Cherry blossom syrup

Name: Cherry blossom syrup
Total time: 24 h 20 min
Yield: ± 600 ml
Ingredients: 40 g fresh cherry blossoms (about 3 handfuls, fully open flowers only); 500 ml water; 500 g sugar; juice of 1 lemon

Updated on 9 October 2026

Makes: ± 600 ml
Time: 20 min + 24 hrs steeping
From: Japanese cherry

Ingredients

40 g fresh cherry blossoms (about 3 handfuls, fully open flowers only)
500 ml water
500 g sugar
juice of 1 lemon

Method

Pick fully open flowers from an unsprayed tree on a dry, sunny day. Never strip a whole branch: leave plenty of blossom for the bees.
Shake the flowers to remove insects and take off the stalks and green sepals. Rinse them very briefly and leave to drain.
Bring the water and sugar to the boil until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 5 min and leave to cool until lukewarm.
Put the flowers and lemon juice in a clean jar and pour the lukewarm syrup over. All the flowers must be submerged.
Cover and leave to steep in the fridge for 24 hrs.
Strain through a fine cloth, without squeezing, and pour the syrup into a clean bottle.

Storing: In the fridge for 1 month, or freeze it in ice cube trays: 6 months. The lemon juice keeps the pink colour. Dilute 1 part syrup with 5 parts still or sparkling water, or pour it over yoghurt or ice cream. Cherry blossom contains coumarin: enjoy it in moderation.