Elderflower Cordial
Elderflower cordial is a sweetened, non-alcoholic syrup made from elderflower blossoms, offering a delicate floral, honeyed, slightly pear-like sweetness. It is distinct from elderflower liqueur, which carries alcohol. It works as a floral sweetener in both alcoholic and alcohol-free cocktails.
Common uses
- sweetener in floral shaken or built cocktails
- adds floral character to alcohol-free drinks
Buying & storage
Weeks once opened: Opened, it is on a clock — oxidation flattens it well before the bottle looks empty. Refrigerate it and use it.
Buying: Check it is cordial rather than liqueur — the liqueur is alcoholic and not interchangeable. Homemade is straightforward if you can pick elderflower in early summer.
Storage: refrigerate after opening and use within a few weeks
In depth
Understanding elderflower cordial
How it is made, where it comes from, what it pairs with, and how it behaves in an alcohol-free drink.
How it's made
Elderflower heads are steeped in sugar syrup with citrus, usually with citric acid as a preservative, then strained. It is one of the easiest cordials to make at home and one of the most seasonal — elderflower has a window of a few weeks in early summer, and the cordial is essentially a way of storing it.
Origin
A long-standing British and Northern European household preparation, made domestically for far longer than it has been sold commercially.
What it pairs with
Gin, sparkling wine, cucumber, mint, apple and grapefruit. It is delicate enough to be lost under dark spirits or heavy fruit, so it belongs in light, cold, sharp drinks.
In alcohol-free drinks
- The most useful floral note available without alcohol, and one of the few that adds aroma rather than just sweetness
- Distinct from elderflower liqueur, which is alcoholic — the cordial is the alcohol-free option and is not simply a weaker version
Before it goes
Use up elderflower cordial
Ranked by how much of it each drink uses and how little else it needs — the ones at the top will not send you back to the shop.
- Hugo Spritz
Uses 20ml. Also needs prosecco, soda water, fresh lime, cut into wedges, fresh mint leaves.
Recipes
Cocktails containing this ingredient
Swap it
Possible substitutions
Explore