8 Edible Flowers For Cocktails

Delicate and fragrant flowers certainly make for beautiful gardens and bouquets. But have you ever thought of adding flowers to your favorite drinks? Edible flowers make for some great addition to a variety of cocktails. They add a delicate flavor and aroma which enhances your drink. You can use dried, fresh, or even candied flowers. If you’re trying your hand at it, here are some of the most commonly used edible flowers used to glam up your cocktails.

8 Edible Flowers For Cocktails

1. Lavender
2. Roses
3. Chamomile
4. Cherry Blossoms
5. Hibiscus
6. Honeysuckles
7. Peonies
8. Pansies

Lavender

We kick off our list with one of the most popular cocktail flowers – lavender! This purple flower has a unique floral scent that complements a variety of spirits and base liqueurs. This earthy-toned flower goes especially well with gin cocktails. Lavender can be used in any form – you can garnish your drink with a fresh sprig or just add some lavender bitters to your whiskey. But here’s a drink that you’ve got to try out for yourself.

Lavender Daiquiri

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of white rum
• ½ ounce of lavender syrup
• 1 tablespoon of  honey
• ¾ ounce of lemonade
• Fresh lavender sprig (for garnishing)
• Lemon slice (for garnishing)

Instructions:

1. In a shaker, add the white rum and lavender syrup.
2. Mix one tablespoon of honey to the lemonade and add this mixture to the cocktail shaker.
3. Add ice to the shaker and give it a good shake.
4. Double-strain this mixture into a martini glass.
5. Top the drink with a fresh lavender sprig and a thin lemon slice. And there you have it, a fresh and fragrant Lavender Daiquiri!

Also Read: 8 Best Daiquiri Cocktail Recipes

Roses

Another top contender amongst edible cocktail flowers are roses. Versatile and readily available (if you go on dates often), roses have a sweet floral flavor. Its fragrance can make even the simplest of drinks seem classy and elegant. Its subtle flavor goes well with almost every alcoholic drink like rum, bourbon, gin, and vodka. The petals can be muddled with base liqueur or used as a garnish. Rose petals not only add to the look of your drink but also enhance the flavor of the cocktail.

Rose & Rosé Bourbon

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of bourbon
• 3 ounces Rosé wine
• 0.2 ounces of rose syrup
• 1 ounce grapefruit juice
• Soda water (to top)
• Candied grapefruit slice (for garnishing)
• Fresh rose petals (for garnishing)

Instructions:

1. In a mixing glass, combine all of the above ingredients except for the garnishes.
2. Add ice into a rocks glass, and fine-strain the cocktail into it.
3. Top your drink with a candied grapefruit slice and some fresh rose petals, and voilà, your Rose & Rosé bourbon is ready!

Also Read: 6 Things You Should Know About Rosé

Chamomile

Chamomile is quite a popular household remedy for anxiety and upset stomachs. And if you’ve heard of chamomile tea, then it should come as no surprise that this daisy-like flower is a great addition to your cocktails. Chamomile has a mild, grassy, and floral tone that gives your cocktail a refreshing feel and fragrant sweetness without overpowering your taste buds. The flower pairs exceptionally well with whiskeys, bourbons, vodka, and gin.

Chamomile Gin Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of gin
• 2ounces of chamomile syrup
• 1 ¾ ounce lemon juice
• 1 ounce of elderflower liqueur
• Splash of seltzer
• Dry chamomile petals (for garnishing)

Instructions:

1. Add chamomile syrup, lemon juice, elderflower liqueur, and ice to a shaker. Then shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds. The mixture should be slightly frothy.
2. Open the shaker, add a splash of seltzer, and stir the mixture gently.
3. Strain the cocktail into a chilled glass, and add a pinch of dried chamomile petals.

Also Read: 7 Easy Gin Cocktail Recipes That You Should Try

Cherry Blossoms

Cherry blossoms or Sakura petals are very popular in Japanese cuisine, especially in making sweets and tea. The Sakura petals, whether candied or fresh, go very well with gin, vodka, and saké. These delicate spring flowers have a slight tart and jammy flavor, with a sweet rose-like fragrance.

With such a flavor profile, it comes as no surprise that cherry blossoms make an incredible addition to your spritzy summer cocktails! Finding these flowers could be difficult so you could use pink carnations as an alternative.

Cherry Blossom Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of saké
• 3 tablespoons of cranberry juice
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of grenadine
• ½ teaspoon orange bitters
• Fresh or frozen cranberries
• Fresh cherry blossom petal (for garnishing)

Instructions:

1. Fill two-thirds of a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Add saké, cranberry juice, lemon juice, grenadine, and bitters to the shaker. Shake well until the cocktail is well-combined and chilled.
3. Strain the drink into a martini glass, and add fresh or frozen cranberries.
4. Garnish with cherry blossom petals and enjoy!

Also Read: Everything About Shochu – The Japanese ‘Burned Liquor’

Hibiscus

Hibiscus is an incredible addition to teas and lemonade, and certainly has its place among cocktails. This bright red flower has a tart flavor very similar to cranberries and can be easily balanced with various simple syrups or even honey. This all-year-round flower makes for some delicious summer drinks and blends well with gin, rum, and tequila.

Hibiscus Lemon Gin Cocktail

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of gin
• 1 ounce of lemon juice
• 1 ounce of hibiscus syrup
• Tonic water (to top)
• 2 thin lemon slices (for garnishing)
• 1 hibiscus flower (for garnishing)

Instructions:

1. Fill a 12-ounce cold glass to the brim with ice.
2. Add gin, lemon juice, and hibiscus syrup. Then top it with tonic water.
3. Stir the cocktail gently and garnish with lemon slices and the hibiscus flower. Your refreshing cocktail is ready to be served.

Also Read: Too Pretty To Consume: Flower Cocktails From Around India

Honeysuckles

As their name suggests, honeysuckles have a sweet, honey-like fragrance and the flowers themselves have a sweet nectar that reminds you of honey! These trumpet-shaped flowers make for an excellent cocktail companion, whether in the form of simple syrup or base liqueur. You can even add fresh or dried flowers or infuse them into vodka or gin for a distinct flavor profile. 

Honeysuckle Julep

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of Old Tom gin
• ¼ ounce of yellow Chartreuse
• ½ ounce of honeysuckle simple syrup
• 2 slices of peach
• Honeysuckle blossom (for garnishing)

Instructions:

1. Muddle the peach slices with honeysuckle simple syrup in a julep tin or rocks glass.
2. Add the Old Tom gin, yellow Chartreuse, and crushed ice.
3. Stir the drink gently, and add crushed ice to the top of the glass.
4. Garnish with fresh honeysuckle blossoms and enjoy!

Also Read: 7 Best Classic Cocktails

Peonies

Pretty, pink peonies add a sweet fruity flavor and fragrance to your summer cocktails. The flavor of these flowers has been described as being similar to peach or strawberry but quite subtle and more floral than fruity. These mild and sweet-smelling flowers make for some refreshing cocktails, especially spritzers. Peonies compliment cocktails with vodka, gin, champagne, or pink wines, and shine in lighter drinks.

Peony Rosé Spritzer

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of rosé wine
• 1 ounce of vodka
• ½ ounce of peony simple syrup
• Sparkling water as needed
• Fresh peony petals (for garnishing)

Instructions:

1. Fill a wine or cocktail glass with ice.
2. Add the rosé wine, vodka, and peony syrup.
3. Top the glass with sparkling water and stir gently. 
4. Garnish with fresh peony petals, and your peony rosé spritzer is ready!

Also Read: Best Cocktails For Those Who Can’t Handle Hard Liquors

Pansies

Pansies are also popular edible flowers that make for great cocktail garnishes and flavor, and come in a variety of colors. With a subtle sweetness and minty undertone, pansies are a perfect pairing for herbal and refreshing cocktail. They are a great combination for gin-based cocktails or even spritzers. So if you’re feeling particularly fancy, add a few pansy flowers to your cocktail and enjoy!

Pansy Gimlet

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ ounce of gin
• 1 tablespoon pansy simple syrup
• ¾ ounce lemon juice
• Candied pansies (for garnishing)

Instructions:

1. In a cocktail shaker, add gin, pansy simple syrup, and lemon juice.
2. Fill the shaker with ice and shake well for 10-15 seconds until the drink is chilled and diluted well.
3. Strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with candied pansy petals. And voilà! Your Pansy Gimlet is ready to be served.

Also Read: 8 Best Brunch Cocktails

Summing Up

Edible flowers make for a perfect companion to your summer cocktails. Not only do they make your drink look fancy, but also enhance the flavors. It does also make the whole cocktail drinking experience a tantalizing sensory journey! So, the next time you host a soirée, add some of these vibrant edible flowers to your cocktails and impress your guests with your cocktail-making skills!

FAQs

What Flowers Can I Put In A Cocktail?

There are several options in edible flowers that you can add to your cocktail. Some of those are – 

• Hibiscus
• Rose
• Cherry Blossoms
• Viola
• Pansy
• Peony
• Marigold
• Honeysuckle
• Lavender

Which Purple Flowers Are Edible?

Violets or violas, lavender, and some species of pansies all have a soothing hue of purple and are extensively used in the preparation of cocktails, sweets, and teas.

Is Baby’s Breath Edible?

Baby’s Breath may certainly look beautiful in a bouquet, but these flowers are actually toxic. They are certainly not edible and best added in decorative pieces and not food or drinks!

Which Flowers Are Non-Edible?

Flowers like lily of the valley, daffodils, hydrangeas, baby’s breath, and tulips are some examples of non-edible flowers.

Which Liquor Is Made From Flowers?

One of the most popular floral alcohols is the crème de violette, which is a bold, purple-colored liquor made by infusing brandy with violet flowers.

How To Add Flowers To A Drink?

You can either top your drink with fresh or dried flowers as a garnish, or use flower simple syrups or liqueurs during the preparation of the cocktail. You can also rim your glass with dried flowers if you don’t want them ending up in your drink. Candied or sugared flower petals are also used as garnish and add sweetness to the drink.

What Flowers Can Be Used In Gin-based Drinks?

Flowers like honeysuckles, roses, hibiscus, elderflowers, and lavender go particularly well with gin-based drinks and enhance the flavor of the cocktail.