Homemade Elderflower Cordial

The most refreshing drink. Ever! Heavenly flowery and tangy. Our homemade elderflower cordial is perfect with sparkling water on a summer day.

Every spring we make a huge batch of this elderflower cordial to last us the whole year. The ritual of picking elderflowers and filling the house (or our campervan) with their blossomy scent is a tradition that celebrates spring.

Homemade elderflower cordial is much tastier than store bought. This cordial is more tangy and floral, and less syrupy sweet. And it’s such a fun thing to make. (It’s always great fun to make things with edible flowers - like our vegan dandelion honey!)

Making your own cordial will save you a load of money too! In the UK, one 500ml bottle will set you back around £3, whereas making a batch of this cordial costs less than that - for 6 times as much!  

Picking elderflowers

Elderflowers are the edible blossoms of the Elder tree, Sambucus nigra. This small tree is native to Europe and North America. It blossoms in late spring, and produces dark berries in late summer. Elderberries are also edible, but must be cooked before eating to get rid of toxins. 

Here’s our top tips for picking your own elderflowers:

• Avoid picking from roadsides and polluted areas
• Individual flower heads are at their prime for picking when the little flowers have fully opened and have not started to wilt or turn brown.
• The best time to pick elderflowers is late morning on a dry day. 
• The flowers should smell blossomy and sweet - watch out for a slightly unpleasant aroma the flowers might develop in the afternoon, or when they are past their best.
• Always use them as soon as possible after picking.

Citric acid

Citric acid is a preservative and is naturally found in lemons and other citrus fruits. It brings a lot of tang! to the cordial and has a role in extracting the flavour from the elderflowers. It’s also what helps the cordial to preserve for so long.

Where to get citric acid

It can sometimes be a bit tricky to find – pharmacies and world food shops are a good place to look. Our local zero waste shop sells it, so we buy it from them. It’s also easily ordered online, just look for food grade quality. We recommend organic citric acid which is GMO free. 

Making cordial without citric acid

It is possible to make this elderflower cordial without the citric acid, but the taste will be different and the cordial won’t keep so well. If you omit the citric acid, store the finished cordial in the fridge and use up within a few weeks. You can also freeze it in plastic bottles so there’s room for expansion, or in ice cube trays. 

But if you can, we highly recommend using the citric acid in this recipe. To us, it makes all the difference!

Step by step

Preserving and storage tips

Here’s our advice for how to make sure your elderflower cordial will keep well:

• The final boiling step sterilises the cordial by killing off any wild yeasts, bacteria or spores that will cause it to spoil. 
• Clean all your glass bottles, lids and other equipment in soapy water or in the dishwasher, then fill with boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes before draining.
• Alternatively, place the washed bottles and lids in an oven at 140˚C until dry.
• Fill your bottles and put on the lids as soon as you finish simmering and the cordial is still hot. (Wear oven gloves as the bottles and lids will get hot!)
• Bottling whilst hot ensures that the lid seals as the liquid cools. 

Store unopened bottles of cordial in a cool and dark place. After opening, keep in the fridge. 

More tasty elderflower recipes

Our homemade elderflower cordial makes a perfect summer drink when mixed with cold sparkling mineral water. It also adds a fresh and fruity note to a glass of wine, champagne or a cocktail.

But you can use elderflower cordial for other things than just drinks... Try our other elderflower recipes:

Elderflower Cake
Elderflower and Coconut Ice Cream
Elderflower and Lemon Ice Lollies
Elderflower Fritters

Enjoy the summer!

Paul & Sophie

📖 Recipe