Originallycordials were made from wild fruits or leaves and flowers, boiled with honey, and later alcohol was added to the mixture to preserve the syrup. These alcoholic drinks were medicinal. Today the recipes do not contain alcohol anymore, and honey has been replaced by sugar. Also called squash, cordial is very simple to make, and it worths all the time and effort.
If you want to impress your guests with tasty cocktails, you can whip up a batch of cordial in your home instead of buying artificial sugary drinks in the store. You can use almost any fruit such as lemon, berries, kiwi, peach and even create your own recipe by adding some aromatic herbs or flowers like basil, lavender, or lilac.
These homemade syrups can be used in drinks and also asflavorings for sauces and desserts. We have selected ten easy cordial recipes to try this summer. And they also make great gifts for your foodie friends!
1. Lemongrass, Lime Leaf, and Ginger Cordial
Recipe viathepatternedplate.com
Try this Lemongrass, Lime Leaf, and Ginger cordial for a super refreshing summer drink. You will need a few stalks of lemongrass, fresh ginger, lemon, and sugar. Boil all the ingredients together, leave it to cool and infuse for 5 hours, boil it once more and pour the syrup into sterilized bottles.
2. Passion Fruit and Basil Cordial
Recipe viawww.thepeachkitchen.com
We just love passion fruit, it always brings back memories of an exotic holiday, plus it is amazingly refreshing. This cordial is basically a passion fruit juice infused with basil. It is up to you if you want to include the seeds or strain them out; either way, you will create beautiful drinks.
3. Raspberry Cordial
Recipe vianeighborfoodblog.com
Raspberries are in season now; why not get a big bag of them? Never mind if you can not get fresh ones, you can use frozen raspberries as well. This recipe is very simple to make; it only requires frozen raspberries, sugar, lemons, and boiling water. Due to the lemon, it is sweet, but not too sweet, just perfect. Try it with champagne, sparkling white wine, or even vodka.
4. Elderflower Cordial
Recipe viawww.cinnamonandthyme.com
Kids just love this classic Elderflower cordial. And so as adults! You will need Elderflower heads to make your own, so keep an eye out for elderflower bushes in bloom in the Spring. It is so tasty, mixed with sparkling water and a slice of lemon! You can also add a stalk of fresh mint, and voila, your super simple non-alcoholic cocktail is ready.
5. Rhubarb Cordial
Recipe viaalittlezaftig.com
There are only two things you need to prepare this amazing Rhubarb cordial – sugar and rhubarb. This sweet, slightly tart and brightly flavored rhubarb syrup are perfect for adding into a glass of champagne or stirring some into a pitcher of homemade lemonade. You can even try it with some plain yogurt in the morning!
6. Lavender Cordial
Recipe viatheindolentcook.blogspot.com
This beautiful Lavender cordial might sound a bit too floral to your liking, but the added lemon makes this recipe just perfect. You can mix it simply with ice-cold water or any other types of beverages too. If you want to create something fancy, add it to desserts.
7. Herb Citrus Cordial
Recipe viainnbrooklyn.wordpress.com
You can makethis cordial with fresh basil, lavender or rosemary, or any other herb you like. It’s easy to make and really tasty with soda water. Why not add a splash of it to ice-cold vodka? The herb’s flavor – whatever your choose – shines through all the citrus and gives it a distinctive, sophisticated taste.
8. Hibiscus Cordial
Recipe viavanillacloudsandlemondrops.blogspot.com
This Hibiscus cordial is not only beautiful and fancy but also delicious. Hibiscus has a sweet fruity, berry flavor that makes a perfectly refreshing non-alcoholic drink when topped up with a little sparkling water. It is also a great base for a cocktail, plus you can serve the flowers as a garnish.
9. Lilac Cordial
Recipe viasemiswede.com
Did you know thatyou can make a drink out of lilacs? You might have to wait until spring for the lilacs to bloom again, but it well worth a try. You will have to follow the same recipe as the elderflower syrup. Pick the flowers, boil them with sugar and water and let them sit in a cool, dark place for 3-5 days.
10. Strawberry and Passionfruit Cordial
Recipe viaglamorousglutton.com
A great way to preserve the delicate strawberriesfor the remainder of the year is to make jams or cordialswith them. If you want to take strawberry cordial to the next level, follow this amazing recipe that uses passion fruit and a thinly sliced lemonfor a unique taste.
