Non Alcoholic Sangria with Hibiscus and Thyme
The tart spiced hibiscus syrup flavored with warming spices gives this mocktail a grown-up spirit, mimicking the spicy, tannic notes of the Rioja wine that's typically used in sangria. Feel free to prep everything the night before. Just hold off on adding the citrus slices until the final 2-4 hours, as they can become bitter.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For the hibiscus syrup
- 1 navel orange
- 1 lemon
- 6 cups water
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
- 1 1/3 cup dried (about 50g) hibiscus flowers
- 1/3 cup (4 ounces) honey
- 1/2 tablespoon whole allspice berries
- 3/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
To finish and serve
- 1 cup orange juice, from 5 oranges
- 1 orange, quartered and thinly sliced
- 1 lemon, quartered and thinly sliced
- Ice
- Club soda (optional)
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- Prepare the hibiscus syrup. Use a vegetable peeler to remove 2 long strips of zest from the orange and the zest from the entire lemon, leaving behind as much white pith as possible. Add the orange and lemon zest to a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. To the pan add water, cinnamon sticks, thyme sprigs, dried hibiscus flowers, honey, allspice berries, cloves, black peppercorns, and salt (if using), and stir to combine.
- Simmer the syrup. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a low simmer, stirring occasionally, to allow flavors to meld for 6 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature and steep for 1 hour. This gives the flavors and colors a chance to intensify.
- Prepare the pitcher. To a pitcher, add 1 cup orange juice and the orange and lemon slices (you may want to reserve a few orange and lemon slices for garnish). Into a liquid measuring cup, juice the zested orange. Set a fine mesh sieve over the pitcher and pour the orange juice through it to remove any pulp or seeds. Next, juice the zested lemon into the liquid measuring cup. Remove 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and add it to the pitcher with the orange juice.
- Strain the syrup. Pour the cooled syrup through the fine mesh strainer into the pitcher with the juice (if your pitcher has a narrow top, you may want to do this into a spouted bowl first). Press the spices and strips of zest with the back of a spoon to squeeze out the maximum flavor. Discard the solids.
- Chill. Stir to combine the liquids, then cover the pitcher and transfer to the fridge to chill for 2 to 4 hours—or up to overnight. (This is optional, but it does further deepen the flavor.)
- Serve. Pour into ice-filled wine glasses and garnish with reserved quartered orange slices, lemon wheels, and a small sprig of thyme, if desired. Top with a splash of club soda (if using) and stir to combine.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the honey used in this recipe.
- If you are chilling the sangria overnight, I recommend keeping the citrus slices separate until 2-4 hours before serving. This will prevent the lemon slices causing any bitterness.
- Be mindful that hibiscus can stain porous or light surfaces. I’ll learn one day! :)
Nutrition
Calories: 120.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.9g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 85.1mg | Potassium: 319.9mg | Fiber: 6.6g | Sugar: 19.3g | Vitamin A: 648.9IU | Vitamin C: 89.3mg | Calcium: 173.1mg | Iron: 2.1mg
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