Use this homemade Elderberry Syrup recipe to keep your family healthy all year round!
I started using elderberry syrup when my daughter Meghan was a toddler. Elderberries are rich with health benefits, including:
Health Benefits of Elderberries
- Boost the immune system
- Fight and protect against bacterial infections
- Fight and protect against viral infections
- Reduce the symptoms and duration of a cold or the flu
- helps clear sinus infections
- has natural diuretic effects and promotes bowel movements
- anti-inflammatory properties
- anti-carcinogenic properties
- eases symptoms of allergies
- high in antioxidants
- high in vitamin A, which makes it great for healthy skin
Clearly elderberry is a powerful plant! Through the years I’ve tried to be consistent in having our whole family take elderberry syrup, especially during the cold and flu season. The problem? Elderberry syrup is expensive!
I would much rather buy a product than have to make it. I’m a busy mama and adding one more thing to my plate can cause me to drop and break the whole plate. Nobody wants to see that.
However. When I discover I can make something for significantly cheaper at home and it’s really not that difficult, I make room on my plate. I might have to take something else off the plate, but I make room.
This homemade elderberry syrup recipe is really easy and worth the effort for the money saved. One of my lovely readers actually first shared the recipe she uses for homemade elderberry syrup with me last year when I was lamenting about the cost of buying the syrup.
Can I take a minute to tell you how much I love this community of readers? You guys are awesome and I love that we can help each other!
I use the basics of that recipe, but changed it slightly. I use dried cinnamon rather than a cinnamon stick and instead of using dried ginger and whole cloves, I use ginger and clove essential oils. I note in the recipe below that you can use either.
How to Make a Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe
The first step will be to get yourself some dried elderberries, which I get on Amazon. (affiliate link) Oh, how I love my Amazon Prime membership. 2 days later and you’ll be ready to make some immune-boosting syrup!
The whole process is easy and can be done while doing other household chores. You start by simmering some dried elderberries with water and spices for about 45 minutes. That’s when you can be doing other things. No need to hover over the pot here.
Once the liquid is reduced by half, you drain the liquid. I use a fine mesh strainer which makes it super easy. (Mine are very similar to these and I use them for everything!)
Make sure you squeeze all the liquid out of the berries so you aren’t wasting any. The back of a wooden spoon should do the trick.
Make sure the liquid is cooled, and then you can add your raw honey. Raw honey sweetens the syrup so kids will take it easily, but also has its own medicinal benefits. Win-win!
Then you store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it will last for about two months. For adults, take 1 tablespoon daily and for children, 1 teaspoon daily. If you or your children are experiencing sickness or feel something coming on, that dose should be repeated four times daily.
Here’s a video to show you how easy it is to make homemade elderberry syrup at home!
Here’s to a healthy cold and flu season!
Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe
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Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe
- Total Time: 50 mins
Description
This homemade elderberry syrup can be made in less than an hour and will keep your family healthy all year long. It’s the best natural immune booster you can use.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup dried elderberries
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon dried cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon dried cloves or 4 whole cloves or 1 drop clove essential oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon dried ginger or 1 drop ginger essential oil
- 1 cup raw honey
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring the elderberries, water, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 40-45 minutes.
- Allow the liquid to cool, and then drain the liquid using a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth.
- Press all liquid out of the berries using the back of a wooden spoon.
- Add the raw honey and mix well.
- Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to two months.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: natural medicine
Nutrition
- Calories: 1113
- Sugar: 278g
- Sodium: 21mg
- Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 299g
- Protein: 2g
Take along with this Vitamin C Smoothie for extra immune-boosting power!
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A friend of mine gave me her elderberry syrup recipe but didn’t say how much water to use. After seeing your recipe here, I see it’s very similar with the exception of a few additional herbs to aid with allergies. The honey, elderberries, ginger and cinnamon are the same ratios though. I took a guess and added 8 cups of water and let it simmer down to 4. Will this still be an effective finished product? I wish I would’ve seen your recipe first!
You can also take the pulp and freeze it in ice cube trays and then wrap each one in plastic and place in freezer bag. Then you make tea with that, making sure to strain it before drinking.
Wow! This is exactly what I needed today. The way you’ve presented this is simply brilliant – clear, engaging, and full of value. Well done!
What can you do with the squeezed out dried elderberries after they’ve been cooked?
I discard them. I’m not sure what use they will have after being used for this recipe.
Can I use this recipe but cook in instant pot? If so, can someone give me directions/instructions???
Hello.
It appears that you can – do a quick search online to see what others suggest. The typical simmer time references the time it takes to reduce the initial liquid by about half. So you will need to look into how much faster your instant pot can produce the same. Likely you’re looking at 20 – 25 minutes of cook time instead of my 40 – 45 minutes on a gas range. As usual, do not add honey until the elderberry has been strained and has been cooled to warm to the touch.
Can you use agave or malt extract instead of honey as my son has an allergy to honey. Will it still have the same health benefits if substituted? Many thanks
The elderberry will have the same health benefits, but you’ll be missing any health benefits from the honey. I would use the smallest amount possible of another sweetener. Add a small amount and taste until it is sweet enough to be liked by your son.
I added the honey in the first step. Did I mess up? Can I add more after it cooks down?
Hello,
Unfortunately you indeed messed up. Everything is or can be affected by heat and the properties of honey are, like raw juice or raw milk when pasteurized, completely voided. Honey can ONLY be added once the reduced elderberry liquid is warm to the touch. I simmer the elderberry for at least 45 minutes to reduce the water content further than what others say to do. Organic elderberries ONLY. Also look into organic apricot pits on a separate note.
I used fresh and dried (in the bush) elderberries – I have a huge elderberry bush in my back 40. My syrup ended up more deep purple than blue. I think he last time I made it this happened too. Hopefully it will be okay; I made a double batch and it’s all cooling now.
Followed exactly as written. Too thin, too much honey. Maybe sitting in fridge might thicken it . Next time I’m halving the honey and water.
It’s not supposed to be super thick.
can fresh elderberries be used
More honey needed if u want it to last a long time in the refrigerator. I keep mine for up to a year. I actually do half decoction and half raw honey.
It reduces less quickly, but does reduce some. I found that when I kept the top off, it reduced too much. https://dangky4gmobi.net
How does it reduce with a cover on?
It reduces less quickly, but does reduce some. I found that when I kept the top off, it reduced too much.
How much syrup does this make at the end with the honey included?
It makes approximately 2 cups of syrup.
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I have been following this recipe but every single batch comes out with too high of a pH. I have to modify it a LOT to get it to where it’s supposed to be, to the point it affects the taste so much.
Why would you test the ph? I just made this and mine tastes very strong. I’m curious what the ph means? Though I don’t have any strips.