Blueberry lime elderflower mocktail

If you want a refreshing non alcoholic cocktail, kind of an upgraded elderflower spritz, this is the perfect choice. Made with elderflower syrup and mineral water, both Slovenian staples, it’s affordable and loved by adults and children. 

About the recipe 

Elderflower in Slovenia is a synonym for summer. Once the bushes are fragrant and bursting with blooms, we know we’ve arrived. Because elderflower grows so abundantly here, a lot of people make their own syrup at home. Which means this is also one of the most popular things to serve when people come over. 

I still have vivid memories of visiting my mom’s aunt, sitting at the table with her homemade, cold elderflower juice and a freshly baked soft pound cake dusted with sugar. It’s something I try to recreate every summer. 

What I call elderflower juice is the simplest elderflower drink you can make. It’s just elderflower syrup diluted with water. I love the sweet floral taste of that. It’s so simple, yet crazy satisfying to drink, especially on a hot day, just like a cold shower is in the middle of a heat wave. 

Another popular version is made with mineral water (specifically Radenska in Slovenia) which gives some bubbles and suddenly you are drinking fancy soda.

And this is where I got the inspiration for this simple virgin cocktail. I took the good old-fashioned mix of elderflower syrup and mineral water and added some color and flavor to it, to make it more fun.

Notes on ingredients 

• Elderflower syrup

My absolute favorite thing and the basis of this mocktail is elderflower syrup. It’s become much more widely available in recent years and I’m beyond happy with that. 

As you shop for elderflower syrup you might stumble upon elderflower cordial. They seem like the same thing, but they aren’t always. Sometimes the names are used interchangeably, other times the syrup is alcohol free and cordial is alcoholic.

Make sure you check the labels of whatever you end up buying. Elderflower syrup is always non alcoholic, but elderflower liqueur like St. Germain could be sold as a cordial.  

• Blueberries

I love berries in drinks, so I decided to go with the blueberry elderflower combination. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries. Fresh blueberries tend to be milder, so if you want a strong blueberry mocktail go with wild blueberries. They will give you the most vibrant color and a strong blueberry flavor.

And if you want a change, strawberries are wonderful too. If making a strawberry mocktail, use fresh strawberries that are finely chopped.

• Limes and mint

Lime slices and lime juice are used for some acidity. They balance the sweeter floral notes. And mint makes everything feel more alive. It’s fragrant and vivid and I like to put it in any drink. 

• Mineral water

I always use Slovenian mineral water (Radenska, if you ever want to try it), because why use anything else, when it’s delicious and available everywhere.

But you should use whatever is available to you (like Topo Chico). If you can’t find mineral water, use sparkling water, soda water or tonic water.

Lime or lemon flavored soda would work too, as long as it’s not too sweet and too strong because you still want the taste of elderflower to shine through. 

Elderflower vs elderberry

Both elderflowers and elderberries are part of the same plant, the Elder tree. It’s really a shrub that can grow quite big with big green leaves. 

As it blooms, you’ll see lots of tiny white blossoms or elderflowers on it. These are used to make elderflower syrup. It is sweet, floral and mild in taste. And it looks very pale, like a golden simple syrup. It’s used in many virgin cocktails. 

But elderberries are the berries that grow on the elder shrub. They are small and deep purple with a tart flavor. They are used to make elderberry jam and elderberry syrup too, so you could make an elderberry mocktail, but it will taste completely different. The color is very rich too.

Other drinks 

As you read through the recipe, you might think of two other very popular drinks.  A lot of the ingredients in this elderflower syrup mocktail are also included in the beloved Hugo cocktail. Hugo is an Italian spritz, based on elderflower and mint. It might interest you, if you want a grown-up drink that’s still refreshing and light. 

The other classic is a Mojito. My blueberry lime elderflower mocktail isn’t exactly a Hugo and it isn’t exactly a Mojito mocktail, but it falls into that group easily. It’s a great alcohol free drink to add to your dinner party menu and it works any time of the year. And if you are in search of the perfect dessert to go with this non alcoholic elderflower cocktail, this mascarpone blueberry tart is amazing. 

More non alcoholic drink recipes to explore 

• Carrot pineapple orange coolers (Refreshing juice served over a glass of ice, perfect for a breakfast or lunch menu.)
• Chamomile fresh ginger tea (My favorite tea to sip on during winter.)
• Cold brew mint tea with blueberries (So tasty and refreshing. Make it as sweet as you want and serve it over ice all summer long.)
• European iced coffee with ice cream (A classic coffee drink that can act as dessert.)
• Watermelon coconut water with lime (Great use of ripe watermelons! So wonderful on a hot day.)