Sorrel Drink
Sorrel drink is a spiced-up, super refreshing, floral drink that is perfect for parties. It’s a beautiful dark red color and has a captivating tang – some say the flavor is close to cranberries. Whatever your taste buds call this unique flavor, you’ll definitely go back for a refill or two.
Sorrel is enjoyed a lot during the holidays, but honestly, I indulge all year round. Talk about chilling out in the summer heat. If you love lemonade, you’ll fall in love with a fresh hibiscus drink.
Its versatility is endless. I love changing up the spices and adjusting the sweetness to fit the occasion. Add a little rum, and you’ve got it made in the shade.
What Is Sorrel?
Sorrel, also called hibiscus and Florida cranberry, is gorgeous, red, tart, and delicious. It’s actually the calyx, or the fleshy part that wraps the seeds. After the petals fall off and the seed pods develop, you’ll see the fleshy red calyx around the seed pods.
Sorrel drink is popular in West Africa, actually, anywhere it’s hot. In Nigeria, they call it zobo. In Latin America and the Caribbean, it’s simply called jamaica. That’s why you may hear people call it Jamaican sorrel drink.
How to Make Sorrel Drink
- Boil 2 cups of water with 1 cup of sugar in a medium bowl or pot until the sugar has completely dissolved. Set aside and allow to cool. (Photos 1-2)
- Place the sorrel, ginger, lime, cracked allspice, and cinnamon stick in a large bowl. Gently pour boiled water into the bowl of sorrel. (Photos 3-4)
- Steep for 45 minutes or longer. You can also steep it overnight in the fridge for a more potent flavor. (Photo 5)
- Strain with a fine sieve into a pitcher and discard the solids. (Photos 6-7)
- Serve – Add simple syrup according to desired sweetness. Stir in the rum and orange slices, and pour your drink over ice. (Photo 8)
Tips and Tricks
- You’ll find dried hibiscus in most Latin and African stores, but now they’re available in a lot of big box stores, and definitely on Amazon.
- If you have fresh sorrel, you can replace cranberries in cranberry sauce for a Southern version of a classic holiday side.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
You can definitely make this drink a day or two ahead. Just keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve; it’s that simple!
Serve sorrel drink over ice and make it extra pretty with some tropical garnishes. I like to adorn the glass rims with a slice of orange or lime, and sometimes I also add a cinnamon stick to each glass.
More Delicious Drink Recipes
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was first published in August 2015 and has been updated with an additional write-up, photos, and a video.
Sorrel Juice
Ingredients
Simple Syrup
- 2 cups (480ml) water
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
Sorrel Drink
- ¼ cup (60g) chopped ginger
- 2 cups (300g) dried red sorrel calyces
- 8-10 allspice berries, cracked
- 1 lime, chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 10 cups (2.4l) hot water or more to taste
- 1 orange, sliced (optional)
- rum to taste (optional)
Instructions
Simple Sugar
- Bring 2 cups of water with 1 cup of sugar to a boil in a medium bowl or pot.
- Simmer ingredients until the sugar has completely dissolved. Then set aside and allow the syrup to cool.
Sorrel Drink
- Place the sorrel, ginger, lime, allspice berries, and cinnamon stick in a large, heat-proof bowl.
- Gently pour hot water into the bowl of sorrel.
- Let it steep for 45 minutes or longer. You can also steep it overnight in the fridge for a more potent flavor.
- Strain the ingredients with a fine sieve and discard solids. Pour the drink into a pitcher for serving.
- Add as much simple syrup as desired with rum and orange slices. Serve over ice.
Tips & Notes:
- Substitute the simple syrup with honey or your preferred sweetener.
- You can easily crack allspice berries in a mortar and pestle.
- Feel free to replace the cracked allspice berries with ¾-1 teaspoon ground allspice.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Oh thank you for the recipe! I have loved this drink from the Carribean islands. I went to New York and my best friend gave me bags of sorrel but no real directions to make it. So your recipe is a life saver. Plus I bought hibiscus tea in Jamaica and never realized it was the same ingredient. So thank you for the knowledge as well. I have learned a lot from you.
So happy to have helped you in my own little away, Colette. Cheers!
Hello can i ask if pimentos are the Jamaican ground allspice ? Thanks for the nice recipes
Yes they are. Thanks Yasser.
I have fresh sorrel Can you give me a recipe using it fresh?
Hi Barb,
Sorry , I haven’t tried it with fresh sorrel .
I read where fresh sorrel can be used as a tea, in soups or salads.
Boil the the water, add the fresh sorrel to the hot water along with ginger and pimento seeds. When cool strain and sweeten with sugar. Add rum to your taste.
Your recipes keep my kitchen lively and this sorrel is no exception, I’m making this for a graduation celebration-sorrel is year round for me!
Thank you for being such an excellent resource of information Imma.
I live in Panamá central América and our season to have fresh sorrel is end of November, to January we do boil it, but this year I will try soaking it overnight. Blessings.
your article is very good. I can’t wait to try it with my family. Thank you for sharing ideas with me. I’m waiting for your next article.
You’re welcome. Happy to have you here. Enjoy!
I steep hibiscus flowers mixed with a black chai tea with peppercorns and white tea with pomegranate. At the end I mix it with ginger and honey crystals. This is the most comforting thing I can bring to the table while we are working hard. Also we are from Nigeria, Jamaica, Kenya, Camarron. This is love in a mug. I’ll make your version for them as well.
Hi Roslyn
It’s wonderful how you’ve created something that not only brings comfort but also represents the diverse backgrounds of everyone at the table. Tea has such a unique way of bringing people together, and your blend sounds like it does just that.
I’m excited for you to try the other version as well and see how it’s received by your group. It’s always interesting to see how different interpretations of similar ingredients can create a whole new experience.
Enjoy your tea-making and the shared moments that come with it!
I just started growing “Sorrel” this year. Hibiscus sabdariffa ‘Roselle’ (or Roselle) is what to look for if you want to grow it. I am sold-out for the year, except seeds. I will grow much more next year.
Feel free to contact me. Lester_white@yahoo.com
I make Sorrel a drink that is in my refrigerator all year around. Never included lime but I will try it . Rich in vitamin C the potence in sorrel is very deficical.the older it gets the better it taste.
Hi Tanya! Thanks for sharing!!
What are cracked pimentos?
Cracked pimentos are resemble peppercorns but taste like a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. They are indigenous to Jamaica
Allspice berries
Hello Imma,
My 83 year old uncle recently turned me onto Sorrel juice. He soaks the sorrel pedals in water over night, drains, and just adds sweetener. I love the color & the taste. It is so refreshing. Since then, I’ve seen many recipes on-line calling to boil the sorrel pedals. Does boiling make that much of a difference? Does it make the juice more potent?
It really doesn’t if you soak it over night. Thanks for the time to share your thoughts with us.
Thank you so much for this recipe. My regular Jamaican spot only sells sorrel drink at Christmas, and last year, they didn’t even do it! But just today, my butcher must have come into a shipment of bags of sorrel blossoms because he was having a crazy sale, and now, I can make my own! Best case!
Nothing beats homemade. AND you can spice it up however you like. Cheers!!!!
I absolutely LOVE Sorrel. I had it when in Jamaica, but failed to ask what it was, as a result I didn’t think I would ever drink it again. Low and behold a few years later a friend had a BBQ gathering at her home & served Sorrel. We now have it a few times a year. The only place we have ever found the hibiscus flower is at Mexican Markets.
Isn’t it such a refreshing drink? Absolutely! Readily available at most Hispanic markets. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with Christie. Happy Sunday
It’s found in any west Indian Spanish or African markets duh
Hi guys,
I am a bit worried!
As much as I love sorrel, lately I’ve had doubts about the drink.
Reason is because, when a little bit of (ready made) sorrel is added to a bit of water, it turns darkish, like it contains dye. This never happened in the past, cause I grew up drinking sorrel in Dominica.
Maybe am just paranoid, because lately Chinese are injecting foods, and adding dangerous stuff to some of the foods we eat, which is a big cause for concern.
My question is: Do you all think they may be adding dye to the sorrel as well?
With fake eggs, plastic rice, white gluey substance is shrimps, injecting fish, fake beef, fake lettuce, fake milo etc, can anyone blame me for asking?
Please help!
Don’t be afraid Donna. Buy it at an Hispanic market. There it is called Jamaica. So, so delicious. My aunt suggested it to me for a friend’s hypertension and allergies. Sorrel tea was so good, we drink it now just for the taste. We can’t get enough.
Hi Heather! Thanks for taking the time to share this with us .
I haven’t heard of this however your on point with your post I will definitely investigate I’m west Indian this recipe is on point
My family is from Tobago.. ..of Trinidad and Tobago. I drink it my whole life dad made it all the time. I thought everyone drunk it when I was little. But I thank my dad for all the healthy drinks and food he has bestowed upon me. I thought it was a Tobago thing, didn’t know Jamaicans drink it also.
If you are ever able to get the fresh sorrel, to make this drink, you will fall even more in love with it.
I love the colour! I drink a lot of hibiscus tea, but never knew it was sorrel. When I saw this post I was actually wondering what exactly sorrel was. Hibiscus teas was very popular when we were traveling through Turkey.
This is great! I love when Christmas comes early 🙂
I never tried Sorrel petals but I think I had something similar. I like the refreshing flavor in this drink and of course its color! Will check it out next time at WHoleFoods 🙂
This is my favorite summer drink. I buy the bags in the Latin section of the grocery store. I haven’t found it in bags here in Spain, but the dried flowers are available. I’m going to try it with your suggested seasonings 🙂
What are the “cracked pimentos”?
Is that whole black peppers corns?
Pimentos are often found in most stores under the name “allspice ” . They are one and the same.
yummy, one of this would make my Friday evening perfect!
I’m so glad you decided to share this now, instead of waiting for the holidays! I’ve never had sorrel juice, but it looks and sounds wonderful! I just love that gem-like color!
So glad you agree with me Kathleen!
Woah! check out the colour of that drink! I love it. Sharing! 🙂
Yay!Thank you girl!
Can you buy it already made?