Dandelion Root Bitters: Homemade Herbal Bitters Recipe (2024)

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Dandelion root bitters is an easy infusion to make at home. Bitter herbs are useful in digestion, and are perfect in an aperitif co*cktail. They increase the digestibility of food and are calming to the nervous system. Bonus – they are delicious in co*cktail form! Learn how to make herbal dandelion root bitters.

Dandelion Root Bitters: Homemade Herbal Bitters Recipe (1)

Wildcrafting Weeds

If you want to learn more about the edible and medicinal weeds that surround us and how to use them, check out my eBook: Wildcrafting Weeds: 20 Easy to Forage Edible and Medicinal Plants (that might be growing in your backyard)!

Gather & Root Online Foraging Course

My online foraging course is a great way to learn about wild edible and medicinal plants! Sign up to learn more about the gather + root online foraging course here.

Homemade Herbal Bitters

I’ve always wanted to make my own homemade bitters. If I had known that it was as simple as making an infusion I probably would have done it a long time ago!

Recently, though, I’ve been taking the Intermediate Herbal Course with the Herbal Academy, and there is a lot covered about bitter herbs.

Bitter herbs are especially important for the digestive system, and are great to have before a meal. They increase the digestibility of food and are also calming to the nervous system.

Some common bitter herbs are dandelion, artichoke, orange peel, motherwort, hyssop, burdock, rosemary, mugwort, and Oregon grape root.

The course got me thinking again about making herbal bitters, and one of the best bitter herbs out there is dandelion root.

I happen to have a lot of dried dandelion root on hand, so I thought it would be perfect to make this dandelion root bitters recipe!

Dandelion Root Bitters Recipe

Making homemade bitters is really quite easy, as it’s just a basic infusion of bitter tasting herbs in high proof alcohol.

There are two ways to go about it, one is to make several different single herb infusions and blend them to taste. The other is to combine several herbs together and infuse them that way.

For this recipe I chose to combine them just to make it easy, but do it however you prefer!

Dandelion Root Bitters: Homemade Herbal Bitters Recipe (2)

Put the dried herbs into a quart sized jar, then pour in the entire bottle of vodka.

Dandelion Root Bitters: Homemade Herbal Bitters Recipe (3)

Cover the jar and let sit to infuse for 4-6 weeks. It will turn a lovely orange color from the zest, and the dandelion root will have expanded.

Dandelion Root Bitters: Homemade Herbal Bitters Recipe (4)

Strain out the herbs with a fine mesh sieve, and your dandelion root bitters are finished!

It is best when served chilled, and will keep for a long time in the fridge.

Dandelion Root Bitters: Homemade Herbal Bitters Recipe (5)

Using Dandelion Root Bitters

Drink a small amount to dandelion root bitters before a meal to stimulate digestion, or add a bit to a fancy co*cktail for a different flavor.

To me these bitters aren’t really “bitter” at all, at least not in a bad way. There is a slight bitterness that is actually quite pleasant.

If you’re interested in herbs and their different actions, such as bitterness, I highly recommend taking one of the Herbal Academy’s courses!

I have learned a lot from them and think they awesome. They even have a mini course on Herbal Fermentation that sounds really cool!

Have you ever made homemade bitters? What herbs did you use?

More uses for Foraged Dandelion

Did you know there are over 50 ways to enjoy this amazingly versatile backyard “weed”? Among them are:

  • Dandelion Mead Recipe
  • Infused Dandelion Vinegar
  • Dandelion Pesto
  • How to Make Dandelion Tea
  • Dandelion Jelly: Low-Sugar or Honey
  • Dandelion Lotion Bar Recipe
  • How to Make Dandelion Salve
  • Dandelion Soap Made With the Whole Plant
  • Dandelion and Fennel Kombucha
  • Dandelion Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Dandelion Root Bitters: Homemade Herbal Bitters Recipe (6)

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Dandelion Root Bitters

Dandelion root bitters is an easy infusion to make at home. Bitter herbs are useful in digestion, and are perfect in an aperitif co*cktail. They increase the digestibility of food and are calming to the nervous system. Bonus – they are delicious in co*cktail form! Learn how to make herbal dandelion root bitters.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American, European

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Infusing Time 28 days days

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 17

Calories 98kcal

Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Put the dried herbs into a quart sized jar, then pour in the entire bottle of vodka.

  • Cover the jar and let sit for 4-6 weeks. It will turn a lovely orange color from the zest, and the dandelion root will have expanded.

  • Strain out the herbs with a fine mesh sieve, and your dandelion root bitters are finished!

Notes

  • Dandelion Root Bitters is best when served chilled, and will keep for a long time in the fridge.
  • Drink a small amount before a meal to stimulate digestion, or add a bit to a fancy co*cktail for a different flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 45ml | Calories: 98kcal

Dandelion Root Bitters: Homemade Herbal Bitters Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in herbal bitters? ›

Here are some aromatics typically used to make bitters: Herbs and flowers: mint, sage, lemongrass, peppermint, sorrel, lavender, chamomile, hibiscus, passionflower, yarrow, rose, milk thistle, and valerian.

How does dandelion a bitter herb stimulate digestion and bile action? ›

Dandelion root is traditionally used as a gentle digestive bitter to improve digestion, increase bile flow choleretic, and relieve nausea and vomiting and improve appetite. The bitter constituents in dandelion increase bile flow, and act as an appetite stimulant.

What are the three bitter herbs? ›

For thousands of years, our ancient ancestors foraged bitter herbs like dandelion, chamomile and milk thistle to support digestion and to treat ailments such as bloating, nausea and heartburn.

How do you get the bitterness out of dandelion greens? ›

Add Vinaigrette, Emphasis on "Vinegar"

Acidity can really bring a pleasant flavor out of bitter greens. If they're being used for a salad, it's good to add a vinaigrette with plenty of acidity to brighten it up. If you are sauteing, add some vinegar or citrus to the greens to finish them off.

What does herbal bitters do to the body? ›

Bitters can also improve acid reflux by improving the stomachs ability produce acid, the underlying cause to acid reflux and heartburn. Liver support: Herbal bitters can also help to support liver function. The liver is responsible for detoxifying the body and producing bile, which aids in digestion.

What does bitters do to your body? ›

Digestive bitters might act on bitter receptors in parts of the digestive system that make your body release gut hormones that make you feel full. ‌Helps you make more saliva. Your saliva has enzymes that help you start to break down your food. Bitters can help you make more saliva, which could help with digestion.

What does dandelion root do to hormones? ›

Dandelion Root

Not only does it metabolize this important hormone, but it also helps eliminate it, whether the estrogen is from natural sources or from artificial sources such as hormone-replacement therapy, plastics, or plants. To keep metabolism and elimination working well, we want to nourish the liver.

What does dandelion do for the gut? ›

Fresh or dried dandelion herb is also used as a mild appetite stimulant, and to improve upset stomach. The root of the dandelion plant may act as a mild laxative and has been used to improve digestion. Preliminary research suggests that dandelion may help improve liver and gallbladder function.

What happens when you take dandelion root everyday? ›

Inulin, a fiber found in dandelion root, may also support healthy bones by improving digestion and gut health ( 3 6 ). Additionally, some research suggests that the antioxidants in dandelion and other greens play a key role in bone health and protect against bone loss by decreasing oxidative stress ( 37 , 38 ).

Are bitters actually medicinal? ›

Bitters have been used since prehistoric times, and bitter infusions of medicinal plants are still widely used to treat and prevent illness in health-care systems around the world. Today, approximately seven thousand modern medicines are derived from bitter plant medicines.

What effect does bitters have on the liver? ›

“They may also provide support for liver function. Digestive bitters can help the liver's natural detoxifying activities. Bitters can relieve bloating, gas, cramping, nausea, heartburn, and other digestive discomforts.”

What botanicals are in bitters? ›

While wormwood has the reputation as the bad boy of the bitter botanical world, found in absinthe, vermouth, and amaro, probably the most popular bitter botanical used in alcoholic beverages is gentian. It's found in nearly all bitters, many vermouths, and most Amari.

What are the ingredients in liver bitters? ›

Ingredients : Organic Bitter Blend: Organic Cynara scolymus (Artichoke leaf), Organic Dandelion (root), Organic Burdock (root), Organic Angelica (root), Organic Fennel (seed), Organic Ginger (root), Organic Turmeric (root), Organic Bitter Orange (fruit) Extract, Organic Cinnamon (bark), Organic Anise (seed).

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