{"id":65252,"date":"2026-07-01T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thegreenlist.nl\/?p=65252"},"modified":"2026-04-09T13:00:48","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T11:00:48","slug":"wild-food-recipe-for-making-sea-buckthorn-syrup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thegreenlist.nl\/en\/wildplukrecept-duindoornsiroop-maken\/","title":{"rendered":"Wild foraging recipe: making sea buckthorn syrup!"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

As soon as the sea buckthorn bushes are laden with bright orange berries at the end of summer, it's time to head outside for one of the season's most delicious wild-picked treats. Sea buckthorn doesn't just grow in the dunes, but also pops up in pick-your-own farms and edible gardens all over the Netherlands. And those berries? They're fresh, tart, and mega flavourful, perfect for making into a syrup: lovely in yoghurt, with sparkling water, or as an autumnal kick in your tea. Wild-picking expert Katja Wezel from wilderlust.nl<\/em> Show us how you make it!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Recognising sea buckthorn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sea buckthorn grows abundantly along the Dutch coast and feels most at home in open, sunny spots in the dunes, on nutrient-rich, calcareous soil. You can recognise the shrub by its thorny branches, grey-green leaves with a silvery underside, and of course, those bright orange berries that are almost stuck to the branches. The taste? Freshly sour with a bitter note. A real wow moment when you taste one, but precisely because of this, it's perfect for making into syrup, jam, or jelly. And fun to know: sea buckthorn is dioecious, which means there are male and female shrubs. The males ensure pollination in the spring, and the females are the ones that produce those delicious bright orange berries at the end of summer, just like humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sea buckthorn picking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are you going to pick sea buckthorn yourself? Make it easier for yourself and look for branches that are really bursting with berries, because processing sea buckthorn is a job in itself. Cut off pieces of about 20 to 30 centimetres with secateurs and put those branches in the freezer for a few days. Then you can get the frozen berries off much more easily: with your hands, or even faster by tapping them off the branches with a spoon. Some people even hit the frozen branches into a bin or (if you have space at home) into the bathtub, so that the berries come loose. And yes: watch out for the thorns. A pair of gardening gloves is by no means a luxury here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n

Sea buckthorn = superfood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sea buckthorn berries are known as a real vitamin C bomb: they even contain significantly more vitamin C than oranges. In addition, they are also packed with other beneficial substances for your body, such as vitamins A, B, E, F, and K, as well as minerals like calcium and magnesium. Also noteworthy: sea buckthorn contains various fatty acids, including omega-7 and omega 3, 6, and 9, which are mainly found in the seeds of the berry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/div>
\n
\"Sea<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Sea buckthorn syrup making<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n\n
<\/div>\n
Picking sea buckthorn and then making your own sea buckthorn syrup is one of the tastiest ways to use sea buckthorn berries. This fresh, slightly tart syrup is perfect if you're looking for a wild food recipe for late summer and autumn. You can use sea buckthorn syrup with desserts, in yogurt, as a topping for a cake, in sparkling water, or even with a cheese board. Keep a small bottle in your fridge and you'll have a sunny flavour enhancer all winter long!<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n