Lemon Elderflower Sour with Vodka

If you’re new here, I love a good sour cocktail. It’s kind of a specialty on this blog, so if you love this Elderflower Sour cocktail you should also check out my Chambord Sour, Hazelnut Sour, or Fitzgerald Gin Sour.

If you’re on the hunt for more elderflower cocktails, my Elderflower Gin and Tonic and Elderflower Collins are great recipes.

• Quick and easy –  It just takes 5 minutes and 5 ingredients available at any liquor or grocery store.

• Delicious – The balance of the sweet and sour with delicate floral notes from the Elderflower liqueur is one of the best cocktail flavor combinations.

• Beautiful and feels fancy – This is the kind of cocktail you want when you’re feeling extra or want to impress.

• Vodka – Use your favorite vodka. I usually use either Tito’s, the Costco version of Grey Goose, or a vodka from a local distillery. (My two fav vodkas in Charleston are from Cannon and Nippitaty.) You can also use citron vodka, like I did in my Basil Lemon Drop Martini.

• Elderflower liqueur – Many liquor stores stock St. Germain, which is the beloved original elderflower liqueur. 

• Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice will always taste best in cocktails. If your only option is bottled juice, opt for 100% lemon juice that is not from concentrate.

• Simple syrup – You can buy simple syrup or make it at home. It’s very easy and a lot more economical to make at home. You can make regular simple syrup (details in recipe below) or you can try making my Elderflower Syrup to give the cocktail an extra layer of elderflower flavor.

• Egg white – This gives the cocktail a fluffy, frothy top. I recommend using pasteurized liquid egg whites, which are safer than raw egg whites. If you want a vegan alternative, you can substitute 2-3 tablespoons of aquafaba (the liquid in a can of chickpeas) for the egg white. 

Step 1: Add vodka and elderflower liqueur to an empty cocktail shaker. 

Step 2: Add the lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white. Shake well. 

Step 3: Add ice cubes to the cocktail shaker and shake again until well chilled.

Step 4: Strain into a cocktail glass. 

Step 5: Garnish with lemon slices and/or edible flowers, if desired. 

Why do I shake the cocktail before adding ice and shaking again?

A dry shake is shaking the cocktail without ice before shaking again with ice. The dry shake gives your egg white cocktails an extra fluffy egg white foam on top. Adding the ice and shaking again will continue to fluff the egg white and also chill the cocktail. 

What does elderflower taste like?

Elderflower has a subtle floral sweetness taste with notes of lychee, pear, and vanilla. The floral flavor is not like the floral flavors of lavender or rose. Elderflower has a crisper and fruity flavor than other edible flowers. 

What kind of edible flowers can I use for garnishing cocktails?

It’s important to know that not all flowers are edible or should be used as food or drink garnish. The University of Minnesota Extension service has some good information on edible flowers that is worth checking out if you want to start using flowers in culinary applications.