
Easy elderflower cordial
- Published: 20 May 25
- Updated: 26 May 25
Make a supply of this easy elderflower cordial recipe by food writer Lizzie Kamenetzky when the blooms are in season and it’ll be simple to put together fantastic summer desserts and cocktails for months to come.

“From mid-April I scour the hedgerows for early signs of elderflowers,” says Lizzie. “They often appear first in suburban London, where those extra 1-2 degrees on the thermometer mean we’re the first to get our hands on these beautiful, fragrant flowers. I always pick far too many and end up with bucket-loads of cordial and no room to store it.” It makes a great gift!
- Easy method: This recipe comes together with just 6 ingredients and doesn’t involved simmering time on the hob; the sugar is combined off the heat with boiling water before the elderflowers are steeped in the syrup.
- Use the right sugar: It’s important to use white sugar in this recipe rather than brown as the flavour is unobtrusive and will let the elderflower’s delicate fragrance come through. Use granulated rather than caster sugar, as finer caster sugar is typically more expensive and the granules are going to be dissolved.
- Choose the best elderflower blooms: Elderflower is best picked after a few days of dry, sunny weather, when its fragrance will be at the most intense. Select sprays of flowers that look new, clean and creamy white – not browning or shrivelled. See more information on identifying and foraging elderflowers.
- Using your cordial: The cordial can be enjoyed simply diluted with water or try it in this Italian-style hugo spritz, garnished with mint leaves. It can be used in all manner of desserts and cakes too – discover the best recipes using elderflower cordial.
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Makes about 2 litres
-
Takes 10 minutes to make, plus cooling and steeping
Ingredients
- 1kg granulated sugar
- 3 unwaxed lemons
- 4 limes
- 50 or so large elderflower heads
- 65g citric acid (see Know-how)
Method
- Put the sugar in an enamel, glass or ceramic bowl with 1.75 litres boiling water. Stir to dissolve the sugar, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to cool completely.
- Zest and slice the lemons and thinly slice the limes. Add the zest and fruit slices to the cold sugar solution. Shake the flowers to displace any hidden insects, and remove the stalks. Add the flowers to the bowl with the citric acid, then stir. Cover with cling film and leave for 36 hours in a cool dark place.
- Strain through a fine sieve, then strain again, this time through a sieve lined with a fine muslin cloth. Decant into sterilised glass bottles (see Tips for a video on how to do this) and keep in a cool dark place for up to 2 months. Once opened, refrigerate and use within a month.
- Recipe from June 2013 Issue
Nutrition
- Calories
- 49kcals
- Fat
- 0g
- Protein
- 0g
- Carbohydrates
- 12.2g (12.5g sugars)
- Fibre
- 0g
- Salt
- 0g
FAQs
What do you mix elderflower cordial with?
It can simply be diluted with water to your taste, but is great mixed with soda and/or prosecco to make a summery drink. Try it in an Italian-style hugo spritz.
How long does elderflower cordial last once opened?
Once opened, refrigerate and use within a month.
Why does my elderflower cordial taste bitter?
Choose the cleanest, whitest elderflower blooms available, with a fresh scent. Cut at the fork in the stem below, to avoid including too much stalk.
What fruit goes with elderflower cordial?
Elderflower pairs well with seasonal fruits such as strawberries and cherries; try them together in a mocktail or pavlova.
Can you freeze elderflower cordial?
Yes: freeze in small plastic containers and defrost as needed.
How to get bugs off elderflower?
Shake the flowers gently and use a small pastry brush to clean the stems.
delicious. tips
If you don’t have a big enough bowl for your cordial you can use a clean plastic bucket instead.
Learn how to sterilise bottles and jars to kill bacteria that can cause the contents to go mouldy:
Freeze the finished cordial in small plastic containers and defrost as needed.
Citric acid is used both as a flavouring and a preservative. Citrus fruit is a naturally rich source but manufactured citric acid will keep your cordial fresh for longer. It’s available online or at some chemists.
Buy ingredients online
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