Herbal Cordial Recipe

If you ever stepped into my kitchen on a chilly Portland evening, especially one that smells like crushed rose petals and cinnamon sticks steeping in warm tequila, you'd probably think I'd gone a little wild with my pantry again — and you'd be right. But that's exactly how it started with this herbal cordial recipe I’m about to share with you. One part curiosity, two parts nostalgia, and a whole lotta mess. (If you're into cozy, healing sips, you might also like my Chukandar Juice Recipe, Japanese Mounjaro Recipe, or this soothing Lemon Ginger Cinnamon Water Tea.)

It was after one of those long gray weeks in February — you know the kind, where even the cat looks fed up with the rain — that I remembered a conversation I had years ago with an herbalist named Amber Brisson. We were sipping on what she called her "Elixir of Love" (dramatic, I know), and it tasted like someone distilled a secret garden and poured it into a tiny glass. Damiana, cacao nibs, cinnamon chips, rose petals…all that dreamy stuff.

Now, technically speaking, what we call a herb cordial is really a kind of tincture-meets-dessert situation. Back in Renaissance Europe (yep, we’re talking frilly collars and fancy glassware), cordials were made to "revitalize the heart, body, and spirit." They were medicine, comfort, and celebration all wrapped up in one tiny sip. Kinda beautiful, right?

So I gave it a go. I chopped dried Damiana, broke up some cinnamon sticks, and tossed in cacao nibs and tulsi. Poured in silver tequila and let it all just sit. For six weeks, that jar lived in the back of my cupboard like a potion in waiting. I checked on it like a little science project, giving it a shake, whispering sweet nothings. And when I finally strained and sweetened it? Pure magic.

What I love most about this winter cordial recipe is that it's wildly forgiving. You get to be playful. Want to use honey instead of sugar? Go for it. Want to throw in a vanilla bean or crystallized ginger? Oh honey, yes. This isn’t a recipe; it's an invitation to create, connect, and probably spill a little something on your shirt.

Here are some questions folks often ask me…

What is herb cordial?
It’s kind of like a sweet herbal potion — made by soaking herbs and fruit in alcohol, then sweetening the mix. Some folks sip it as medicine, others just because it tastes dreamy.

What are the ingredients in cordials?
You start with herbs (fresh or dried), add fruit or spices if you like, soak it all in alcohol like brandy or vodka, and finish it off with sweetener. It’s real loosey-goosey, which is half the fun.

What is a healing cordial?
That’s just a cordial made with herbs that do your body good — like echinacea for the sniffles, or licorice for digestion. Still sweet, still cozy, but with a little herbal hug.

What's the difference between a cordial and a syrup?
Syrups are sweetened infusions — no booze. Cordials have alcohol in 'em, which helps preserve and extract flavors in a different way. Syrups are shelf-stable for a few weeks; cordials last way longer.

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