Classic elderflower cordial
This fragrant and delicate floral cordial offers a sophisticated taste, ideal for creating refreshing drinks or adding a unique note to cocktails and desserts.
Food & Drink
Cordials, syrups & squash
6 kinds worth knowing, 6 picks, and what to check before you buy.
Syrups and cordials make easy gifts for hosts, parents and grandparents, and for friends who like to fuss a little over breakfast, coffee or a drink with dinner. The bottles that get used are the ones that fit a habit the person already has. A daily latte maker will go through coffee syrups. A household that makes weekend pancakes will open a good maple or berry syrup. Someone who has given up pop may like flavours for sparkling water. Think about when the bottle would come out: morning, dessert or a warm afternoon on the patio. A single flavour they'll really use beats a shelf of novelty bottles. Glass bottles also look nice wrapped, so there's no need to add much.
Kind 1 of 6
Elderflower cordial for a lighter drink
Elderflower cordial is a floral, lightly sweet concentrate you mix with still or sparkling water, tonic or a splash of something stronger. It suits people who like British-style drinks, garden parties or a nice alcohol-free option to serve guests. It also works in fruit salads and simple cakes. Before buying, look at the ingredient list. Some versions are mostly sugar with little flower in them, while others taste fresher and less sweet. Check the dilution ratio so you know how many glasses a bottle makes, and look for a bottle that reseals well and fits in a fridge door.
Kind 2 of 6
Coffee syrup sets for the home barista
A coffee syrup set gives someone several flavours to try in lattes, cold brew or hot chocolate, usually vanilla, caramel and a seasonal choice or two. It's a good match for anyone with an espresso machine, a milk frother or a daily café order they'd like to make at home. Before buying, think about their taste. Classic flavours get used up, but novelty ones often sit unopened. See whether the set comes with pumps or pour spouts, since sticky caps get annoying. Check whether the syrups are made with sugar or a sugar substitute if you know their preference.
Gourmet coffee flavoring syrup set
This collection of specialty syrups allows coffee enthusiasts to customize their daily brew with unique and aromatic flavors.
Kind 3 of 6
Dessert syrups for ice cream and more
Dessert topping syrups include chocolate, salted caramel, butterscotch and fruit sauces for ice cream, cheesecake, crêpes or a plain bowl of yogurt. They suit people who bake, hosts who put out a dessert spread and families who make sundaes on movie night. Before buying, check whether the syrup is meant to be warmed or poured cold, and whether it needs to go in the fridge once opened. Squeeze bottles are easier to use than narrow glass necks. If the person bakes, a flavour that also works in batters or glazes will get used more often.
Gourmet dessert topping syrups
Elevate any sweet treat with these rich and decadent syrups, perfect for drizzling over ice cream, cakes, pastries, or fruit.
Kind 4 of 6
Fruit cordials to mix by the glass
Fruit cordial concentrates, sometimes called squash, are thick fruit bases you dilute with water to make a quick drink. Common flavours include blackcurrant, raspberry, lemon and orange. They suit families with kids, grandparents who keep a jug in the fridge and anyone who wants something more interesting than plain water. Before buying, check how much fruit is in it compared to sugar, and whether it contains added sweeteners some people avoid. The dilution ratio tells you how far a bottle goes. A pair of flavours they already enjoy is a safer choice than an unusual mix.
Refreshing fruit cordial concentrates
These vibrant fruit concentrates offer a versatile way to create refreshing drinks or add a burst of natural flavor to desserts and sauces.
Kind 5 of 6
Syrups that dress up sparkling water
These syrups add flavour to sparkling water, whether it comes from a home carbonation machine or a can. They suit people who drink a lot of fizzy water, anyone cutting back on pop and hosts who like offering mocktails. Before buying, find out whether the syrup is made for a particular machine or works with any sparkling water. Some are meant to go in before carbonating and some after. Look at the sweetness and serving size, since some are strong and a little goes a long way. Crisp flavours like lime, grapefruit or ginger usually get used up the fastest.
Sparkling water flavoring syrups
These versatile syrups enable individuals to craft custom sparkling beverages at home, offering a wide array of refreshing and natural tastes.
Kind 6 of 6
Breakfast syrups beyond the usual bottle
Specialty pancake and waffle syrups include darker grades of maple, maple mixed with fruit or spice, and berry or brown-butter syrups. They suit the family member who makes the weekend brunch, couples who like a slow Sunday and anyone who cares where their maple syrup comes from. Before buying, read the label to see whether it's pure maple or a flavoured table syrup, since that matters to many Canadians. Check whether it needs the fridge once opened. Pairing one special syrup with a pancake mix or waffle-friendly jam makes an easy, complete gift.
Specialty pancake and waffle syrups
Delight breakfast lovers with these unique syrups, designed to add an extra layer of gourmet flavor to pancakes, waffles, and French toast.
How to choose cordials, syrups & squash as a gift
- Match the syrup to a habit they already have, like morning coffee, weekend pancakes or a fridge full of sparkling water.
- Read the ingredient list to see whether it's real fruit, pure maple or mostly sugar and flavouring.
- Pick one or two flavours they'll use up over picking a big sampler of unusual flavours that will sit on the shelf.
- Check whether it needs to go in the fridge once opened, especially for hosts and grandparents with full fridges.
- Bottles with pumps, pour spouts or squeeze tops get used more often than hard-to-pour glass necks.
Usually safe to skip
- Novelty flavour sets full of odd pairings usually get tried once, then pushed to the back of the pantry.
- Syrups made for a carbonation machine the person doesn't own, since they may not mix well by hand.
- Large sets of coffee syrups for someone who takes their coffee black and likes it that way.
Questions people ask about cordials, syrups & squash
- What is the difference between a cordial and a syrup?
- A cordial, or squash, is a fruit or flower concentrate you mix with water to make a drink. A syrup is usually thicker and sweeter. People use syrups to flavour coffee, top desserts or pour over pancakes rather than as a drink base.
- Do cordials and syrups need to be refrigerated after opening?
- Many do, especially ones with real fruit and fewer preservatives. Others can stay in the pantry. Check the label on the bottle before you give it, and tell the person if it needs to go in the fridge.
- Is a syrup a good hostess gift for Christmas?
- Yes, it's a good choice for a host. It keeps well, doesn't need to be opened that night and looks nice in a glass bottle. Elderflower cordial or a maple syrup the host can serve at a holiday brunch both work well.
Looking for one person in particular? Shop by person.
Everything else
All cordials, syrups & squash picks
Showing 1–6 of 6