7 Elderberry Cocktails and Mocktails to Try Today

Elderberries are one of the most delightful wild ingredients to work with in drinks. Their deep, jewel-toned color makes any beverage look special, while their tart, slightly earthy flavor pairs beautifully with sweet, citrus, or herbal components. Once you have a batch of elderberry simple syrup on hand, you can quickly transform cocktails, mocktails, and sparkling refreshments into seasonal, elegant sips.

My go-to is a Rosemary Elderberry Vodka Lemonade — bright lemon juice, a hint of fresh rosemary, vodka, and elderberry syrup shaken until cold. It’s fresh, floral, and perfectly balanced.

Below are seven elderberry drink ideas you can make at home, with notes for turning most into alcohol-free versions. Start with about ½ ounce of elderberry syrup per serving and adjust to your taste. Each recipe makes one serving unless noted otherwise.

Why you’ll love these elderberry drinks

• Striking natural color. The deep ruby-purple hue looks gorgeous in any glass.
• Balanced flavor profile. Tart, fruity, and slightly earthy elderberry complements both light and dark spirits as well as nonalcoholic mixers.
• Simple to prepare. A quick elderberry simple syrup is all you need to elevate many drinks — most recipes take under five minutes and use five ingredients or fewer.
• Seasonal and versatile. Use the syrup in spritzers, sours, highballs, and more for a seasonal twist.

How to make elderberry simple syrup

This is a quick, flavorful syrup designed for drinks and desserts rather than the slow-simmered wellness syrups. Use a 1:1:1 ratio of berries, sugar, and water. The quantities below yield about 2 cups of syrup.

You’ll need:

1½ cups fresh or thawed frozen elderberries (or ¾ cup dried)
1½ cups sugar
1½ cups water

To make it:

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the elderberries.
2. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes; the syrup should thicken slightly and the sugar should dissolve.
3. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes to intensify the flavor.
4. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the berries gently to extract syrup. Discard solids, cool, and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

If using dried elderberries, add them at step 1 and extend the simmer time by about 5 minutes.

A quick note on prepping elderberries

Always remove elderberries from their stems before cooking; stems and unripe berries can be mildly toxic. Rinse fresh berries and let them drain, or gently pat dry before using. Use only ripe elderberries for the best flavor.

Elderberry cocktails & mocktails

Below are simple recipes and easy swap suggestions for alcohol-free versions. I prefer drinks on the less-sweet side and often start with ½ ounce elderberry syrup, but increase to taste.

1. Rosemary elderberry sour

2 oz vodka
½–1 oz elderberry syrup
1 oz fresh lemon juice
Small sprig of rosemary

Shake all ingredients with ice until well chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with rosemary and a lemon twist. To make a mocktail, omit the vodka and top with sparkling water.

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2. Elderberry bourbon sidecar

2 oz bourbon
½–1 oz elderberry syrup
¾ oz lemon juice
Dash of orange liqueur

Shake bourbon, elderberry syrup, lemon juice, and orange liqueur with ice until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with a citrus twist.

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3. Elderberry Moscow mule

2 oz vodka
1 oz elderberry syrup
½ oz lime juice
3 oz ginger beer (plus sparkling water if desired)

Build over ice in a copper mug and stir. I often top with a splash of plain sparkling water to tone down sweetness. For a mocktail, skip the vodka or use nonalcoholic spirit.

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4. Elderberry lemon drop

2 oz vodka
¾ oz Triple Sec
¾ oz elderberry syrup
1 oz lemon juice

Rim a coupe with sugar if desired. Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into the glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. Omit the vodka and Triple Sec for a bright, alcohol-free version and top with sparkling water.

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5. Elderberry whiskey sour

2 oz whiskey
1 oz lemon juice
½ oz elderberry syrup
1 egg white (optional)
Few dashes Angostura bitters and a Luxardo cherry to garnish (optional)

Dry-shake (no ice) the whiskey, lemon juice, elderberry syrup, and egg white for 10–15 seconds, then add ice and shake again until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube or into a coupe. Add bitters and a cherry if desired. For a mocktail, use a nonalcoholic whiskey alternative.

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6. Elderberry gin & tonic

2 oz gin
½–1 oz elderberry syrup
Tonic water to top

Stir over ice in a highball glass and garnish with a lemon wheel or fresh herbs. Make it alcohol-free by using alcohol-free gin alternatives or omitting the spirit.

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7. Sparkling elderberry lemonade

2 oz vodka or gin (optional)
½–1 oz elderberry syrup
1 oz lemon juice
Sparkling water to top

Combine ingredients in a tall glass with ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with lemon wedges. For a mocktail, skip the spirit entirely.

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These recipes are a starting point — elderberry syrup works in many other combinations. Try it in spritzes, iced teas, or folded into dessert sauces for a lovely, seasonal touch.

Top tips for success

• Taste the syrup as it steeps. Let it infuse longer if you want a stronger flavor.
• Strain well. Use a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds, tiny stems, or pulp for a smooth syrup.
• Store properly. Keep the syrup in a clean jar in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.
• Freeze for longer life. Pour syrup into ice cube trays for easy portioning and longer storage.
• Use ripe berries only. Underripe elderberries are bitter and can be mildly toxic.

Variations & substitutions

Frozen berries: Thaw frozen elderberries and let them drain before simmering so they don’t add extra water to the syrup.

Dried berries: Use half the volume (¾ cup dried equals about 1½ cups fresh) and simmer for a few minutes longer.

Different sweeteners: Swap white sugar for honey, brown sugar, or demerara for a changed flavor profile.

Herbal infusions: Add a sprig of rosemary, thyme, a slice of fresh ginger, or a cinnamon stick while the syrup steeps for extra depth.