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
PrintHomemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe
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.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Category: natural medicine
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.
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!
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my mission to help as many people as possible live a happy, healthy life!
Danielle Goldberg says
March 26, 2020 at 11:31 amGreat information!
How would I modify the recipe if I wanted to make them into throat lozenges?
Kelsey Lonaberger says
March 22, 2020 at 1:46 pmHow long is this good for in a tight mason jar?
Maryea says
March 23, 2020 at 8:09 amIt will last about 3 months in an airtight container in the fridge.
Sue says
March 21, 2020 at 2:55 pmCould you run the berries thru a juicer or not ?
Maryea says
March 21, 2020 at 5:52 pmI don’t think they are edible. I’ve heard they can be toxic if the whole berry is consumed.
Sue says
March 22, 2020 at 9:33 ami have heard this also , but i also saw a video on another site and he ate the berries from the bush ?? confusing !
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Maryea says
March 23, 2020 at 8:10 amI just don’t want to give false advice here. Sorry I’m not sure!
Mary says
March 17, 2020 at 2:02 pmHow many ounces of syrup do you get with this recipe? I know someone who sells it, so just trying to figure out how much I’ll save making my own. Thank you!
Rod says
March 16, 2020 at 7:11 pmI’m with Kerry. Any ideas how to process it safely? Also, how would you modify to use freshly picked elderberries?
Marti says
March 16, 2020 at 2:36 amAbout How long should one Recipe of the syrup last a family of four if each one is taking a tablespoon a day as it is directed? Also how many recipes of this can be made with a pound of the dried elderberries?
Thank you so much in advance!😊❤️
ivey says
March 22, 2020 at 5:50 pmI have made 3 batches so far and the bag is not even half empty. So at least 7 to 8 batches. I got my berries off Amazon
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Maryea says
March 23, 2020 at 8:09 amThank you for your feedback.
Karen Mclean says
March 12, 2020 at 6:59 pmWhere do I get elderberry berries
Tulbee says
March 14, 2020 at 9:39 pmSprouts super market have them with their bulk spices.
Nancy says
March 16, 2020 at 11:35 pmKaren, Amazon is a great place to get your berries! She has a link up above ☺️
dane says
March 20, 2020 at 6:52 amI have dried elderberries to sell..
Tami says
March 11, 2020 at 9:32 pmWhich would be better – dried or essential oils? I have both.
Lara says
March 8, 2020 at 9:58 amAll worked very well. I’m adding the syrup to my homemade Kombucha for additional benefits.
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Sigrid says
March 5, 2020 at 1:10 pmMaybe this is a dumb question but when you say 1 tsp dried cloves. Is that 1 tsp of ground cloves? That seems like so much. I’m making. double batch and used 1.5 tsp of ground clove but I’m worried its too much.
Maryea says
March 5, 2020 at 1:19 pm1 teaspoon is what I use. It isn’t too much.
Tati says
March 14, 2020 at 3:36 pmWould it be the Same cups for powder elderberries?
Patty says
March 2, 2020 at 6:48 pmHow many jars will this make just using 1x?
Kerry Gunn says
March 2, 2020 at 5:15 pmWondering if I can process (can) this like I would blueberry syrup and store for an extended period of time in my pantry?
BGB says
February 29, 2020 at 7:56 pmWhat do you do with the strained berries?
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Maryea says
March 2, 2020 at 3:33 pmI throw them away.
Brenda Beal says
March 2, 2020 at 3:59 pmMaybe I will throw them into a smoothie!
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Maryea says
March 5, 2020 at 11:42 amI would do some additional research as I’ve heard they can be toxic.
Kelly D. says
March 22, 2020 at 10:44 amI love this recipe, I’ve used it all winter and am keeping it up through this virus outbreak, but I stopped using the spices for now, (except for the raw ginger) because it tastes too much like wintertime! And anyway, I like the flavor of the berries and honey to shine through. I know cloves and cinnamon have medicinal value, but I’d use them in other preparations. (Until winter holiday time comes around again, anyway ; )
I compost the berries at the end.
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Maryea says
March 23, 2020 at 8:10 amI’m glad you hear you still like the taste without the spices. I may try that also!
Christina says
February 29, 2020 at 12:49 pmSecond time making this! This time I think I “simmered” too high bc after pressing I only have about 3/4 c juice! Clearly too concentrated…should I just add another 3/4 cup water or is it ok? Giving it to my 2 year old so want to be safe. Thank you!!
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Maryea says
March 2, 2020 at 3:34 pmYes I’d add some water. Should be okay.
Heather says
March 2, 2020 at 11:30 pmWhat kind of raw honey do you recommend? Wildflower, comb honey, Manuka, clover, …etc?
Kelly D. says
March 22, 2020 at 10:46 amGo for the most local honey you can get 🙂 I’ve always read that’s what’s best for your body.
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Dennis Fehling says
February 26, 2020 at 1:59 amExcellent recipe and very easy to make. This is so good for you
Thanks
Dennis
Central Oregon
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Jodi says
February 23, 2020 at 4:27 pmFor this nutritional facts what is the measurement
? 1 tablespoon? Thank you
Drea says
February 22, 2020 at 2:45 pmShould you have settling from the ingredients…. like the cinnamon, ginger have settled at the bottom…should we be taking that or just the syrup part on top of that…
Jo says
February 20, 2020 at 9:49 amI made a batch, and divided it…added apple cider vinegar to one. The other had a glob of white fuzzy mold forming in approximately 4 weeks. Do you think I could salvage it by removing the mold & boiling? I’m adding ACV from now on!!
Brittany says
March 15, 2020 at 9:14 pmHow much ACV did you add?
Karen says
March 25, 2020 at 5:27 pmI also would like to know how much ACV you used?
Karen says
March 25, 2020 at 5:30 pmHow much ACV did you use and what size was the batch you are making?