Homemade Lemon Cordial Recipe

lemon cordial in a glass jar with lemon slices and a straw.

5 from 1 vote

Homemade lemon cordial, made from scratch with 3 simple ingredients. Cold and refreshing, a splash of this bright citrus concentrate pairs perfectly with chilled or sparkling water, lemonade or your favourite summer cocktails.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Resting time8

Total Time8 15

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American, Australian

Servings:

Calories: 171kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

For the lemon syrup

5 cups white sugar 1.1 kg
zest of 6 lemons
1 cup lemon juice 250 mls of freshly squeezed juice (about 6-8 lemons)
3 tablespoons citric acid powder
3 cups boiling water 750 mls.

To serve

chilled water or sparkling water chilled
ice cubes
2-3 lemons extra, sliced
mint sprigs optional

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

For the lemon syrup

Place the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and citric acid into a large saucepan.
Add 3 cups of boiling water and whisk over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved (no need to boil).
Turn the heat off and allow to cool slightly. Then, cover with plastic wrap and leave to sit overnight, to develop.
Once the flavours have developed overnight, strain the cordial into prepared, sterilised glass jars and keep covered (see storage notes below).

To serve

Add the cordial (ratio of 1 part cordial to 4 parts water, or to taste) to a pitcher with the chilled water, ice and extra lemon slices- and fresh mint if you prefer. Enjoy!

Notes

While any type of fresh lemon can be used, I recommend using Meyer lemons for their sweet flavour, thin skin (perfect for zesting!) and high juice content. Some lemon varieties are more tart than others, so test the amount of sugar and add a little more, if needed.
Make it the day before you need it to allow the lemon flavour to develop.
Add some fresh herbs like mint or basil to infuse throughout the cordial. Or try some fresh ginger slices, lavender or a vanilla bean. Simmer any additional flavour add-ins in the sugar syrup and strain before storing.
Add the cordial to some pretty, sterilised bottles and gift them over the holidays.
You can swap the lemons for your favourite citrus like grapefruit, limes or oranges.
Make it pink lemonade by adding cranberry juice, to taste. For strawberry lemonade, add 250 grams of hulled and blended strawberries. Or make your own variations by adding seasonal fruits of your choice.
Be sure to strain the cordial before serving, to remove any seeds or pulp.
Serving suggestions; add to a glass and dilute to your preferred strength with water or sparkling water. Add slices of fresh lemon and loads of ice, plus a few sprigs of mint. The cordial is so refreshing added to chilled water or sparkling water, but you can also add it to your favourite summer cocktails.
To sterilise bottles or jars for safe storage; wash the bottles and lids with hot, soapy water and rinse. Place the bottles (not the lids) in your oven at 120 C/248 F and dry in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove the bottles from the oven and allow to cool before adding the cordial. Alternatively, you can use a sterilising solution or tablet, like Milton’s.
This recipe yields about 1.5 litres of cordial. You can multiply the recipe for more, if needed.
Freezing; Lemon cordial can be frozen and is best consumed within 6 months of freezing, although it can be kept slightly longer. Allow it to cool completely before freezing in freezer-safe bags or plastic bottles. Thaw in the fridge overnight before adding to drinks as normal.
Ratio; This recipe is for concentrated cordial that needs to be diluted with water. To serve, dilute 1 part cordial to 4 or 5 parts water (or more, or less, to taste).
Storage; When using citric acid and added to clean, sterilised bottles, this cordial will keep in a cool, dry place for 3-4 weeks, or in the fridge for around 6-8 weeks. Make sure it is stored correctly in sterilised jars, or it can start to ferment.
Please note that the nutrition information is based on the cordial being divided into 24 serves of approximately ¼ cup. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or ingredients served with the cordial.
This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition