These hibiscus sugar cookies are chewy, floral and delicious! They are studded with chocolate chips and flavored with lemon zest and hibiscus. These cookies can be made without a mixer and they’re a no chill recipe!
These hibiscus cookies are coated with sugar and hinted with vanilla, lemon zest and hibiscus. Chocolate chips makes these chewy cookies even more delicious!
If you’re looking for more delicious cookie recipes, try my Lemon Rose Water Cookies, Peach Cobbler Cookies and Strawberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Hibiscus is a flowering plant most commonly used to make tea. I first tried it in iced tea when I was traveling in Egypt. It has a tart, slightly floral taste that reminds me of the flavor of cranberries.
Why You Will Love These Cookies
- They have the best texture! They are thick cookies with chewy middles.
- This is a no chill recipe. Just mix them together and bake.
- They’re super easy. You can mix them with a whisk and a spatula. No mixer needed.
- Hibiscus adds a tart and floral taste which makes these cookies unique.
- Lemon brightens up the flavor. It is so good with the buttery richness of these cookies.
- Chocolate chips are optional. Chocolate tastes heavenly in combination with floral hibiscus.
Ingredients
Below are helpful notes about some of the ingredients.
- Dried hibiscus: Hibiscus is a flowering plant often used to make tea. I first tried it in iced tea when I was traveling in Egypt. It has a tart, slightly floral taste. You can find dried hibiscus online or in spice stores and international stores.
- Brown sugar: I used dark brown sugar for the extra molasses flavor. You can substitute light brown sugar.
- Egg: Use 1 large room temperature egg. Leave the egg out at room temperature for 1-2 hours before baking. A room temperature egg will better incorporate into the dough than a cold egg.
- Chocolate chips: Chocolate chips are optional. I found 1/2 cup to be the perfect amount of chocolate. Anymore and they might overpower the other flavors.
For the full list of ingredients and their measurements, see the recipe below.
Instructions
STEP 1: Steep the hibiscus in the butter. Grind or finely crush the hibiscus using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Combine the hibiscus and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally as the butter melts. When it begins to sizzle around the edges, remove from heat. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
STEP 2: Mix the hibiscus butter with the wet ingredients. Pour the hibiscus butter into a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, salt, lemon zest and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar. Whisk for 30 seconds. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk for another 30 seconds.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Use a rubber spatula to stir in the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips.
STEP 4: Form and bake the cookies. Fill a shallow dish with the remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar. Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or a measuring spoon, portion out the dough. Roll each ball in the granulated sugar. Place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 15-17 minutes, until light golden around the edges. Allow to cool on baking sheets.
Expert Tips
Tip #1: Use a a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder to finely grind the hibiscus before steeping it.
Tip #2: I wouldn’t recommend using more than 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. This makes it so that the chocolate is one of the flavors of the cookies rather than being the focus of the cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Hibiscus is a deep red plant that is enjoyed in many parts of the world as tea. You can most commonly find it dried or sold as hibiscus tea.
Hibiscus has a lovely tangy, floral taste. Their tart, fruity flavor is similar to cranberries.
You can find hibiscus in spice stores, international grocery stores, and online.
Store leftover hibiscus cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a few weeks.
Hibiscus Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 1 tablespoon dried hibiscus
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Spread 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar in a shallow dish or small bowl, set aside.
- Finely grind the hibiscus in a spice grinder, small food processor or mortar and pestle. Pour the ground hibiscus into a small saucepan with the butter. Set pan uncovered over medium heat. Stir occasionally as the butter melts. Heat until butter just begins to bubble around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
- Pour the hibiscus butter into a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar, salt, lemon zest and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar. Mix with a hand held mixer (or use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) stir together with a whisk for 30 seconds. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix for another 30 seconds until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and chocolate chips and mix on low speed or use a spatula to stir together until just combined. Do not overmix. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula.
- Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or a measuring spoon to portion out the dough. Roll each ball in the reserved granulated sugar and place each dough ball 2 inches apart on the prepared baking trays.
- Bake until the cookies are lightly golden at the edges and crackled on top, 15-17 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool on the baking sheets. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Adapted from New York Times Cooking
Barbara Briggs Ward
Recipe sounds scrumptious. I not only love your recipes I always learn something new. I had no clue what hibiscus was until reading this recipe. Thanks!
Natalie
Love to hear that!! It makes me happy to introduce people to new ingredients! 🙂