Sorrel drink is a tangy beverage infused with warm spices, often served at Christmastime and New Year's in several parts of the Caribbean.
Learn how to make this refreshing, unique drink from scratch!
If you love Caribbean food, take a look at my collection of Caribbean recipes for more ideas.
Recipe Highlights
- Servings: Makes 10 cups concentrate (serves 10-12 when diluted)
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes simmer + 30 minutes to 2 hours steep time
- Effort Required: Very easy! Simmer ingredients, steep, strain, and chill.
- Special Equipment: Large pot and glass pitcher or bottle for storage.
- Ingredient Complexity: Dried sorrel (roselle/hibiscus sabdariffa) from specialty stores, plus pantry spices and fresh orange peel.
I made a pot and it is amazing. Fresh sorell, ginger, allspice and cinnamon sticks. Will add sparkling water sweetener and ice. - Marsha
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The Story Behind This Dish
Some recipes are so ingrained in our family traditions, we can sometimes take them for granted. This sorrel drink recipe is like that for me.
Growing up, this ruby-coloured beverage would show up around Christmastime and stick around straight through the New Year.
At first, I didn't take much notice of it, preferring to drink my mom's cranberry ginger ale punch instead.
But eventually, I came to know sorrel as the nicer of the two Trinidadian beverages that my parents would have in the house during the holiday season.
(The other drink being something called Mauby, a bitter drink made from special tree bark, which I have never liked!!!)
What is Sorrel Drink?
If you've never had this chilled Caribbean beverage before, you can think of sorrel drink as a Christmassy lemonade.
We make the drink by steeping the calyxes of the Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) plant (which we call sorrel) and flavouring the mixture with warm spices.
The drink is tangy and is served cold, making it a refreshing alternative to the heavier winter drinks like hot cocoa or hot chocolate.
Ingredients
- dried sorrel (a.k.a. roselle or hibiscus sabdariffa)
- water
- cinnamon sticks
- star anise
- fresh orange peel
- white sugar
If you saw my spiced apple cider recipe, you know that my family loves to cook with star anise, and that flavour is key to our version of this drink recipe, too.
This recipe has not been tested with all possible substitutions or variations. Making changes may alter the taste, texture, or overall outcome. If you try a different ingredient, please share in the comments!
See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and recipe instructions.
Buy the Right Sorrel
This recipe uses dried sorrel from the Roselle hibiscus plant, not the unrelated leafy green herb also called sorrel. Be sure you're buying the correct ingredient!
Recipe Variations
Like so many Caribbean recipes, including my beloved macaroni pie, there are many different variations of this drink.
- Ginger, cinnamon, orange peel and cloves are popular flavour additions.
- Sometimes allspice and bay leaf are also added.
- While you can add rum or other alcohol to this drink, we've always enjoyed it as a non-alcoholic drink at my house.
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How to Make Sorrel Drink
Some sorrel recipes require you to steep the mixture for hours or leave it overnight to develop the flavours.
We prefer to use a lot of spices and bring the mixture to a simmer, so that the mixture can become flavourful in a shorter period of time.
However, if you prefer a really strong brew, you can still leave the mixture in the fridge overnight to really intensify the flavours.
We use fresh sorrel for this recipe when it's available (which isn't often), but dried sorrel works equally well.
Since dried sorrel tends to be easier to find, I've based my recipe on that. You can find dried sorrel at Caribbean specialty stores or large grocery stores. Otherwise, you can buy sorrel online at Amazon.
Using Fresh Sorrel
If you're using fresh sorrel, you'll need at least twice as much. The dried sepals have a much stronger flavour, similar to how dried herbs taste more concentrated than fresh ones.
How to Sweeten and Dilute the Drink
You will probably need to add a lot of sugar to balance out the acidity of the sorrel.
We never sweeten the whole pitcher. Instead, we leave the strained mixture in the refrigerator and then everyone can adjust their glass with sugar and water to their preference.
I like to dilute mine a little bit and add a teaspoon or two of sugar to my glass, along with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Not all hibiscus flowers are safe to consume. Sorrel drink is made by steeping the calyxes of the Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) plant, and should not be substituted with other types of hibiscus plants.
It's best to store this drink in a glass bottle, as it is likely to stain plastic. A clean empty wine bottle with a screw-top lid is perfect (in case you'd rather not buy a glass bottle).
The last thing to keep in mind is that steeped sorrel is sometimes used as a natural pigment to dye fabric, meaning that this stuff will stain anything it touches.
Just something to keep in mind before you decide to make this while wearing a nice white sweater!
Have you tried sorrel before? Let me know in the comments!
If you enjoyed this sorrel drink recipe, you'll love these other Caribbean favourites:
- Pelau: a one-pot rice dish with chicken and pigeon peas
- Coconut Milk Ice Cream: creamy, tropical, and naturally dairy-free
- Cassava Pone: a sweet, dense dessert made with grated cassava
Recipe Card
Caribbean Sorrel Drink
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Ingredients
- 2 cups dried sorrel, (roselle/hibiscus sabdariffa)
- 10 cups water
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise, whole
- 2 pieces orange peel, fresh (2-3 inches)
- 2 teaspoon white sugar, or more (to taste)
- 4 cloves, optional (I don't usually add them)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients, except the sugar, in a large pot.
- Gently simmer for about 10 minutes, then remove from heat. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours to infuse.
- Strain the mixture into a glass pitcher. Set in fridge to chill.
- When ready to serve, sweeten and/or dilute the mixture to your preference. Serve over ice.
- Store in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It is normal to see some sediment in the bottle after a few days.
Notes
Please read the full blog post for all of my tips, variations, and recommendations for this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on specific ingredients and brands used. Accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
Private Notes
Have you made this recipe?
Let us know how it turned out in the comments!About Shareba
Shareba Abdul is a recipe developer and food photographer with a Culinary Arts certificate from George Brown College and 15+ years of experience creating and testing recipes for home cooks. All recipes are tested in her home kitchen. Learn more →
Genie says
If I added cloves, all spice (pimento) and bay leaf to this recipe, would that be too much flavour and spice? If it's okay...how much to add? And is it okay to rinse the dried red sorrel calyces with water before making the juice (to clean) or does that take away from the potency of the dried sorrel?
Shareba Abdul says
Hi Genie, great questions. I've never added bay leaf to mine, so I would leave that out. You could add 4 cloves or allspice berries, but I don't think I would add both. They have a similar flavour and could overpower the drink. As for rinsing the dried sorrel, yes that's fine. I would give them a quick rinse in cold water before using if you feel they need it. Just avoid soaking or using warm to hot water, as you could remove some of the flavour. I hope that helps!
Kay says
Hi, two questions. Is Sundried Sorrel Hibiscus by the company Grace okay to use for the dried sorrel? Secondly, I would like to add clove....how much clove would I need for this recipe? Thank you! 🙂
Shareba Abdul says
Hi Kay, yes the Grace Sundried Sorrel Hibiscus is perfect! I've used that one before. For cloves, maybe try 3-5 and see how you like it. Clove can be an intense flavour in large quantities. It you try that amount, and you can't taste it as much as you want me, add a few more. I probably wouldn't use more than 8 in this quantity of water. I hope that helps!
Esmeta lawson says
Thanks for sharing, the recipe, was great
Shareba Abdul says
I'm glad that you enjoyed it!
Roberto says
A “light” version or better a variant of this recipe is popular in Panama.
Shareba Abdul says
Interesting! I did not know that. Thanks for sharing!
Maria O'Brien says
Queensland, Australia, where I live is sugarcane and rum country so I read, then bought, a Caribbean recipe book. There're a lot of the food groups that are the same in our coastal districts, so I reckon it makes sense to try the foods rather than always look to SE Asia. Bought dried hibiscus flowers at a nearby African shop to try the 'Sorrel Syrup' recipe in my book and it's a hit in my family. Going to make some for Christmas and also try out a non-alcoholic Sorrel punch recipe. This is exciting!The food beats hell out of simple beer and prawns, or for heaven's sake, dry old turkey for Christmas!!
Shareba says
Hi Maria, thanks so much for your comment! You made my day! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas 🙂