An Invitation To Summer’s Most Refreshing Homemade Cordials

As the mercury rises and garden chairs are coaxed out of their long hibernation, there are few simpler nor more elegant pleasures than a glass of homemade cordial over ice. Whether it’s the delicate floral notes of elderflower or the sharp tang of rhubarb, a good cordial is always a joy. Easy to make, endlessly customisable, and charmingly nostalgic, these recipes are the gateway to long, languorous afternoons and dreams of good old-fashioned garden parties. We round up the loveliest blends to bottle – and to sip – all summer long.

Summer Cordial

Jamie Oliver


We’d make lashings of this beautifully vivid summer cordial just to enjoy the pop of colour on our summer table. Good thing then that it tastes every bit as spectacular as it looks. Choose raspberries or strawberries, heat them with water and lemons, sieve through a muslin and then add the sugar – simple, no? And the great thing is that you can swap out the fruit for any seasonal delights you fancy, from blueberries to gooseberries to loganberries. Do note you will need a sterilised glass bottle – after which, refreshing drinks are go. Get the recipe.

Rhubarb Cordial

Olive Magazine


Who doesn’t love the curious line between the tart and the sweet so deftly trodden by the mighty rhubarb? We are so enamoured, in fact, that we instinctively want to bottle it. And this recipe demonstrates cleverly how easy it is to do just that. Rhubarb, water, sugar and lemon juice is all it takes to create a refreshing summer sip that’s ideal for everything from picnics to garden parties to hot days lounging in the garden. Get the recipe.

Lime Cordial

Love & Olive Oil


When the sunshine hits, there is nothing quite so refreshing as a glug of lime cordial. Sharp, tart and cooling, it is ideal diluted with water, as well as being perfect for making a delicious gimlet. Now we’re talking… Get the recipe.

Elderflower Cordial

Country Living


As we reach the close of elderflower season, now is the time to bottle the delicate flavour from elder trees, currently abundant with sweetly scented blooms. Cook along then with Alison Walker over at Country Living, who instructs in the art of how to make the syrup from her pretty perch in the great outdoors. Get the recipe.

Hibiscus, Pomegranate And Rose Shrub

Olive Magazine


If you’re looking for a more complex twist on your cordial game, this sweet and delicate concoction is layered and absolutely lovely. You’ll need dried hibiscus, oranges, cardamom pods, rose water, oranges and apple cider vinegar in addition to the usual sugar and water. The most beautiful drink as the sun beats down. Get the recipe.