The sweet scent of honeysuckle takes me right back to childhood. I used to pick the delicate flowers just to savor their heavenly nectar. As an adult, that nostalgic aroma reminded me of lost innocence and simpler times.
After a long day of chores, I’d drift off dreaming of fields bursting with honeysuckle. Those dreams inspired me to capture that sweet essence in a bottle – my homemade Honeysuckle Cordial recipe. Now I can enjoy summer’s fleeting beauty all year long.
Origins
These fragrant blooms have been treasured worldwide for ages. Honeysuckle grows wild across Europe, Asia, and North America. Its lovely aroma and nectar are renowned for their soothing, healing properties. The flowers also symbolize devotion – their sweetness reflects the bonds between friends and family. It’s no wonder honeysuckle has long been used to create soothing remedies, refreshing drinks, and tantalizing sweets.Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This cordial perfectly balances the gentle floral notes of honeysuckle with tart lemon and a kiss of sugar. Mix up a bubbly soda, a cocktail, or a sweet treat. It’s bottled nostalgia, ready to brighten your day anytime you need a taste of summer.Ingredients
- Honeysuckle Blossoms – These fragrant blooms infuse their magic into the syrup.
- Water and Sugar – Extract the flavors and lend sweetness.
- Citric Acid – Brightens with a tangy kick.
- Lemons – Zest and juice balance the sweetness.
How to Make Honeysuckle Cordial:
- Bring water & sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve all the sugar.
- Pour hot syrup over the flowers in a heatproof container.
- Stir in the citric acid, lemon zest, and the thin slices of lemon.
- Let steep, covered, on the counter until it reaches room temperature then place it in the fridge and let it steep over night, totaling 24 hours.
- Strain through cheese cloth or a very fine mesh sieve. Store in the fridge.
Tips
- When picking honeysuckle, choose flowers that are fully open and free from blemishes.
- Stir the sugar until dissolved so the syrup is smooth.
- Steep 24 hours for full flavor infusion.
- Use a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth to strain the cordial, to ensure that all impurities are removed.
Serving Suggestions
- Mix with sparkling water for a floral soda.
- Create tantalizing cocktails, especially with bubbly.
- Drizzle over ice cream or fruit for a sweet treat.
- Add to baked goods like scones for a twist
Substitutions
- You can use lemon juice instead of citric acid
- If you can’t find honeysuckle, you can use other fragrant flowers such as lilac, elderflower, or jasmine. Just make sure the flowers are food safe and pesticide-free.
Equipment
- Glass bottle for storage
- Fine sieve or cheesecloth
- Pot for syrup
FAQs
Can I use dried honeysuckle?
Fresh is best for the best flavor, but dried works too!
How long does it last?
About 2 weeks stored in the fridge in a sterilized, sealed bottle.
Can I freeze it?
Yep, freeze in ice cube trays to add bursts of flavor later.
Is it safe for kids?
Yes, as long as you use food-safe flowers. But use in moderation due to the sugar content.
Honeysuckle Cordial
This nostalgic Honeysuckle Cordial recipe offers a blend of honeysuckle blossoms, tart lemons, and sugar. Perfect for cocktails, sodas, or desserts.
Ingredients
- 4 cups honeysuckle blossoms picked over & rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 tsp citric acid I found this in the supplement section at Wholefoods
- 1/2 a lemon zested & sliced thin
Instructions
- Bring water & sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve all the sugar.
- Pour hot syrup over the flowers in a heatproof container.
- Stir in the citric acid, lemon zest, and the thin slices of lemon.
- Let steep, covered, on the counter until it reaches room temperature then place it in the fridge and let it steep over night, totaling 24 hours.
- Strain through cheese cloth or a very fine mesh sieve. Store in the fridge.
The other recipes:
Honeysuckle Scones a.k.a. Honeysuckle Biscuits
Ingredients
- 250 grams 2 cups..get a scale! all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 76 g 1/3 cups buttermilk
- 152 g 2/3 cup honeysuckle cordial
- 1 egg lightly beaten Or a couple Tbs butter melted, for brushing (optional)
- sugar for sprinkling optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°.
- Grease a baking sheet.
- Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Cut in butter with your fingers until no pieces larger than a pea remain but there are still plenty of bits of butter. You don’t want to overwork it.
- Stir in the buttermilk & cordial until just incorporated, careful not to overmix as this will build gluten and make your biscuits tough. At this point you can let your dough proof for up to 30 minutes or just proceed with the rest of the recipe.
- Turn biscuit dough out onto a well floured work surface. I, for one, like to just use my counter. Sprinkle a bit of flour on the top and form dough into a rectangle with the narrow end facing you. Lightly bounce the dough out from the center with a rolling pin. Fold in half towards you. Rotate the dough counter clockwise and repeat 2 more times.
- After the third fold roll dough out (gently, you don’t want to crush your flaky layers) to about 1″-3/4″ thick. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter. Don’t twist the cutter or you’ll seal the edges and inhibit rising. Gently place biscuits on the greased baking sheet. Brush tops with a lightly beat egg or melted butter if desired. Sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake biscuits 10-15 minutes. They should be golden on top and cooked through. It takes about 12 minutes in my oven.
- Let cool on racks. Eat warm. Preferably with this sea salt, honey, and marjoram peach butter.
Sea Salt & Honey Peach Butter
Ingredients
- 1/2 a very ripe peach finely chopped
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 3 tsp honey to taste
- 1/2 tsp finely chopped marjoram
- 1/4 tsp flaky sea salt or to taste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients with a mortar & pestle. Taste & adjust as needed. Chill & Serve. Can also be made by a whir in a mini food processor or a blender. Or by whipping together with a fork in a bowl. I just love to use my mortar & pestle! So tactile.
Honeysuckle Mint Vinaigrette
An extra extra recipe because I love you guys. And honeysuckle.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp honeysuckle syrup
- 1 Tbsp champagne vinegar
- 3 T good olive oil
- pinch salt
- 1 T chopped apple mint regular is fine too
- 1 T chopped fennel fronds
- 1/4 tsp crushed fennel seeds
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined or alternately shake in a jar. Excellent on a “flower power” salad of edible flowers, apple, fennel, and cabbage along with a bit of celery seed & salty cheese.
My name is Beth, Elizabeth Evelyn to be exact. A native Tennessean, I was born in the South.
I am the author behind Local Milk Blog.