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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About to make my 3rd batch – I’m passing it out to any of my relatives who will try it! Great recipe and love I your website, recipes, and tips!
Can ground spices like ground cinnamon be used instead of the dried spices or essential oils? Thanks!
YES!
Great information!
How would I modify the recipe if I wanted to make them into throat lozenges?
How long is this good for in a tight mason jar?
It will last about 3 months in an airtight container in the fridge.
Could you run the berries thru a juicer or not ?
I don’t think they are edible. I’ve heard they can be toxic if the whole berry is consumed.
i have heard this also , but i also saw a video on another site and he ate the berries from the bush ?? confusing !
I just don’t want to give false advice here. Sorry I’m not sure!
I’ve used the left over berries (after staining) in muffins (I found a randomlemon/elderberry recipe). Consuming to many elderberries can give you loose bowels. They are rather bitter (that’s why the recipe for the syrup calls for honey)!!
It is important to emphasize that ONLY the berries of the Sambucus nigra variety are edible. Other species are poisonous, so be sure to buy from a reputable brand.
It is not recommended as they purportedly have cyanide in them. I throw the mashed skins out.
How 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!
I’m with Kerry. Any ideas how to process it safely? Also, how would you modify to use freshly picked elderberries?
About 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!😊❤️
I 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
Thank you for your feedback.
Where do I get elderberry berries
Sprouts super market have them with their bulk spices.
Karen, Amazon is a great place to get your berries! She has a link up above ☺️
How much elderberry should this recipe yield?
I have dried elderberries to sell..
Which would be better – dried or essential oils? I have both.
All worked very well. I’m adding the syrup to my homemade Kombucha for additional benefits.
Maybe 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.
1 teaspoon is what I use. It isn’t too much.
Would it be the Same cups for powder elderberries?
How many jars will this make just using 1x?
Wondering if I can process (can) this like I would blueberry syrup and store for an extended period of time in my pantry?
What do you do with the strained berries?
I throw them away.
Maybe I will throw them into a smoothie!
I would do some additional research as I’ve heard they can be toxic.
I 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.
I’m glad you hear you still like the taste without the spices. I may try that also!
Second 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!!
Yes I’d add some water. Should be okay.
What kind of raw honey do you recommend? Wildflower, comb honey, Manuka, clover, …etc?
Go for the most local honey you can get 🙂 I’ve always read that’s what’s best for your body.
Excellent recipe and very easy to make. This is so good for you
Thanks
Dennis
Central Oregon
For this nutritional facts what is the measurement
? 1 tablespoon? Thank you
Should 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…
I 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!!
How much ACV did you add?
I also would like to know how much ACV you used?
How much ACV did you use and what size was the batch you are making?
Did you refrigerate it and still have mold on it?