June 3, 2025, 12:50 pm | Read time: 3 minutes

These days, nature is adorned with elderflowers. Not only are they beautiful, but they are also healthy and can be incredibly tasty. myHOMEBOOK gardening expert Franka Kruse-Gering offers three ideas for what you can do with elderflowers.

What to Consider When Harvesting

If you want to collect elderflowers, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Most of the flowers on a cluster should be open. Closed flowers can be identified by small buds on the cluster.
2. Avoid collecting near roads, as exhaust fumes and other dirt can cling to the plant.
3. The riper the flowers, the more likely they are to attract small insects with their scent. Always check for insects when collecting elderflowers.
4. Do not wash the elderflowers, as the flavor largely comes from the pollen, which would be washed away.

Elderflower Vinegar

A wonderfully fruity dressing for a salad can be made from elderflowers and other spices. You’ll need about five fresh elderflower clusters, half a liter of white wine vinegar or unfiltered apple cider vinegar, and a sliced lemon for flavor and preservation. Suitable spices include peppercorns, rosemary, or a bit of ginger. Feel free to experiment. A clean bottle or jar is essential.

Place all ingredients in the jar and pour in the vinegar, ensuring everything is covered. Let the mixture steep in a dark, cool place for about one to two weeks, shaking the jar occasionally. After steeping, strain the vinegar through a sieve to create a wonderfully aromatic salad dressing.

Elderflower Pancakes

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Elderflowers can be turned into a delicious snack, namely pancakes. They’re not only popular with children but are also very easy to make: You need pancake batter and dip the clusters in it. The batter-coated elderflowers can then be fried and enjoyed.

Basic Pancake Recipe:
You need 200 grams of flour, 400 milliliters of milk, 2 eggs, a pinch of salt, and sugar to taste. Mix all ingredients together to make the pancake batter.

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Elderflower Jelly

Elderflower jelly is delicious and makes a wonderful small gift.

You will need:

• About 15 to 20 fresh elderflower clusters
• An organic lemon
• 750 milliliters of apple juice
• About 500 grams of gelling sugar 2:1; for a sweeter taste, use 1:1 gelling sugar

How to make jelly from elderflowers:

1. Gently shake the clusters to remove insects. Do not wash them, as this would remove the flavorful pollen. Remove thick stems, as they can sometimes be bitter.
2. Place apple juice, elderflowers, and some lemon zest in a bowl and let it steep in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
3. Strain the liquid the next day and squeeze out the flowers.
4. Combine the liquid with the squeezed lemon and gelling sugar in a pot and bring to a boil while stirring. Boil for a few minutes according to the gelling sugar instructions and perform the gelling test.
5. Immediately pour the hot liquid into sterile jars, seal tightly, and turn upside down for five minutes.