How to Make Elderberry Cordial

Ripe elderberries for elderberry cordial

A simple homemade elderberry cordial recipe using foraged elderberries

Late summer and early autumn are a wonderful time for foraging, when hedgerows and woodland edges begin producing a variety of berries, fruits and seeds.

One of the easiest wild fruits to spot is the elderberry (Sambucus nigra). Once you know what you're looking for, the dark clusters of berries are a familiar sight across the British countryside.

Elderberries have a distinctive rich, fruity flavour and can be used to make a delicious homemade cordial that is packed with vitamins.

This is our simple elderberry cordial recipe, producing a concentrated syrup that can be diluted with water or used in other drinks and recipes. We often freeze the berries until we have time to prepare the syrup, making a bottle at a time to keep in the fridge.

Important: Elderberries should not be eaten raw in quantity. They need to be properly cooked before consumption. Always make absolutely certain that you have correctly identified the plant before collecting any wild food.

Elderberry Cordial Ingredients

To create your own Elderberry cordial syrup, you will need the following ingredients to create one batch:

• Approximately 500g of elderberries, removed from the stalks

• 650ml of water

• 300g of sugar or honey

  
  

Traditional cordial recipes often use considerably more sugar – around 1lb of sugar per pint of juice – but we find this far too sweet. We prefer to start with less sugar and adjust it according to taste.

You can use sugar, honey or another suitable sweetener.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the Elderberries: Remove the individual elderberries from the stalks using a fork, taking care to collect the berries and minimal stalks. Place them into a saucepan and cover with water.

   
   

2. Cook the Berries: Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes. The berries will soften and release their dark purple juice.

   
   

3. Extract the Juice: Use a potato masher to gently crush the cooked berries in the pan. This helps release more of the juice.

   
   

4. Strain the Mixture: Strain the mixture through a jelly bag or fine sieve into a clean container, pressing gently to extract as much liquid as possible.

   
   

5. Sweeten the Juice: Return the strained juice back into the pan. Gently heat for 10 minutes while gradually adding your honey or sugar to taste. Bring it to a boil, stirring continuously until it thickens. If you prefer a thicker or sweeter syrup, feel free to add more sugar.

   
   

6. Bottle the Syrup: Allow the cordial to cool slightly before pouring it into sterilised bottles. Store it in the fridge, where it will keep for up to three months.

We recommend treating homemade cordial as a perishable product and following good food hygiene practices. Keep it refrigerated and discard it if there are any signs of spoilage.

This recipe can also be adapted to create other hedgerow cordials, such as Elderflower, Dandelion, Stinging Nettle, Rosehip or Blackberry.

How to use elderberry cordial

Elderberry cordial can be diluted with still or sparkling water to make a refreshing drink.

You can also experiment with using it in:

• Homemade drinks and mocktails

• Desserts

• Fruit sauces

• Jellies

• Drizzles

  
  

The rich colour also makes it a lovely addition to autumn recipes.

How to identify elderberries

If you're making elderberry cordial from foraged berries, correct identification is essential.

The common elder (Sambucus nigra) is a widespread shrub or small tree found in hedgerows, woodland edges and other habitats throughout the UK.

The berries grow in distinctive hanging clusters and turn dark purple-black when ripe.

However, don't identify a plant from the berries alone. Look at the whole plant, including the leaves, stems, flowers and growth habit.

If you're new to foraging, learning from an experienced forager is one of the best ways to build your identification skills.

Can you freeze elderberries?

Yes. Freezing is a convenient way to preserve elderberries until you're ready to use them.

This is actually what we usually do.

Collect ripe berries, remove as much stalk material as possible and freeze them in suitable containers or freezer bags.

You can then take them out when you have time to make a batch of cordial.

Explore More with Wild Food & Forage Days

If you're eager to discover more of nature's harvest, consider joining one of our wild food and forage day courses which provide a hands-on introduction to wild food identification and responsible foraging in our private ancient woodland in Hertfordshire.

These workshops run in Spring and Autumn, offering a fantastic opportunity to learn about foraging and the benefits of wild foods.

Depending on the season, you'll learn to identify a wide range of edible plants and fungi, as well as species that can be toxic or need careful preparation.

We'll also explore traditional uses of plants and trees, foraging law and some of the other ways that natural materials can be used in bushcraft.

Find out more about our Wild Food & Forage Days

Other wild foods you can forage in autumn

Elderberries are just one of many wild foods available towards the end of summer and into autumn.

Depending on where you are and the conditions that year, you may also find:

• Blackberries

• Sweet chestnuts

• Crab apples

• Hawthorn berries

• Rosehips

• Nettles

• Wild fungi

Enjoy your homemade elderberry cordial!

Elderberry cordial syrup is not only a delightful addition to your pantry but also a healthy one. With its immune-boosting properties, it can be a great ally during cold and flu season. By following the simple steps outlined above, you can create your own syrup at home.

There's something particularly satisfying about turning a handful of berries gathered from the autumn hedgerows into something you can enjoy year round.

Foraging encourages us to slow down, look more closely at the natural world and appreciate the seasonal foods growing all around us.

Happy foraging!