You can pickle elderflower buds, flowers and berries, like you would any delicate fruit or veg. You can infuse the flowers in sugar syrup to make elderflower cordial, steep them to make a flavoured vinegar, or coat the flowerheads in a light batter and deep-fry for a delicious, crispy treat.
Excellent elderflower recipes
Elderflower is a special, seasonal ingredient and its arrival is nature’s signal that summer is swiftly on the way.
There are lots of fun, tasty uses for elderflowers, like infusing sweet cordial – perfect for summer picnics and parties – or flavouring vinegar to add a next-level pop to pickles, salads and marinades.
You’ll see fluffy white flowerheads appear on elder trees in parks, gardens, hedgerows and woodland in late May across the UK, where they flower until July before turning into elderberries.
We’ve put together guides to making your own elderflower cordial and vinegar, along with some of our favourite floral elderflower recipes for you to try this season. Wherever you see cordial, simply replace it with your homemade creation!
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDES
Try making your own cordial using Georgina Hayden’s failsafe recipe. In this guide, you’ll also find hints and tips from Jamie’s former gardener Pete Wrapson for how to pick elderflower heads, as well as some fun inspo on using elderflowers (think elderflower champagne, elderflower sorbet and elderflower fritters).
Infusing your own vinegar is a great elderflower recipe and will give you a delicate, floral, bright-tasting vinegar that pairs beautifully with salads, roasted veg, in pickles or even in cocktails.
Try infusing different types of vinegars, like white balsamic or apple cider vinegar, for different flavour profiles. Check out our step-by-step guide, which gives you two different methods to choose from, depending on how much time you have available: a 24-hour method if you can’t wait, and a longer infusion period of 2-3 weeks if you’re happy to get ahead.
PUDS, JELLIES & JAM
Jamie’s one-pan wonder is quick to assemble and a great pud to get done the day before a summer picnic or barbecue. Elderflower cordial is drizzled over fresh strawberries and layered up with tea-soaked scones and chocolate-swirled custard. It’s the perfect combo!
Perfectly wobbly jelly is properly nostalgic and so fun. Add prosecco and elderflower cordial to the mix and you’ve instantly elevated it to new heights.
For that special seasonal moment when gooseberries and elderflowers are in season at the same time, you must make this tasty jam. The tart and floral flavours match each other perfectly, with mellow vanilla adding a lovely base flavour. It’s a great gift.
Lip-smackingly good; elderflower cordial brings extra tartness and a touch of the floral to tangy blueberry jam in this cute little assembly-job palate cleanser. Mix it up with your own favourite jams; think strawberry, cherry or blackcurrant.
Macerate strawberries in elderflower cordial to finish off this elegant yet simple panna cotta dessert. This recipe serves 12, so think summer dinner party vibes, late sunsets and good company.
Looking for a summery yet impressive air-fryer pudding? Try swapping elderflower cordial into the base of this pud instead of sherry.
DRINKS
Gin and lemon make a punchy partnership, but adding the floral muskiness of elderflower mellows this cocktail out. Think sherbert lemon with a floral finish. For even more zing, add a dash of your homemade elderflower vinegar, too!
Looking for a freezer-raid summer mocktail? Team your homemade elderflower cordial with frozen berries, lemons from the fruit bowl, a dash of sugar, and sparkling water to knock this lemonade up in just 5 minutes!
CTA: Got that summer feeling? Check out our bumper recipe collection for all things summer, including barbecue food, beautiful salads, cocktails and more.
FAQs
Elderflowers are the little white flowerheads that blossom from elder trees in the late spring and early summer. Before they turn into flowers, the heads produce buds, and after flowering the tree produces elderberries.
Elderflower season is short in the UK, with flowerheads blossoming on elder trees in parks, gardens, hedgerows and woodlands in late May. They flower until July, then turn into elderberries.
On a dry, sunny day, find elder trees that are away from roads, to minimise fumes and pollution, and away from dog-walking spots. Flowerheads are ready to pick when their little flowers are open and white. Pick by cutting the stalks carefully with scissors, then place the flowerheads in a bag or basket with their white flowers facing upwards to prevent the loss of their sweet-smelling pollen. Once home, pick through the flowerheads for any small insects, also removing any leaves and big stalks. Elderflowers are best used within a day of picking (preferably within a few hours!), so that they don't wilt and lose their fresh fragrance.
