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!
This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my mission to help as many people as possible live a happy, healthy life!
Once the syrup is cooled and has been refrigerated is there a way to add the honey?
Yes just stir it in. 🙂
On commercial bottles of elderberry they have one for adults and one for children. When you make your own do you need to adjust ingredients for a child or adult?
This is delicious! It’s hard to stop at 1T. I made it for my mom but she’s borderline Diabetic and was afraid it was too sweet. I halved the honey and is still delish! It’s called “syrup” but mine is not that thick. Am I not letting it reduce enough?
I only boiled my berries for about 20 mins outside on a cooker. Is that enough time to cook so it’s not toxic?
Thanks for the recipe- we grow elderberries and will provide your recipe with our fresh elderberries for folks at our local Farmer’s Market.
Thank you for sharing. 🙂
I’ve pinned this. I think i’ll try this out. My immune system hates it. If anyone sneezes 10 miles away I usually end up catching their cold. Haha, ugh!
How much should this yield before the honey? I have barely any.
Hello, my batch came out super sweet. Is there anything I can add to reduce that?
Does adding lemon juice help?
Yes, that did help. The next batch that I made, I added about a half of cup of honey, maybe even less and that was much better!
I usually use 2/3 of the honey the recipe calls for. That’s plenty sweet for us. It’s a great recipe otherwise.
Can you make the syrup with fresh berries?
I found this recipe using fresh elderberries: https://joybileefarm.com/elderberry-syrup-fresh-elderberries/
My favorite thing to add to elderberry syrup, is doterra on guard. It adds all the flavors of oranges, cloves and cinnamon in just a couple shakes, plus more health benefits.
That’s a great idea!
Can you leave the berry pulp in the syrup?
Absolutely delicious. I added more cinnamon sticks and cloves… Very good
How old must a child be before consuming elderberry syrup?
Small children should not consume raw honey. Consult your doctor.
They sell it without honey. I gave mine some at 6 months old and up!
Are the nutrition facts based on 1x, 2x, or 3x the recipe?
Wonderful recipe! I just wanted to ask a question. I used dried elderberries and the stench is quite unpleasant and still stuck in my house hours later. I thought that elderberries would smell like berries… this odor is foul. Is this normal? Do you think I’ve been sold a bad batch? I’m scared to drink it now.
They don’t smell great at all. The spices I simmer with helps the smell, in my opinion. You didn’t get a bad batch!
Thanks so much for your response! I searched through all the comments and no one ever mentioned the smell lol. Whew I was nervous lol!
The smell is something to get used to but with cinnamon and ginger help with masking the smell.
My husband and I take a table spoon every morning.
I think it helps with many things.. I drove from NYC to Atlanta round trip and went back to work next day without problem. And I’m 65.
How long do you let it cool before straining and then how much longer before adding honey?
Do you have to refrigerate the syrup once made?
Yes, I do.
How many ounces of syrup does this make?
I want to ship some syrup to my mother out of state, I typically make this recipe for home use and refrigerate immediately. I plan on placing a cold pack in the box, but with shipping being the way it is now (delayed) should I freeze it first and then ship? Im shipping USPS its telling me 1-3 days. Thank you
I’m sorry, but I’m just not sure! I haven’t tried shipping this so I’m not sure.
I’ve made this recipe several times over the last few months. It’s definitely my favorite. I share it with friends and everyone loves it. Thank you so much for sharing your healing knowledge!
Can you double this recipe?
Yes, I do all the time.