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    Home » Recipes » Drinks

    Orange Cordial

    Published: Jul 30, 2020 · Modified: Mar 30, 2025 by Libby Hakim · 21 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Bottle up those excess oranges and enjoy them throughout the year with this old fashioned Orange Cordial Recipe.

    Forget the supermarket stuff. It's so easy to make your own homemade orange cordial and you simply won't beat the flavours of homemade cordial.

    What you'll need

    This recipe requires 4 or 5 small oranges, caster sugar, tartaric acid and water. It produces about one litre of cordial, so adjust the recipe according to how many oranges you have and how much cordial you'd like.

    TIP: You can use citric acid instead of tartaric acid, but keep in mind that while both are used as preservers, tartaric acid has a sharper and more biting sour taste.

    TIP: If you're having trouble finding tartaric acid, in Australia you can find stockists listed on the McKenzie's website.

    You'll also need a muslin cloth to strain the cordial before bottling all that sweet orange-y goodness.

    Keep scrolling for ingredient quantities at the end of this post in the recipe card.

    How to make Orange Cordial

    Start by juicing the oranges and then add the tartaric acid to juice. Stir to combine.

    TIP: Don't discard the orange skins as you will also use the zest

    Next, add the sugar and water to a saucepan, along with the zest. Stir over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture just starts to simmer. This should take about 5 minutes. Remove mixture immediately as it starts to simmer.

    Allow this sugar mixture to cool for about 10 minutes and then pour over orange juice and leave for 15 minutes to cool.

    Strain the cordial using a muslin cloth. Pour into a sterilised bottle and place cap on bottle. Allow to cool.

    Storing and enjoying your cordial

    Your cordial should keep in the fridge for up to a few months.

    It could also be bottled for shelf storage, though you will need to rely on your own research and knowledge of bottling and preserving.

    Enjoy Orange Cordial mixed with water or soda water, using 1 part cordial to 4 or 5 parts water. You can also use it in cocktails. Cheers!

    Love homemade cordial?

    Explore more of Nana Ling's old-fashioned cordial collection:

    • Fruit Punch in a punch bowl.
      Fruit Punch
    • pomegranate cordial in bottle with drink using cordial.
      Pomegranate Cordial Recipe
    • lime cordial.
      Lime Cordial
    • elderflower cordial
      Elderflower Cordial

    Made this recipe and love it? Please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. (And it really makes my day to hear how Nana Ling's recipes are being made, shared and loved all around the world! - Libby x)

    For more fun and deliciousness in the kitchen, follow along on Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest, and subscribe for new posts via email.

    orange cordial recipe

    Orange Cordial

    Libby Hakim
    A classic orange cordial, based on an old-fashioned recipe.
    4.84 from 6 votes
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    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 5 minutes mins
    Resting time 15 minutes mins
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine Australian
    Servings 1 litre
    Calories 2103 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 300 ml fresh orange juice (4-5 small oranges, 3-4 larger oranges)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons orange zest
    • 2 teaspoons tartaric acid
    • 2 ½ cups caster sugar
    • 2 cups water

    Instructions
     

    • Add tartaric acid to juice and stir to combine.
    • Add sugar and water to a saucepan, along with the zest, and stir over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture just starts to simmer. This should take about 5 minutes. Remove mixture immediately as it starts to simmer.
    • Allow sugar mixture to cool for 10 minutes and then pour over orange juice and leave for 15 minutes.
    • Strain mixture using a muslin cloth. Pour into a sterilised bottle and place cap on bottle.
    • Allow to cool and store in the pantry for up to 12 months. Or pop it in the fridge to enjoy immediately.
    • Enjoy mixed with water or soda water, using 1 part cordial and 4 or 5 parts water.

    Notes

    Storing: Your cordial should keep in the fridge for up to a few months. It could also be bottled for shelf storage, though you will need to rely on your own research and knowledge of bottling and preserving.
    Nutrition: The nutrition information is an automatically generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.
    Substitution: You can use citric acid instead of tartaric acid, but keep in mind that while both are used as preservers, tartaric acid has a sharper and more biting sour taste, while citric acid has a refreshing and fruity sour taste.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 2103kcalCarbohydrates: 532gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 32mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 1gSugar: 524gVitamin A: 600IUVitamin C: 154mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?If you love it, let me know!

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    Comments

    1. Lucy

      August 28, 2023 at 1:01 pm

      I'm unable to find tartaric acid in stores at the moment. Can I substitute with citric acid?

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        August 28, 2023 at 1:31 pm

        Hi Lucy. Yes, citric acid is the best substitute. There's also a page which tells you where you can buy tartaric acid if you're in Australia: https://www.mckenziesfoods.com.au/product/mckenzies-tartaric-acid/ Thanks! Libby

        Reply
      • Lucy Stark

        August 30, 2023 at 6:40 pm

        @Libby Hakim, thank you!! I found it at foodland 🙂

        Reply
        • Libby Hakim

          August 30, 2023 at 7:44 pm

          Awesome!! Have fun making your cordial 🙂

    2. Jason Harrow

      July 26, 2023 at 9:13 pm

      I have a large orange tree that is dropping fruit, but the fruit isn't sweet enough to eat until September-October. I have made all the marmalade i care to and i was wondering if these windfall oranges would be suitable for your orange cordial recipe?

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        July 26, 2023 at 9:38 pm

        Absolutely! Just juice them up and follow the recipe when you're ready. The Orange and Poppy Seed Muffins recipe is also a winner.

        Reply
        • Ilks

          September 15, 2024 at 5:48 pm

          I have freshly squeezed orange juice but don't have the rinds anymore - should I adjust sugar or amend anything if making cordial and not using zest?

        • Libby Hakim

          September 15, 2024 at 9:05 pm

          Hi! No, it just won't be quite as strong in terms of flavour. The recipe will still work, though.

    3. Janelle

      February 05, 2023 at 1:02 am

      5 stars
      Brilliant! My husband loves this cordial, "better than the supermarket" he says.

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        February 05, 2023 at 4:15 pm

        Awesome, thanks for the review and rating Janelle! My husband also notices when we run out of this cordial 🙂 Happy cooking!

        Reply
    4. Bailee

      August 30, 2022 at 8:13 am

      I make this fresh all the time but have never stored it long term. Does the cap need to seal? And what else can I use instead of Tartaric acid?

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        August 30, 2022 at 2:41 pm

        Hi! If you seal the cap properly it will store better/longer. You can substitute citric acid, however I recommend Tartaric acid as included in the original recipe. It is a better preserver and will also enhance flavour more, from what I understand. I avoid making suggestions re: how long cordials will last as this depends on so many factors. I personally take a risk averse approach and try to refrigerate my cordials within a couple of months or straight away.

        Reply
    5. Maurice

      February 23, 2022 at 11:56 am

      Thanks, how long to is the shelf life for room temperature and refrigerated

      Reply
    6. Maurice

      February 14, 2022 at 11:49 am

      How do you make a larger batch of cordials and adding tartaric or citric acid measurements with it

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        February 17, 2022 at 11:17 am

        Hi Maurice. If you double the sugar, water and fruit, just double the amount of tartaric acid. Good luck!

        Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        February 17, 2022 at 11:20 am

        Hi Maurice. Simply multiply all ingredients by 2x, 3x etc. Good luck!

        Reply
    7. Jo

      November 19, 2021 at 2:48 am

      Can you make this with a sugar substitute (like stevia, xylitol, erythritol, etc.)?

      Reply
      • Libby Hakim

        November 19, 2021 at 2:47 pm

        Hi Jo - you could try this however just be aware that the original recipe contains two preservers, the sugar and the tartaric acid. I don't believe sugar substitutes are preservers so you'll just be relying on the tartaric acid.

        Reply
      • Jo

        November 20, 2021 at 1:44 am

        @Libby Hakim, thanks, I figured that it might be a problem.

        Reply
    8. Gabrielle Valodze

      June 13, 2021 at 5:32 pm

      4 stars
      Simple and tastes amazing; the taste of freshly picked orange ia lovely. Not full of nasties like the ones on the supermarket shelves.

      Reply
      • Libby

        June 13, 2021 at 8:47 pm

        Thanks for your review, Gabrielle. I always have Nana Ling's cordial in my fridge now and it's fun to experiment with different fruits. There are a few other flavours on the website. Happy cooking!

        Reply
    4.84 from 6 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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