Elderflower Liqueur: What it is, how to use it and the BEST Elderflower Cocktail Recipes

If you've ever surfed a cocktail menu and wondered what the heck elderflower is, this guide to Elderflower Liqueur is for you. We'll explain what it is, how you can use it and give you some of the BEST Elderflower Cocktail Recipes around!! 

If you’re a longtime Garnish with Lemon reader, you know we love our cocktails, especially our elderflower liqueur cocktail recipes. The number of cocktails we have that contain elderflower liqueur is in the double digits and growing.

(Can you say obsessed much?).

We LOVE it but we get that not everyone has jumped on the elderflower bandwagon yet.

So if you’ve never tried elderflower liqueur or if you’re new around here, check out our primer below on Elderflower Liqueur: What it is, how to use it and the BEST Elderflower Cocktail Recipes.

Jump to:

• What is elderflower liqueur?
• What does elderflower liqueur taste like?
• Best Brand
• How do I use it?
• Best elderflower cocktail recipes

What is elderflower liqueur?

Elderflower liqueur is made from the small, white flowers of the elderflower bush. These blossoms are often handpicked and the liqueur is made with no preservatives or stabilizers (which means it really should be used in about 6 months for best flavor).

Note: Elderflower liqueur is NOT the same as elderflower syrup or elderflower cordial. Both the syrup and cordial are do not contain any alcohol.

You’ll often find it called for in baking recipes (Megan and Harry enjoyed the flavor of elderflowers made from cordial in their wedding cake!) and in non-alcoholic cocktails to impart that unique elderflower flavor.

You can buy bottles of elderflower cordial in stores and online. Interested in making your own non-alcoholic elderflower cordial? BBC Good Food has a well-reviewed recipe. 

What does elderflower liqueur taste like?

Don’t worry; even though elderflower liqueur is made from flowers, it doesn’t taste like you are drinking your grandma’s perfume! Rather the liqueur has a delicate floral flavor that is more nuanced than you’d expect.

Since elderflower liqueur is rather sweet, you can easily use it to replace other sweeteners in your cocktail recipes like simple syrup, agave and maple syrup.

Best Brand

Picking the “best” brand of elderflower liqueur is almost impossible because people’s taste buds are so different. Prices vary greatly, so budget is a consideration, too.

Luckily there are solid options available at all price points.

St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur is probably the best known brand, and it’s definitely one of our favorites in cocktail recipes where elderflower is a primary flavor like a martini.

We’re also big fans of Drillaud Elderflower Liqueur because it tastes similar to St. Germain but is nearly half the price! I suggest trying a handful of different brands to find a personal favorite.

The bottom line is you can easily use a less expensive brand in elderflower cocktail recipes that have other ingredients with strong flavors (think sangria).

How do I use it?

Elderflower liqueur is extremely versatile and mixes well with wine and other spirits. Use it to give your drink that little something “extra”; we guarantee it will elevate a good cocktail to great status in a hurry.

You can drink elderflower liqueur on the rocks, add it to sparkling water, sparkling wine or white wine, and - our favorite way to use it - in COCKTAILS!

Best elderflower cocktail recipes

Looking for some of the best elderflower cocktail recipes out there? We’ve got ‘em! Check out our favorites below and don’t forget to stop back as we’ll be adding more elderflower cocktail recipes as we create them

Craving more cocktail inspiration? Check out all of our cocktail recipes HERE! 

Curious about elderflower liqueur, what it is and how to use it? Read our handy guide and get our best elderflower cocktail recipes too!