Add Elderflower Syrup To Give Your Drinks A Unique Floral Sweetness

Floral flavors are all the rage. From adding rosewater to your apple pie to sprinkling lavender into your café au lait, florals can bring a fresh and unique flavor to all kinds of culinary experiences — especially beverages — and while you may assume that enjoying these flavors is limited to the spring, they can easily be used all year round. If you haven't tried florals before, however, you may be intimidated by starting with the stronger flavors. If this is the case, we recommend trying elderflower in your drinks to experience a sweet and approachable introduction to this unique category of flavors.

Elderflower comes from the elder shrub, which grows all over the northern half of the globe. It produces small white flowers in late spring and early summer, spreading a sweet fragrance everywhere it blooms. Its taste is similarly sweet and slightly fruity in a mild way that many people find enjoyable. In drinks, this flower acts as a more subtle sweetener than other floral syrups, bringing a gentle hint of floral flavor without overpowering existing flavors.

Elderflower syrup is not widely available at all grocery stores, though you may be able to track it down at boutique or specialty grocers. Additionally, it may be found at your local wine and spirits store, or you can make it yourself by infusing the flowers into simple syrup. A great way for beginners to try this syrup is by adding it to lemonade, where the floral flavors will play well off of the acidity of the lemon — just swap out the initial sugar or simple syrup called for in your favorite classic lemonade recipe. You can also add it in place of honey in tea, where it will heighten the other herbal flavors, or in place of other flavored syrups in coffee.

Elderflower syrup can also be a great addition to a wide variety of cocktails. Drinks that contain gin, like the French 75, can be sweetened with this syrup to highlight the existing floral flavors of the spirit. Alternatively, it can bring a unique twist to already sweet and fruity drinks, like in our recipe for an elderflower margarita.