Easy Hibiscus Ice Cream (No-Churn Recipe)

Add enless scoops of cold and creamy hibiscus ice cream to your summer to-do list ASAP! Let me show you how to make the best no-churn hibiscus flower ice cream at home with just a few easy ingredients.

And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my hibiscus sweet tea, too!

What is hibiscus ice cream?

Hibiscus, also called zobo, roselle, jamaíca, is of West African origin and one of my favorite ancestral ingredients to work with. And hibiscus ice cream combines the classic flavor of a vanilla coconut ice cream base with hibiscus and a few other complementary flavors--fantastic!

This is a no-churn ice cream, meaning it's made without the use of an ice cream maker or ingredients like egg yolks. The taste actually gives sherbet vibes (not to be confused with hibiscus sorbet)!

Simple to Make - No fancy technique is needed for this easy hibiscus ginger ice cream recipe and just a few common kitchen tools, making it beginner friendly.

Tropical Hibiscus Flavor - The secret is my hibiscus simple syrup that's made with hibiscus, brown sugar, and warming spices for a spiced and sweet flavor profile that adds the taste of hibiscus to drinks, cakes, and, yes, ice cream!

No Ice Cream Maker Needed - I don't like a lot of kitchen appliances cluttering my space and have found that it's completely possible to enjoy amazing homemade ice cream without them! This lush no-churn recipe is truly delicious proof.

We love easy ice cream recipes around here, like my vegan black sesame ice cream and pineapple coconut ice cream or this no-churn strawberry ice cream. And don't forget the fruit and wine sorbet options: strawberry red wine sorbet and pear sorbet with Riesling! All of these are made without an ice cream machine.

Dried Hibiscus Flowers provide the pretty purple color and earthy floral flavor of this ice cream. I like to use organic edible hibiscus flower but you can also use hibiscus tea bags as long as they only contain hibiscus.

Coconut Milk replaces heavy whipping cream typically used in no-churn ice cream recipes but still adds plenty of creaminess plus coconut flavor. Use canned full fat coconut milk here.

Evaporated Milk combines with the hibiscus syrup to replace sweetened condensed milk for texture and sweetness.

Ginger, Cinnamon, and Clove for subtle sweet warming spice notes that pair perfectly with hibiscus and mimic the flavor of sorrel or zobo drink. Use whole spices and fresh ginger for the best results.

Sweetener - I like to use brown sugar for the hint of molasses flavor but you could also use granulated sugar or even a liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup.

Vegan - This already has more of a rich hibiscus gelato texture since there are no eggs. Just replace the evaporated milk with an evaporated plant based milk to make this recipe vegan friendly.

Orange Zest mixed in will evoke sorrel ice cream vibes and is easy to incorporate. Just don't add the juice!

How to Make Hibiscus Tea Ice Cream

Step One: Add the hibiscus, water, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, and clove to a small saucepan and stir to dissolve.

Step Two: Bring the mixture to a boil then turn off heat and cool fully before straining out the solid ingredients.

Pro Tip #1: The syrup color and flavor deepens as it steeps so don't rush the cooling process if you want vibrant purple ice cream with deep flavor!

Step Three: Add cooled hibiscus syrup, evaporated milk, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and salt to food processor.

Step Four: Blend the ingredients on high until fully combined and slightly thickened.

Pro Tip #2: Alternatively, you can use a blender, hand mixer with beaters or stand mixer with whisk attachment for these steps.

Step Five: Transfer the liquid ice cream mixture to a freezer safe container.

Step Six: Freeze for at least four hours until solid.

Pro Tip #3: If you're concerned about frost forming on the surface of the ice cream in your freezer, cover with plastic wrap, pressing it into the surface of the liquid.

How to Serve

You can scoop this ice cream and eat it plain and it's amazing! But it's equally delicious in a waffle cone--I even sometimes like to crush up a waffle cone and sprinkle it over a couple scoops in a bowl.

Try grinding up some dried hibiscus and sprinkle over top for texture and a hibiscus double ice cream aesthetic. And toasted coconut chips are another fun topping that fit right in with the flavors at play.

More Favorite Hibiscus Recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these: