15 Flower Based Drinks Recipes You’ll Want To Sip All Day

Now is the perfect time to try these delicious flower based drinks!

By Lora O’Brien

Flowers brighten our gardens, decorate our homes, and signal the arrival of warmer weather. But did you know they can also transform your beverages? From floral cocktails and herbal infusions to refreshing mocktails and flower-infused lemonades, flower based drinks have been enjoyed for centuries across many cultures.

In fact, edible flowers have been used in food and beverages since ancient times. Historical records show that civilizations such as Ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt regularly incorporated flowers into their diets. References to edible flowers date back as far as 140 B.C., making them one of the world’s oldest natural flavourings.

One of the most popular ways to enjoy flowers has always been through brewing and infusing. Hibiscus tea, rose water, and jasmine infusions remain beloved flower based drinks today thanks to their delicate aromas, health benefits, and unique flavours.

But edible flowers can do far more than flavour tea. They can elevate cocktails, mocktails, lemonades, tonics, sparkling drinks, and even smoothies. Whether you’re hosting a garden party, celebrating spring, or simply looking for creative drink recipes, these flower based drinks will add elegance, colour, and flavour to any occasion.

Before you start picking blooms from your garden, it’s important to know which flowers are safe to consume.

Which Flowers Are Edible?

Not all flowers are safe to eat or drink. However, many edible flowers offer beautiful colours, unique flavours, and natural aromas that make them perfect for flower based drinks and cocktails.

Some of the most popular edible flowers for drinks include:

Rose
Squash blossom
Lavender
Chamomile
Viola
Pansy
Marigold
Violet
Nasturtium
Cherry blossom
Honeysuckle
Hibiscus
Lilac

Best Flowers For Drinks

While many flowers are visually stunning, their flavours vary considerably. Here are some of the best edible flowers for creating delicious flower based drinks:

Elderflower

This is one of the most searched floral drink ingredients and no wonder! It’s easy to forage and there are plenty of recipes you can add them to.

Rose

Rose petals add a delicate sweetness and classic floral aroma. They pair particularly well with gin, vodka, sparkling water, and lemonade.

Pansy

Pansies offer a fresh, mildly sweet flavour with subtle grassy and floral notes.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus provides a vibrant tartness often compared to cranberry or pomegranate, making it ideal for teas, cocktails, and refreshing summer drinks.

Honeysuckle

True to its name, honeysuckle delivers a naturally sweet, nectar-like flavour that works beautifully in syrups and floral beverages.

Lavender

Lavender contributes a fragrant floral taste with hints of mint and earthiness. It’s especially popular in lemonades, lattes, and botanical cocktails.

Nasturtium

Nasturtium flowers have a peppery, slightly spicy flavour that adds complexity to savoury cocktails and creative mocktails.

Lilac

Lilacs offer delicate floral notes with a touch of bitterness, making them ideal for syrups, cordials, and sparkling flower based drinks.

Ready to get inspired by some flower based drinks recipes? Read on!

15 Beautiful Flower Based Beverages To Try

1. Dandelion Root Latte

Let’s kick things off with a warming latte. This is a great recipe to upgrade your daily coffee with some superfood! The dandelion root is known for its incredible detoxing abilities, and turmeric and ginger provide anti-inflammatory benefits.

2. Refreshing Hibiscus Mint Tea

If you’re looking for something refreshing and non-alcoholic to make this summer, this hibiscus tea might become your go-to drinks order! With just 3 ingredients, it’s one of the easiest flower based drinks to make. Delicious as a hot tea, or served over ice.

3. Lavender Lemon Drop Martini

This Lavender Lemon Drop Martini is super easy to make and only requires 4 ingredients! The lemon and lavender work so well together, you’ll get both sour and floral flavours. Yum!

4. Lilac Cordial

This fermented flower water may just be the beverage to keep your cool and hydrated this summer. It’s fragrant, tangy and fizzy and the lilac cordial is a really enjoyable way to infuse florals into your drink.

5. Coconut Butterfly Pea Flower Boba Tea

Butterfly pea powder is super popular across social media, mainly because of the gorgeous bright hue it produces. Another trend is putting it into flower based drinks, like this boba tea. This recipe has a gorgeous coconut flavour while the butterfly pea makes it Instagram-worthy!

6. Pansy Gimlet

Looking for one of the fanciest flower based drinks? Whether you add alcohol or turn this into a mocktail, one sip of this delightfully cheerful drink will be sure to make anyone smile. It’s a little sweet, a little floral and a little bit tangy, too.

7. Strawberry Chamomile Paloma

Sure, traditionally a Paloma is made with a tequila base. But we’re infusing it with a little chamomile honey tea. It’s the perfect blend of fresh and light flavours. Swap out the honey for agave syrup to keep it vegan-friendly of course!

8. Honeysuckle Garden Green Juice

Want some truly refreshing flower based drinks? This green juice is perfect! But forget just veggies – this drink has a wonderful honeysuckle syrup, and even a little splash of gin! Garnish with extra honeysuckle, just because it’s pretty.

9. Lavender Lemonade

Lemonade is such a staple summer drink, but why not give it a floral upgrade this summer? This delicious lavender lemonade is refreshing with water, lemon juice, fresh lavender and a simple syrup. It’s the best way to beat the heat!

10. Rose and Hibiscus Iced Green Tea

Got friends over? Want to make flower based drinks that will impress? This gorgeous iced tea infuses green tea with rose and hibiscus into this cooling iced drink that you’ll wish you could sip all summer long.

11. Rose Lemon Spritzer

This recipe combines rose water to make a floral drink that is super satisfying. Mixed with fresh lemon juice, honey (or agave to keep it vegan), vodka and blood orange, it’s mixed with ice and then garnished with more roses.

12. Elderflower Cordial

This is the basis for many a cocktail and mocktail recipe! If you have access to fresh elderflowers, making this is a piece of cake. Once you’ve made your syrup, just throw in some sparkling water and lime, and you have a refreshing drink for whenever you need it.

13. Floral Sangria

If you want a summer recipe to really wow your guests, this floral sangria will do the trick! This recipe is made with white wine and elderflower liqueur and is refreshing, light and fruity with the most beautiful floral notes. One of the prettiest flower based drinks for sure!

14. Frozen Lavender Daisy

Immerse yourself in the essence of spring with the Frozen Lavender Daisy, a refreshing and innovative twist on a classic daisy cocktail. Featuring a harmonious blend of vodka and floral undertones, this cocktail is a delightful escape into a blooming lavender field.

15. Fizzy Nasturtium Tangerine

This nasturtium tangerine spritz is the perfect beverage to refresh the body this summer. With minimal ingredients, it’s full of fresh flavours such as spearmint leaves, tangerine juice and nasturtium flowers.

FAQs About Flower Based Drinks

What are flower based drinks?

Flower based drinks are beverages made with edible flowers, flower petals, floral syrups, or flower infusions. Popular examples include hibiscus tea, rose lemonade, lavender cocktails, chamomile tea, and elderflower spritzes.

Which flowers are safe to use in drinks?

Some of the most popular edible flowers for drinks include rose, lavender, hibiscus, chamomile, pansy, violet, nasturtium, honeysuckle, and cherry blossom. Always ensure flowers are organically grown and free from pesticides before consuming them.

What is the best flower for cocktails?

Rose, lavender, hibiscus, and elderflower are among the best flowers for cocktails. They add fragrance, colour, and unique flavour profiles that pair well with spirits such as gin, vodka, and sparkling wine.

Can I use flowers from my garden in drinks?

Only if you are certain they are edible and have not been treated with pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilisers. Many ornamental flowers are toxic, so always verify a flower’s safety before using it in food or drinks.

What do edible flowers taste like?

The flavour depends on the flower. Roses are sweet and fragrant, hibiscus is tart and fruity, lavender is aromatic and slightly herbal, while nasturtiums have a peppery taste.

Are flower based drinks healthy?

Many flower based drinks contain antioxidants and plant compounds that may support overall wellness. Herbal flower infusions such as hibiscus, chamomile, and lavender are particularly popular for their potential health benefits.

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Lora O'Brien

After graduating in Journalism from the University of Greenwich, Lora worked for Sugar and Healing Lifestyles magazines in London before being hired to write about food for Eluxe. She’s recently become a new mom to baby Lulla, and is writing a blog about the experience. See more about Lora here.