try adding in a splash of sparkling water.
• Use the lid of your cocktail shaker to get the seeds out of your grapefruit juice. Invert lid on top of cocktail shaker and squeeze grapefruit directly into lid, using it as a strainer.

I hope you enjoyed this tasty drink recipe as much as I did! If so, I would appreciate it so much if you would give it a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished cocktail and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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More Margarita recipes:

• Grapefruit Habanero Margarita
• White Christmas Margarita
• Italian Margaritas with Amaretto
• Grilled Pineapple Margarita with Jalapeno
• Elderflower Margaritas

Grapefruit Hibiscus Margarita Recipe

This recipe was originally published in 2014. It was updated in 2022 to add new photographs and update the post content.