Pineapple Cordial Recipe

Pineapple cordial is a concentrated syrup that can be used in any kind of drink, from a simple soda water mixer to a versatile cocktail ingredient. The cordial is made with fresh pineapple juice, sugar, and water, and as it cooks, it takes on a rich, caramelized flavor profile. 

The recipe for this pineapple cordial comes from Paul Calvert, bartender and co-owner of Ticonderoga Club in Atlanta. Cavlert’s cordial was published in a book authored by another lauded bartender, Jim Meehan, in his book The Bartender’s Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar with Bart Sasso and Emma Janzen. 

The term cordial often refers to a liqueur (an alcoholic ingredient made from a spirit flavored with fruits or herbs, then sweetened with sugar), but in this case, it refers to a nonalcoholic ingredient flavored with fruit and sugar. The intense pineapple notes present in this cordial lend themselves to a range of drinks; it can be combined with seltzer to make a simple pineapple soda, added to a simple highball (the flavor blends well with agave spirits like tequila or mezcal), or substituted in for simple syrup in a riff on a Daiquiri to add a bit more fruit flavor. 

Tips for making a pineapple cordial

Made with fresh pineapple juice, this cordial captures the vibrant flavors and aromas of the fruit in a concentrated syrup. As the juice cooks, it caramelizes, imparting the cordial with a gentle bitterness that balances the sweeter notes. 

Calvert recommends using a blend of superfine and raw cane sugar to add depth and complexity to this cordial, but granulated sugar may be substituted in for either. Fresh fruit is ideal for cooked cordials, as the freshness provides the full complexity of the fruit’s flavors with vibrant acidity and pronounced aromas. As the cordial is cooked, the fruit breaks down, its sugars caramelize, and its acidity mellows out.

This recipe was developed by Paul Calvert; the text was written by Lucy Simon.