Sea buckthorn has long been one of our favourite ingredients. Sharp, semi-sweet and with hints of tropical fruits, it has a unique and versatile flavour which lends itself really well to both sweet and savoury dishes. Here is our collection of our very favourite sea buckthorn recipes.
The rise of sea buckthorn
If you’re new to sea buckthorn, you have a treat in store! This little orange berry has been growing in popularity and is a great addition to your pantry.
As is so often the case, sea buckthorn was used in traditional medicine long before most of us became aware of it. Its numerous health benefits include contributing to glowing skin, providing an impressive amount of immunity-boosting vitamin C, and looking after your eyes and mucous membranes.
Over at Erbology Editorial we have lots of information about how to choose the right type of sea buckthorn product for your needs. If you still have questions, head over to our handy FAQs!
Now we’ve introduced you to sea buckthorn, let’s get into how we can make some delicious recipes with this brilliant natural ingredient.
Sea buckthorn and hibiscus cocktail
If you’ve ever had a Tequila Sunrise, you’ll appreciate the fabulous ‘ombré’ effect of our sea buckthorn cocktail.
Here, the bright orange colour comes from our Organic Sea Buckthorn Juice. Tart, zesty and almost tropical in taste, it makes an unusual and delicious drink which has become a favourite on cocktail menus around the UK.
We owe the lovely red shade to an ingenious idea from our recipe guru, Ana. Instead of using grenadine — the sweet, sticky syrup used in a Tequila Sunrise — Ana has created a healthier and more natural version by using cold-brew hibiscus tea.
Top with dehydrated orange and a few strips of fresh ginger for a drink that would be at home in any fancy cocktail bar.
While this recipe is officially a ‘mocktail’ — alcohol-free, so everyone can enjoy it — you can also add the tipple of your choice to turn this into an elegant party drink.
Dark chocolate mousse with sea buckthorn
There are few desserts as decadent as a rich and fluffy chocolate mousse. It’s a pud that appeals to the child in all of us; unashamedly creamy, with that oh-so-satisfying dark chocolate flavour.
That said, for most of us it’s a dessert we only allow ourselves now and again. The traditional recipe features eggs, sugar and cream, which — while delicious — are usually firmly on the ‘special treat’ list of ingredients. Not only that, but those of us following a vegan diet choose not to eat eggs or cream.
But what if we told you there was a way to make a rich dark chocolate mousse with no dairy or refined sugar?
If that sounds too good to be true, wait until we tell you about the tangy layer of clementines and sea buckthorn. Incredibly simple to make, this fruity layer sits underneath the mousse, helping to cut through some of the richness.
Blueberry tart with sea buckthorn granola crust
If there’s one thing we love at Erbology, it’s finding ways to make healthy foods fun. With our blueberry tart recipe, we’ve got creative in the kitchen and come up with this clever faux pastry crust.
Think of it rather like a cheesecake base — if a cheesecake base was made with healthy, natural ingredients like activated seeds, sprouted buckwheat and gut-friendly tigernut.
Where normal pastry rarely offers much in terms of taste, making a tart case with our granola affords us an extra opportunity to pack in flavour. The tangy flavour of sea buckthorn is the perfect foil for the creamy vegan filling, which is made with fresh blueberries, banana and cashews.
Try it as a mid-morning treat, or even as a quick grab-and-go breakfast. After all, it is essentially just a very convenient breakfast bowl with fruit and granola!
Vegan milkshake with sea buckthorn
If you have heard about sea buckthorn before, you might have come across the oil, which is for its skin-loving properties. It’s also very popular with women who are going through menopause, as there’s some evidence it can help with the symptoms.
If you’re keen to try Sea Buckthorn Oil, you can take it neat (we recommend around 20–40 drops per day) or combine it into your recipes. Unlike the juice of the berry, the oil has a milder, rather sweet and botanical flavour. It still retains the bright orange colour, however!
When using it in your recipes, make sure you choose a cold or raw recipe as the nutrients in the oil can be affected by heat. Our vegan milkshake recipe features ripe mango and banana, which accent sea buckthorn’s tropical notes perfectly.
On this page you’ll also find three more milkshake ideas to try.
Related reading
“Sea buckthorn’s numerous health benefits include contributing to glowing skin, providing an impressive amount of immunity-boosting vitamin C, and looking after your eyes and mucous membranes.”
Chocolate bark with sea buckthorn granola
We don’t believe that granola should be restricted to breakfast-time. In fact, we love to snack on our crisp and crumbly granola flakes any time of day.
Naturally, most snacks can be improved by adding chocolate, so that’s exactly what we’ve done with our dark chocolate bark.
This recipe will teach you how to make your very own raw dark chocolate, which you can then top with a variety of your favourite nibbles. Here, we’ve chosen our tangy Sea Buckthorn Granola, dried coconut flakes and a generous handful of pumpkin seeds.
Made with only natural ingredients and no refined sugar, this is a treat you can feel good about eating.
Sea buckthorn and apricot ice cream
A cross between an ice cream and a frozen smoothie, this recipe is ideal to cool you down on a hot day. Instead of cream or milk, we use banana, which famously makes an excellent ice cream all by itself.
Simply add frozen and dried fruit for extra flavour, and top with fresh berries and toasted nuts for a healthy treat.
This recipe uses our Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil, too. You won’t need too much of it to get the flavour; a few drops will suffice.
Cashew nut energy balls
When our energy ball addiction began, many long years ago, we initially started with the well-known flavours; cacao, peanut butter. But after a while you start to crave something new and exciting. Thus, the cashew nut and sea buckthorn energy ball was born.
These energy bites are much tangier than most, thanks to the raw sea buckthorn powder included in the mixture. The bites are also rolled in our Organic Sea Buckthorn Powder to finish.
The beauty of an energy ball is its versatility. You can add the nuts and fruits which most suit your mood on the day, and there’s also room for some health-boosting extras. Here, we’ve chosen hemp seeds, raisins and Maca powder.
Asparagus and sea buckthorn salad
Sea buckthorn isn’t just a great addition to sweet dishes. Try it in this delicious cous cous salad, which features asparagus spears, garden peas, radishes and sautéd mushrooms.
A quick and easy dressing comes together from the olive oil you’ll be cooking with and the lemon juice used to marinate the radishes.
Sprinkle over a few whole Dried Sea Buckthorn Berries for extra texture with a hint of sweetness.
This is the kind of dish that is quick and easy enough to throw together for a quick lunch for one. However, it’s also smart enough to serve to friends and family. If they haven’t tried sea buckthorn berries before, then these tart little nuggets will add a taste of the exotic.
Not only that, but they come bursting with healthy nutrients such as beta-carotene and omega-7, making them a worthy addition to your salad repertoire!
Tropical smoothie bowl with sea buckthorn
As we have mentioned, sea buckthorn has a surprisingly tropical flavour. We often say that it tastes a bit like a gooseberry crossed with a pineapple; the tartness of the gooseberry is there, but tempered by notes which seem to come from a much more sun-soaked climate.
Odd, for a berry which grows happily in northern climes, and as far north as Great Britain, but we’re not complaining!
It’s these tropical notes which make sea buckthorn seem so at home with fruits such as pineapple, coconut and banana. This tropical smoothie bowl really lets the tropical flavours of our Organic Sea Buckthorn Juice shine, and a special secret ingredient provides the mix with an irresistible fuchsia colour.
Top with sliced fruit and a sprinkling of seeds to pack in even more nutrients.
Naked sea buckthorn bundt cake
Top chefs around the world are always looking for the next exciting new ingredient, and some promising signs indicate that sea buckthorn might be next on the list. (You heard it here first!)
From chocolatiers making sea buckthorn filled chocolates to pastry chefs experimenting with some truly fantastic desserts, we are delighted to see this little berry get its time in the sun.
Our contribution to the wave of sea buckthorn sweets is this naked bundt cake. We make it with sea buckthorn juice and a sprinkling of dried sea buckthorn berries for texture and interest.
If you were so inclined, you could ice this cake, but we rather like the ‘naked’ style (and it eliminates the need for a sugary frosting). A slice of this is perfect with a freshly-brewed cup of coffee as you take your mid-morning break.
Sage, orange and aronia cocktail
This cocktail recipe demonstrates that magic happens when we work as a team. This sophisticated drink is made with another special berry, the aronia or ‘chokeberry’.
If you haven’t tried it before, it tastes a bit like blueberry and pomegranate.
Aronia and sea buckthorn work wonderfully together. Even though their flavour profiles are quite different, they share the characteristic sweet-tart notes familiar to all berries. As a result, Aronia’s ‘wild fruit’ flavours complement sea buckthorn’s tropical ones really well.
Orange juice provides a hint of familiarity while sage brings complexity and a mildly savoury note. This mocktail feels very grown up, and can be enjoyed as a fruity refresher with or without alcohol.
Wild fruit, sea buckthorn and chia pudding
There can be few foods in this world that fit the bill of ‘a great all-rounder’ better than the humble chia seed. It is packed with protein and fibre, and boasts healthy minerals and nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids.
While it’s relatively new on the Western health food scene, it was a favourite of the ancient Aztecs. If your reputation lasts several thousand years, we think you might be onto something.
A great way to enjoy chia seeds is in the form of a pudding. When chia seeds come into contact with liquid, they form a gel-like coating. This is because the seed is hydrophilic, meaning it attracts water, and can absorb an impressive amount of water relative to its size.
You can also soak chia seeds in plant milk, which provides a more creamy texture and flavour. Here, we’ve made not one but two different flavours of chia pudding; one with anti-inflammatory turmeric, and another with wild fruits.
Top with a decadent cashew cream and some sea buckthorn granola for a breakfast that feels like a dessert.
Making the most of your sea buckthorn recipes
As you can see, sea buckthorn is incredibly versatile. Whether it’s a salad or a smoothie bowl, this bright little berry always brings something to the table.
We have a few bits of parting advice before you embark on your culinary adventure with sea buckthorn.
Firstly, always remember to source your sea buckthorn from a reputable organic supplier.
Secondly, if you’re interested in sea buckthorn for its myriad health benefits, you will be better off sticking to recipes which are served cold.
The reason for this is that heat can cause some of the precious nutrients in the berry to break down.
However, if you’re happy to simply enjoy its tangy flavour, it’s fine to use it in baking recipes such as our naked bundt cake.
Different recipes call for slightly different forms of sea buckthorn. At Erbology we produce lots of different products from whole dried berries through to juice and raw powders. You can view them all below, or on our dedicated sea buckthorn page.
For now, though, happy creating!
