Red Currant Syrup Recipe
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Red currant syrup is an easy way to use up your red currant harvest — a tasty, refreshing cordial you can enjoy long after the season ends.
Red currant syrup recipe is easy to make and another way to use up your red currant harvest. The syrup, or cordial as it’s known, makes a tasty, refreshing drink. Learn how to make this delicious syrup at home with a minimum of ingredients, effort and tools — and enjoy your garden harvest even in winter.
Table of Contents
Red Currant Cordial or Syrup?
Red currant syrup is very popular across the German-speaking regions of Europe. Making cordials is a common tradition in Switzerland and other northern European countries — elderflower cordial in spring, and syrups from whatever berries are in season through summer.
Properties of Red Currants
Red currants are tart and quite sour compared to many other currant varieties, and once ripe they look like little rubies. They’re rich in vitamin C and polyphenols, and their sour taste makes them easy to preserve — whether as a jelly, or as a syrup like this one.
Tools you may need
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- Heavy Bottom Pot
- Canning Funnel
- Glass Bottles with Stopper
- Sieve
How to Make Red Currant Syrup?
Ingredients List
- 1 kg ripe red currants
- 300 ml filtered water
- 650g castor sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
Cooking Instructions
Prep the Berries:
Remove the berries and any stray leaves from the stalks with a fork, then wash a couple of times and drain.
Cook the Berries:
Add the water to the clean berries in a heavy-bottomed pot and cook on medium heat until soft. Don’t mash them — red currants are naturally high in pectin, and you don’t want too much of it in the syrup.
Strain:
Switch off the heat and pass the mixture through a sieve, leaving it to drain for 2 to 3 hours — you should end up with about 1 liter of juice. The leftover pulp can be saved and frozen for a low-pectin fruit jam.
Make the Syrup:
Using the same pot, mix the juice with the sugar and lemon juice. You’ll notice the color turn a vibrant red as soon as the lemon juice goes in. Cook for just 2 minutes — you don’t want it to thicken like a jelly.
Bottle It:
Pour into sterilized glass bottles with a stopper. Place the bottles on a wooden board while pouring the hot liquid, which helps prevent the glass from cracking.
Serve:
Once cooled, serve by stirring 2 tablespoons of syrup into a glass of water.
Serving Suggestions
A few ways to use up the syrup:
As a Schorle: a few spoonfuls stirred into a glass of carbonated water — a popular German-style refreshment.
Over ice cream: a spoonful drizzled on top of homemade ice cream.
Diluted in water: just the syrup and plain water makes a simple, refreshing drink on its own.
Tips for Perfect Red Currant Syrup
Don’t mash the berries: red currants are naturally high in pectin, so gentle cooking without mashing keeps the syrup from thickening.
Give it time to drain: letting the juice strain for the full 2–3 hours gets you a clearer syrup.
Warm the bottles: pouring hot syrup with the bottles set on a wooden board (rather than directly on a cold counter) helps prevent the glass from cracking.
Save the pulp: freeze the strained pulp and use it later for a low-pectin fruit jam.
How Long Can You Store Red Currant Syrup?
Because the juice is preserved with sugar, this syrup stores easily for a year without refrigeration. It’s usually kept in a cool cellar for long-term storage — though it rarely lasts that long once opened.
Ways to Vary This Syrup
Once you’ve made the base syrup, there’s a little room to adapt:
Mixed berries: combine red currants with raspberries or blackcurrants for a different flavor.
Spiced syrup: a cinnamon stick or a few cloves added while cooking gives a warmer, spiced version.
Mint syrup: a few fresh mint leaves added during cooking add a refreshing twist.
Why This Syrup Is Worth Making
Red currants bring a good dose of vitamin C and polyphenols to this syrup, and preserving them this way means you can enjoy that boost well past the growing season — even diluted in a glass of water, a splash of homemade syrup is a nice way to work a little more fruit into your day.
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Recipe Card
Red Currant Syrup Recipe
- Total Time: 250
- Yield: 20 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
An easy way to preserve a red currant harvest — this tart, ruby-red syrup makes a refreshing cordial that keeps well past the growing season.
Ingredients
- 1 kg ripe red currants
- 300 ml filtered water
- 650g castor sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
-
Prep the Berries:
Remove the berries and any stray leaves from the stalks with a fork, then wash a couple of times and drain.
-
Cook the Berries:
Add the water to the clean berries in a heavy-bottomed pot and cook on medium heat until soft. Don’t mash them — red currants are naturally high in pectin, and you don’t want too much of it in the syrup.
-
Strain:
Switch off the heat and pass the mixture through a sieve, leaving it to drain for 2 to 3 hours — you should end up with about 1 liter of juice. The leftover pulp can be saved and frozen for a low-pectin fruit jam.
-
Make the Syrup:
Using the same pot, mix the juice with the sugar and lemon juice. You’ll notice the color turn a vibrant red as soon as the lemon juice goes in. Cook for just 2 minutes — you don’t want it to thicken like a jelly.
-
Bottle It:
Pour into sterilized glass bottles with a stopper. Place the bottles on a wooden board while pouring the hot liquid, which helps prevent the glass from cracking.
-
Serve:
Once cooled, serve by stirring 2 tablespoons of syrup into a glass of water.
Notes
Don’t mash the berries while cooking — red currants are naturally high in pectin, and mashing them can make the syrup too thick. Store bottled syrup somewhere cool; it keeps for about a year without refrigeration.
- Prep Time: 240
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Drinks
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 20
- Calories: 53
- Fat: 0
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