Easy Elderflower Cordial Recipe: Your Guide to Spring’s Favourite Drink 🌼

If you’re anything like me, the arrival of elderflowers signals one thing, spring is here! Whether you’re hiking with friends or having a picnic, this guide will help you forage elderflowers and make delicious homemade elderflower cordial to share with your outdoor crew. 🌼

Let’s explore how to pick elderflowers sustainably, how to pick the perfect elderflowers, and whip up an elderflower cordial recipe that captures spring in a bottle.

When to Pick Elderflowers: Be a Sustainable Forager

The UK’s elderflower season runs from late May to mid-June, perfect timing for a sunny countryside hike! 🍃 To make the best cordial, pick them on a warm, dry day away from roads. Elderflowers love clean air just as much as we do. 😉

💡 Foraging Tip: Never pick more than 25% of the flowers from one tree, let's leave some for the birds (and elderberries later in the year).

How to Pick the Perfect Elderflowers

• Smell: If it smells like… well, cat pee, move on! Overripe flowers won’t make a good cordial.

• Colour: Look for clusters dusted with pale yellow pollen. Give them a gentle brush, if pollen clings to your fingers, they're perfect.

• Shape: Flowers should be fully open. If they’re still buds, all you need to do is wait a few days, until they do! Or if they're looking shrivelled, skip them. This will leave you with just the best flowers to pick!

Can You Eat Elderflowers?

Now you know when and how to pick your perfect elderflower heads for making cordial it would be easy to assume that elderflowers are edible, right? Wrong. It is best not to eat elderflowers raw, as the plant has a mild toxicity, which is why it is best to cook them or make cordial from them. Some people get an upset stomach from eating elderflowers or elderberries (elderflowers and elderberries come from the same plant).

Homemade Elderflower Cordial Recipe (No Citric Acid)

After your foraging adventure, it’s time to turn those beautiful elderflowers into a refreshing cordial. This simple recipe makes about 2 litres—enough to share with your walking group or enjoy during an alfresco lunch. 🌿

Ingredients:

• 20 elderflower heads (freshly picked)

• 1.5 litres of water

• 1.2 kg granulated sugar

• 2 unwaxed lemons, thinly sliced

• (Optional) 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (for preserving)

Instructions:

1. Prepare Your Flowers: Rinse the elderflowers to remove dirt or little critters, and shake off the water. Pluck the tiny flowers from their stems (the stems can make it bitter).

2. Make the Sugar Syrup: Bring water to a boil, then add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat.

3. Infuse the Syrup: Add your elderflowers and lemon slices into the hot syrup. If you're using white wine vinegar, now’s the time to add it. Give it a gentle stir.

4. Steep: Cover and leave your mixture to steep for 24 to 48 hours. This is the perfect time to catch up with friends, go on another hike, or simply relax!

5. Strain: After steeping, strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container. Squeeze out every last drop from the flowers and lemons.

How to Store Your Cordial

• Freeze it: Pour your cordial into large ice cube trays for easy portions, perfect for throwing into sparkling water after a long walk.

  
  

• Bottle it: Store the cordial in sterilised bottles in the fridge, and it’ll last a few weeks. Pop a bottle in your backpack for your next picnic! 🧺

How to Enjoy Elderflower Cordial 💛

This cordial isn’t just for sipping at home! Here are a few fun ways to enjoy it:

• Baking magic:

  Try adding elderflower cordial to cake recipes! 🍰 Use it in a sponge cake batter or drizzle it over a warm lemon cake for a delicate floral flavour. It also makes an amazing elderflower and lemon drizzle cake, just swap the lemon syrup for elderflower cordial.

• Take it on a hike:

  Pack a bottle in your rucksack and mix with sparkling water when you need a refreshing break on your trek.

• Outdoor brunch:

  Drizzle it over pancakes or mix into yogurt for a floral twist.

  
  

Let’s Chat!

Have you tried this elderflower cordial recipe yet? Share your foraging stories or post a picture of your creation in the comments below.