Elderflower Lemonade is a floral twist on the classic citrus sipper that adds an air of elegance. It would be the perfect drink for summer parties, like baby showers or wedding showers.
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About this Elderflower Lemonade recipe
Homemade lemonade feels like such a flex, but is actually pretty easy. If you have the right tools — I swear by my electric citrus juicer * — you can serve a batch for cookouts and more. Real ingredients make a huge difference in the end result, so be warned that this may ruin you for drinking the powdered stuff from now on!
While the classic lemonade recipe is, well, a classic for a reason, adding elderflower brings more complex floral notes that elevate the drink. Homemade elderflower syrup is the key to capturing the flavors and balancing out the sour lemons.
Next time you need a non-alcoholic drink to satisfy a crowd, this recipe should be at the top of your list! It would be perfect at a laid-back cookout and at a more formal celebration like a summer baby shower.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Uses real ingredients. Fresh lemons, water and homemade elderflower syrup come together in one tasty drink.
- It serves a crowd. This lemonade is made in a big batch form, so it’s ready to serve whenever you have a group to entertain.
- Perfect for a specific occasion. While it’s an easy recipe, the resulting notes are more complex than regular lemonade, elevating it for more formal celebrations.
Ingredients & essentials
👇 For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card. It’s all there waiting for you!
Fresh lemon juice is a must when it comes to making lemonade at home. I prefer an electric juicer, but a hand press will work too — just use whatever you have!
When it comes to water, you’ll want to use filtered water so that it doesn’t change the taste of your drink.
Elderflower syrup is simple to make with fresh or dried elderflower, sugar and water. It’s better than store-bought, trust me! It acts as a sweetener, so no extra sugar needed in your final drink.
Reserve some of your lemons and flowers to dress up your final drink. A sprig of mint would be nice too — thanks to my cocktail herb garden I always have some on hand.
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Instructions
Elderflower lemonade comes together fairly quickly! You can make the syrup ahead of time and store it in the fridge to save time, then all that’s left to do is juice the lemons and stir.
- First, wash the flowers if using fresh. Measure out the elderflower blossoms and set aside in a heat-proof bowl. Make a simple syrup on the stove, stirring until sugar and water have dissolved, then pour over the flowers.
- Stir together gently. Let steep for at least 30 minutes, until cooled.
Pick how thick. For a thicker syrup, use a 1:2 or 1:1.5 ratio of water to sugar.
- Strain your freshly squeezed lemon juice into a large bowl or pitcher filled with .
- Then, stir in elderflower simple syrup. Taste and add more if desired.
- Stir to combine all of your ingredients, then refrigerate for an hour before serving.
- Garnish each glass (or the pitcher) with fresh elderflower and lemon slices.
Tips & tricks
- Use the juice from fresh lemons. When making lemonade, it makes such a big difference in flavor, as opposed to using bottled concentrate.
- When juicing, be sure to use room-temperature citrus. Refrigerated lemons will not juice as nicely. You can microwave them briefly for about 10 seconds to warm them up, or just leave them out for an hour or two before you plan to juice them.
- Taste as you go! You’ll have to decide how sweet you want your drink.
Serving suggestions
If you’re hosting, you can make this lemonade ahead of time and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Add ice, or for a more formal occasion you could use any leftover elderflowers for floral ice cubes! You can use a pitcher, drink dispenser * or even a punch bowl * to serve this stunner. Consider the crowd and use whatever fits both the occasion and your guests.
With the sweet and sour combo that this lemonade gives you, balance it with the snacks that you serve. For a light appetizer, whipped feta dip with homemade pita chips would be great. It’s also hard to beat spinach artichoke wonton cups, which transform the beloved dip into something easy to eat while you mingle.
Don’t forget dessert! Shortbread matcha cookies have an earthy sweetness that’s a great match for the floral notes in this lemonade. You could also stick with the lemon palate and serve a batch of lemon bars.
FAQ
You can make homemade elderflower lemonade by creating an elderflower simple syrup with sugar, water and either fresh or dried elderflower. Then combine the syrup with water and fresh lemon juice to make lemonade.
It is not recommended. Fresh juice has a more delicate flavor that better highlights the delicate flavor of the elderflower. Bottled juice tends to be more cloyingly sour.
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Elderflower Lemonade
ingredients
Elderflower Syrup
- 6 tablespoons dried elderflowers or 20 clusters fresh elderflowers, stems removed
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1½ cups water
Elderflower Lemonade
- 1½ cups elderflower syrup
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups lemon juice from about 10 lemons
- garnishes such as lemon slices, mint leaves or fresh elderflowers
instructions
Elderflower Syrup
- If using fresh elderflowers, wash them and pat them dry.6 tablespoons dried elderflowers
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat.1½ cups water, 1½ cups granulated sugar
- Let the syrup cool for 5–10 minutes, until it reaches about 160 to 170°F (71 to 77°C).
- Pour over the elderflowers. Cover and let steep for at least 30 minutes, or until the syrup has cooled to room temperature.6 tablespoons dried elderflowers
- Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain the syrup, discarding the spent flowers.
- Let cool completely before using in the lemonade.
Elderflower Lemonade
- In a large pitcher, stir together 1 cup elderflower syrup and lemon juice. Top with the water and stir to combine. Taste and add more syrup if desired.1½ cups elderflower syrup, 2 cups lemon juice , 6 cups water
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour over ice and garnish with lemon slices, mint leaves or fresh elderflowers.garnishes
notes
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