Folere Drink (Cameroonian Hibiscus Drink)

October 30, 2024 Stan

I love serving guests my homemade Folere Drink for several reasons! It’s not only fruity and delicious, but it also allows them have a taste of a homemade drink from my childhood.

This refreshing drink made with hibiscus petals has so many benefits, can be made any time of the year and yes, this version is refined sugar free!

Homemade drinks are the bane of my existence! In the colder months, you’ll find me whipping up Honey Lemon Tea or Ginger Drink. When the weather is warmer, I make lotsd of homemade juice like my Watermelon Mint Juice and Pineapple Lemonade.

Homemade Folere Drink

No, it’s not red wine. It is a downright delicious drink made from hibiscus petals, known as “Folere” in Cameroon, “Zobo” in Nigeria, “Sobolo” in Ghana, and “Sorrel” in Jamaica. I love having a large jar in my fridge to pour myself a glass often.

This red goodness made from Hibiscus sabdariffa is a priceless treat, especially when blessed with a few ice cubes. It’s an inexpensive drink that can be served to guests at home or at a party. Even better, Folere has awesome nutritional benefits. Healthline outlines the health benefits of hibiscus including:

Relief from high blood pressure
Relief from cholesterol
Speeds metabolism to aid in gradual weight loss
Helps cure liver disease and reduces cancer risk
And much more!

Sweetening (and Flavor) Options

Folere is naturally sour, so you may want to add something sweet to achieve the perfect blend of sweet and tart.

In this recipe, I paired the petals with the peel of one pineapple. When I peel a pineapple for fruit salad or something else, I use the rind to make Folere, which adds natural sweetness and flavor to the drink.

For flavor, you can also add fresh ginger, cinnamon, and lemon or bottled flavors like strawberry, banana, or pineapple to boost the drink’s taste. The foleribilities are endless. See more flavor options under Variations below.

Now, I use whatever I have in my pantry. Sometimes, I throw in a red-colored powdered drink concentrate. This enhances the red color that comes from the petalss.

Sometimes, I would sweeten it with brown sugar cones I picked up from my local Mexican store. And of course you can sweeten with straight up granulated sugar.

I wanted to keep this version sugar-free, so I sweetened it with dates instead. It’s not overly sweet and I love having several bottles of this homemade drink in my fridge.

Watch How I Make It

My Homemade Folere video is the third video in my Cameroonian Street Food Series. To keep up with the videos I share on YouTube, consider subscribing to my YouTube channel below.

The Ingredients

I love how dried hibiscus petals can be found in most parts of the world. Here is what you need for this delicious drink:

Ingredients for Folere Drink with labels on them.

Hibiscus petals: These are the star ingredient of Folere Drink. You can find them in international, Asian, or Mexican markets.
Pineapple: We use both the skin and the flesh here. The skin for boiling with the hibiscus and the flesh for pureeing to add to the drink.
Ginger: Adds a hint of spice without being overwhelming.
Dates: Dates add natural sweetness to this drink. Soak them in warm water before pureeing them so they can blend easily.

Variations

As with other recipes on the site, I love to give you recipe variations to make the recipe your own or to make it work if you do not have all the listed ingredients. Here are some options to consider:

Spiced drink: Boil the hibiscus petals together with cloves and cinnamon to create a spiced drink. This would particularly work well if you are serving this for Christmas or Thanksgiving.
Hibiscus tea: Although this drink is typically served cold, you can serve it as a hot tea too in the colder months, especially if you add warm spices as mentioned above.
Add mint: Add a few sprigs of mint when boiling the dried hibiscus for delicious minty flavor.

For a more concentrated folere drink, use less water and more hibiscus petals.

How To Make Folere Drink

Step 1: Soak the dates.

In a medium mixing bowl, soak the dates in hot water to soften.

Step 2: Add all the ingredients to the pot.

Rinse the hibiscus petals if needed to remove any sand.
Add the hibiscus to a large pot.
Thoroughly rinse the pineapple as you’ll be using the peels. Peel the pineapple and add the pineapple peels to the same pot as the hibiscus.
Add enough water to cover everything.
Grate the ginger using a Microplane zester or a grater and add it to the pot.

Adding ingredients to a pot to make hibiscus drink.

Step 3: Boil the drink and cool it overnight or immediately with ice.

Bring the pot to a rolling boil on medium-high heat. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Add about 4 cups of ice to cool the folere completely if you want to cool it immediately, then proceed with the next step.

Boiled hibiscus drink with pineapple peels being cooled with ice.

Step 4: Blend Pineapple and Dates.

Add the pineapple to a blender and blend into a smooth paste.
Add the soaked dates to the same blender and blend into a paste.

Blending pineapple and dates into a paste.

Step 5: Add pineapple puree and blended dates.

Add the blended pineapple to the same pot as the hibiscus. Mix everything well to combine.

Pineapple and date puree added to a pot of hibiscus tea.

Step 6. Pass everything through a fine mesh sieve.

Step 7: Add lemon juice, chill and serve.

Cut the lemons in half and squeeze in the lemon juice. Mix well to combine. Serve immediately over ice or let it chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Adjust the sweetness level to your liking. If it needs more sweetness, add more dates. If it’s too sweet for your palate, add more water.

Expert Tips

Let the folere sit overnight in the fridge before serving for the best flavor! When the drink sits in the fridge, the flavors develop.
Pass the drink through a cheese cloth to remove any pulp or residue, making for a smoother drink.
This drink is natural and it settles. So shake well before serving.
Serve with lemon slices and fresh mint in each glass for a stunning presentation!
Folere freezes well! Make extra, then freeze in ice cube trays or freezer-safe containers. Thaw it overnight in the fridge for a ready-made drink, or use the frozen folere cubes to chill future batches without diluting them.

Serving Suggestions

Serve homemade folere alongside:

Similar Recipes

Here are some of my favorite homemade drink recipes:

This recipe was first published on April 23 2016. I have adjusted the recipe to be sugar-free, added fresh photos and lots of tips!

If you make this recipe please leave a star rating below. Your rating helps others find the recipe plus I love hearing from you! Thank you!

In a medium mixing bowl, soak the dates in hot water to soften before using them in the recipe.
Rinse the hibiscus petals if needed to remove any sand.
Add the hibiscus to a large pot.
Thoroughly rinse the pineapple as you’ll be using the peels. Peel the pineapple and add the pineapple peels to the same pot as the hibiscus.
Add enough water to cover everything. I used 10 cups of water.
Grate the ginger using a Microplane zester or a grater and add it to the pot.
Bring the pot to a rolling boil on medium-high heat. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Add about 4 cups of ice to cool the folere completely, then proceed with the next step.
Add the pineapple to a blender, add water and blend into a smooth paste. Add the blended pineapple to the same pot as the hibiscus.
Add the soaked dates to the same blender and blend into a paste. Add to the pot with the hibiscus drink. Mix everything well to combine.
Sieve the drink. First, pass the drink through a colander to remove the pineapple peels and hibiscus. Then, pass it a couple of times through a fine mesh sieve to remove any residue. You can also pass it through a cheese cloth to make it extra smooth and free of particles.
Add lemon juice: Cut the lemons in half and squeeze in the lemon juice. Mix well to combine.
Chill the juice in airtight containers in the fridge before serving. Serve in glasses over ice, and enjoy.