If you think all blackcurrant cordials are the same then you are in for a treat. Homemade blackcurrant cordial is less sweet, fresh tasting, much fruitier and absolutely delicious. It is also really easy to make.
A superior cordial
A few years ago as I was picking the first of my blackcurrants on my allotment a fellow allotmenteer came up and asked me what I was going to make with them. I told him they were for blackcurrant jam, it's my favourite and all home made jams are better than shop bought.
He recommended I tried making blackcurrant cordial. I had assumed it wasn't really worth the effort as blackcurrant cordial is blackcurrant cordial isn't it? Apparently not! and he persuaded me it a go as it would be altogether different and much better!
I am so glad I did, as he was right! It was delicious and well worth the effort of making. The resulting drink was so much more refreshing than any blackcurrant cordial I had tasted in the past.
I have been making homemade blackcurrant cordial ever since then and I didn't stop there. Now I regularly make Rhubarb and Raspberry Cordial too.
If you have some spare blackcurrants and haven't made your own cordial before then I urge you to try it. It is very easy to make.
Nutritional benefits of blackcurrants
As an added bonus this cordial is absolutely bursting with Vitamin C. In addition to the vitamin C, blackcurrants have plenty of antioxidants and anthocyanins which are good for the immune system. In fact, blackcurrants carry four times the amount of vitamin C as oranges and double the amount of antioxidants as blueberries.
Ingredients to make blackcurrant (squash) cordial
Scroll down for quantities and full printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
you need just 3 ingredients plus water to make the blackcurrant squash
- Blackcurrants – Use fresh or frozen.
- Caster sugar – I use golden caster sugar for most of my baking. It’s the same as normal caster sugar, but it’s unrefined, It is a little more flavoursome with light caramel tones.
- Lemon Juice
Homemade Black Currant Cordial Step by Step
Step 1
Place the blackcurrants and sugar in a saucepan and add the water.
Step 2
Cook until the blackcurrants are soft.
Step 3
Add the lemon juice.
Step 4
Strain and bottle.
To serve
Dilute to taste. I would say approx 1 part cordial to 3-4 parts water is a good starting point.
Try serving hot.
How to store Blackcurrants
Store fresh blackcurrants in the refrigerator. Place them in a breathable container, such as a shallow tray or a container lined with kitchen paper towel, to allow air circulation and absorb excess moisture. They can last up to a week when stored this way.
Wash the blackcurrants just before you use them to prevent them from becoming mushy or mouldy.
How to prepare blackcurrants
Place the blackcurrants in a colander and rinse them gently under cool running water. This helps remove any dirt or debris. Handle them carefully to avoid crushing the berries.
After rinsing, remove the stems from the blackcurrants. You can do this by gently pulling them off with your fingers or using a fork to strip them from the stems.
How long will homemade blackcurrant cordial last
The concentrated cordial will not last as long as commercially made cordial, about 1 month in the refrigerator.
In my house it is so popular it is all gone in just over a week so that has never been a problem.
However you can freeze the cordial for up to 6 months. Use a plastic bottle or freezer proof container and remember to leave some head space as it will expand on freezing.
It remains a seasonal treat as fresh blackcurrants are only available for a limited time each year, but it will be one to look forward to.
Other Blackcurrant recipes you may like to try
- Blackcurrant vanilla cream tart – Only Crumbs Remain
- Blackcurrant Fool – Tin and Thyme
- Blackcurrant Jam – Recipes Made Easy
- Blackcurrant Curd – Only Crumbs Remain
Pin recipe for later –>
Homemade Blackcurrant Cordial
Equipment
- saucepan
- stainless steel or nylon sieve
- sterilised bottles
Ingredients
- 500 g blackcurrants (1lb 2oz)
- 250 g golden caster sugar (9oz)
- 300 ml water (½pt)
- 2 lemons, juice only
Instructions
- Wash 500g blackcurrants and remove from the stems and place them in a large saucepan. Add 250g sugar and 300ml water, then heat gently stirring until sugar has dissolved.
- Continue to cook gently for a few minutes until the blackcurrants are very soft and have begun to burst, about 5 minutes. Stir in the juice of 2 lemons.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve or coarse sieve lined with muslin. Allow to stand until all the juice has dripped through.
- Pour into sterilised bottles. Seal and allow to cool then chill until required
Notes
Nutrition
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Jane Mills says
Lovely result - I had 12 kilos of blackcurrants to deal with!!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
12 kilos thats a lot of blackcurranst how fab. Glad you liked the coridal.
Zsa Zsa Childs says
I just made this and quadrupled the recipe. Absolutely delighted with the outcome. Delicious and have several kilos of more flash frozen blackcurrants in the freezer from the allotment. I won’t be buying cordial for the foreseeable future after coming across this recipe.
Thank you very much for posting it
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Delighted you loved it. Have you seen my other blackcurrant recipes published on Recipes Made Easy and Only Crumbs Remain you can find it here. Enjoy all those delicious currants.
Evie says
Easy to do and nice, but very tart and needed more sugar - despite the fact that I used the full amount and typically use for half to 2/3rds of most recipes’ sugar content. Easily fixed with a little maple syrup! Appreciate the dilution advice in one of the replies, thank you
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi Evie Im gald you liked the cordial. Sweetness is ultimately a matter of personal preference. The variety of blackcurrants used may well effect the overall level of sweetness. Better to be a little tart as you can do as you say and sweetnen, than to have a syrup that is too sweet to start with.
Steve says
Made this today absolutely delicious. Will definitely make again cheers
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
You are welcome. Enjoy.
Cyndy Wright says
Hi Jacqueline,
I have a large crop of blackcurrants and was wondering how I can make lots of juice that will last in bottles etc for many months ?
All recipes I’ve seen say it only lasts for about 6 weeks .
I am in the process of following your recipe. Looking forward to the tasting!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
When I have a large crop I freeze the cordial to extend the keeping times. It will successfully freeze for at least 6 months Ive not kept it longer
Jacky says
Maybe extend the season by freezing the berries and making another batch in the winter. It’s good hot!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Great idea. Blackcurrants freeze well
ALISON B PACK says
Hi Jacqueline,
Your encouragement inspired me to try blackcurrant cordial. Very delightful. As you said, it is normally diluted. How much water would you suggest for dilution?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi Alison, Just dilute to taste. I would say approx 1 part cordial to 3-4 parts water is a good starting point. Jacqui
Susan says
Hi Jacqueline,
I have been gifted some blackcurrants and thought I would try your homemade cordial recipe. Would it be possible to use honey as a sweetener rather than sugar and if so how much honey would be the equivalent for the amount of caster sugar you suggest?
Many thanks,
Susan
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi Susan
I don't see why you could not use honey instead but I'm not sure how it would affect the keeping qualities but if you plan to drink it within a few days anyway then not a problem. If you want to keep it longer you could pop it in the freezer which is what I do if I make a lot.
As for how much I really couldn't say without trying. I would add honey to sweeten to taste. Remember that you would want to make the cordial itself sweeter than you might expect as you will be diluting it with water.
If you give it a go I would love to know how you get on. Do let me know.
Good Luck Jacqui
Corrie Ward says
I too want to know if honey can be substituted for sugar?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes and no. Although i have not tried it myself I am sure you could try replace some of the sugar with honey. However, it will affect the keeping quality of the cordial and I would not keep it longer than a few days to be on the safe side. Alternatively, pop it in the freezer if you want it to last longer. I think if you replaced all the sugar with honey it would change the flavour too much.
Andrew says
Hi Jacqui thanks for the recipes. I have just made up the raspberry cordial and it tastes great. I also tried the blackcurrant cordial recipe with half blackcurrant and half blueberry all from the garden. It's cooling now so hopefully that will taste good. Thanks Andrew
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Andrew thank you for comment, glad you like the raspberry cordial and I love the sound of your blackcurrant and blueberry cordial I shall have to try that I have a bumper crop of blackcurrants this year.
Monika Dabrowski says
Looks gorgeous Jacqui! I have no doubt it's a hundred times tastier than shop bought cordial. I always so envious whenever you make something using your own fruit or veg. Maybe one day...
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I was on the waiting list for 7 years before I got my allotment plot.So glad I did as it is really rewarding and yes this really tastes of fresh blackcurrants!Shop bought tastes fine but nothing like fresh blackcurrants.