Delicious Recipes for Cooking with Juniper Berries

There are a variety of ways you can use juniper berries to add a vibrant kick to your holiday cooking, from dried to fresh, and game meats to baked goods.

Juniper Berry Pheasant Rub

Juniper berries make a fantastic addition to game meats, and putting it on a fresh pheasant is one of my favorite ways to use it. Dry the berries in a dehydrator with a fine enough screen to the do the job (like this one), and then mill the berries when dry (I just use a dedicated coffee grinder for herbs, because juniper coffee isn’t great).

Here’s what I like to include with my rub recipe:

Blueberry, Juniper, and Cornmeal Drop Scones

I stumbled across this recipe the other day and HAD to include it here (because helllloo, juniper sugar??). Use fresh juniper berries to make an ultra-fragrant juniper sugar dusting for these rich, homemade scones, and you won’t have a guest this holiday season who turns one down.

Flatiron Steak with Juniper White Wine Sauce

There’s something seriously magical about the combination of cream, white wine, and juniper berries. Put it over a steak, and you have a recipe that will never fail to please a crowd. This recipe calls for beef steak, but me? I think juniper and venison steaks go together beautifully, so use game meat if you have it.

Mulled Wine with Juniper Berries

Juniper berries are well known for being the key ingredient in gin, but have you ever tried them with wine? This unique drink is spiced with ingredients like fresh juniper berries, cardamom, cloves, and fresh thyme for a combination that’s as flavorful as it is festive!

Have you ever cooked with juniper berries? Share your favorite recipe in the comments below!

Editor’s Note: Before you get cooking, make sure you read Destiny’s article first on how to safely forage and use juniper berries in your meals. You can find it here.