Butterfly Pea Flower Tea and Drinks

Magical butterfly pea flower tea

I first had a cocktail using butterfly pea flower tea in Bangkok. I remember while waiting to check in we were given some drinks and I saw this pretty purplish blue drink placed by us. The butterfly pea flower tea cocktail looked great but there was no way it was naturally colored I figured, so I didn’t touch it. Then, after talking to the kind staff member she explained to me the color was from butterfly pea flowers! That was quite some time ago and butterfly pea flowers weren’t common in the United States then. Although it is common in Southeast Asia it’s become easier to find now in the West in recent years.

I’m all about natural colors. Artificial colors just introduce unnecessary chemicals into food we consume.

Butterfly pea flower tea is

Caffeine free herbal tea
Scientific name for the flowers is Clitoria ternatea
Native to Asia, grown more widely in tropical regions now
Tastes earthly, mild woody on its own
Used as a natural dye

butter fly pea flower tea in various colors with hydrangea in the background

Dried butterfly pea flowers look like this:

Butterfly pea flowers produce a range of colors dependent on the amount of acidity in the drink. I have some ideas on drinks or a simple tea you can make with them below.

The color produced is a deep sapphire blue that changes to royal purple, to a pretty lavender purple. It literally is like a mood ring drink.

What is this witchcraft and wizardry? It’s just science behind the drink

So, in that stop motion the butterfly pea flower drinks are pictured with hydrangeas. The colors in the drink are very similar to the hydrangea colors from my garden. Just like hydrangeas change colors dependent on ph level, the butterfly pea flower changes colors with ph levels. The easiest way to get the varied colors is the addition of different amounts of lemon. However, you could experiment with different additions to the butterfly pea flower tea.

Pink, purle, magenta and white hydrangea

Where can you buy butterfly pea flowers?

You can buy it primarily and most easily online. I particulary like this brand. I’ve also linked a few others I’ve tried in my Amazon shop here.

How to make butterfly pea flower tea

Boil 1 cups of water in a pot
Add 1 tablespoons of the dried flowers and turn off the heat
Let steep 3-4 minutes
Strain the tea

butter fly pea flower tea in various colors

Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Mocktail/Cocktail Ideas

Using butterfly pea flower you can easily get beautiful colored drinks such as:

Lavender Lemonade
Elderflower Rose
Blue Hawaiian

Lavender lemonade

Use this Sonoma lavender simple syrup with freshly squeezed lemon

You will get a beautiful lavender color naturally! See the picture below.

Elderflower Rose

1/4 cup butterfly pea flower
3/4 cup water
1/8 tsp Nielsen massey rose water1 tbsp elderflower cordial

Blue Hawaiian

Combine equal parts pineapple juice and coconut water with about 1/4 cup butterfly pea flower tea. Serve slightly shaken over ice, or blend for a refreshing summer slushy. You could also use coconut milk instead of water for a creamier version.