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Home » Natural Living » Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Last updated on August 21, 2020. Originally posted on August 30, 2018 By Maryea / 337 Comments

Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe

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Use this homemade Elderberry Syrup recipe to keep your family healthy all year round!
Homemade elderberry syrup recipe

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!)

Homemade elderberry syrup recipe

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.

Homemade elderberry syrup recipe

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!

Homemade elderberry syrup recipe

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 

Print

Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Homemade elderberry syrup recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 62 reviews

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.

  • Author: Happy Healthy Mama
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 50 mins
  • Category: natural medicine

Ingredients

Scale
  • 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

  1. In a large pot, bring the elderberries, water, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger to a boil.
  2. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, about 40-45 minutes.
  3. Allow the liquid to cool, and then drain the liquid using a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth.
  4. Press all liquid out of the berries using the back of a wooden spoon.
  5. Add the raw honey and mix well.
  6. 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

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @https://www.instagram.com/happyhealthymama/ on Instagram and hashtag it #happyhealthymama

Take along with this Vitamin C Smoothie for extra immune-boosting power!

This homemade elderberry syrup recipe is natural medicine for your whole family! It is a natural immune system booster and fights the cold and flu! Stay healthy this season with this DIY elderberry syrup. Much cheaper than buying it in the store

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my mission to help as many people as possible live a happy, healthy life!

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Filed Under: Natural Living

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melissa Garibay says

    March 19, 2021 at 1:21 pm

    I have another question. What are some uses for the berries after draining then? I’d hate to throw them away.

    Reply
    • Faith Phillips says

      April 3, 2021 at 3:55 pm

      Compost!

      Reply
  2. Chris Wilharm says

    March 16, 2021 at 3:41 pm

    I have dried organic elderberries. Instead of pressing the extra liquid out of the berries, can I put this in my Vita-mix and consume the berries? If they are healthy for you, would that make it healthier plus add fiber?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • MOMGB says

      March 16, 2021 at 5:19 pm

      No! The berries themselves are toxic

      Reply
      • Melissa Garibay says

        March 18, 2021 at 10:58 am

        If they’re toxic, how is there elderberry jam? Don’t they use the berries for it? I’m not being facetious, I’m honestly curious as I’m looking into elderberries for the first time.

      • Chithra Baylis says

        March 18, 2021 at 11:07 am

        from: https://www.wildedible.com/wild-food-guide/elderberry

        “Can you eat raw elderberries? Cooked ripe elderberries are perfectly edible. Unripe elderberries are poisonous. Raw berries can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, among other symptoms, so be sure to cook them before eating. Cooking the berries also improves their flavor.”

        Hope that helps Melissa Garibay!

      • Melissa Garibay says

        March 19, 2021 at 11:10 am

        It does, thank you!

  3. Sigrid says

    March 3, 2021 at 8:58 pm

    Hi, I made this recipe but didnt have honey. I used stevia drops instead to make it palatable fornmy kids. But then realized that the 1tsp dose might need to be different as the honey volume isn’t accounted for. Could anyone tell me if I need to do half of a dose for children and adults if I didnt use honey? Thank you

    Reply
    • Maryea says

      March 8, 2021 at 9:53 am

      The same dosage should be fine.

      Reply
  4. Amanda says

    March 3, 2021 at 12:17 pm

    Does anyone press the juice out of the berries, and discard unheated seeds?

    Reply
  5. Jay says

    February 2, 2021 at 10:24 pm

    I’m trying to make a large batch, 16oz-32oz.

    How much of each item would I need to make this larger batch?

    For reference, I have
    1lb of dried organic elderberries
    1lb of organic whole cloves
    6 organic cinnamon sticks

    Reply
  6. Chithra Baylis says

    January 11, 2021 at 12:06 pm

    This recipe is super easy. So much cheaper than buying the bottle at CVS and without all the added junk. I’ve been making it for my family and my mom and sister as well. I make a double batch at a time and instead of using 2 cups of honey, I find I only need a 3/4 cup max. I take a tablespoon in hot water (not boiling) in the morning before breakfast.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Angelica says

    January 6, 2021 at 8:46 pm

    Hi! I want to make some elderberry syrup and ship it to family in another state. Will I be able to ship it once its mixed with the honey or should I ship it separately from the honey. I read somewhere that diluted honey ferments. Please let me know! Thanks

    Reply
  8. Lance says

    January 4, 2021 at 10:55 am

    There are some berries next door that our toddler picks, and I’m thinking they might be elderberries! I’ll investigate further. After reading all the benefits of elderberries, it makes me want to try this! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Nita says

      January 30, 2021 at 11:01 pm

      Elderberries are great for so many things! Just know that if they are fresh, they can be toxic… the leaves, buds and bark. Cooked is fine and dried is fine. I hope they ARE elderberries, you’d be super lucky to have such a treasure!!

      Reply
  9. Lauren says

    December 14, 2020 at 11:22 pm

    Would ground dry ginger and ground dry cloves work? Would the measurements be the same?

    Reply
    • Jenn P says

      December 15, 2020 at 12:00 am

      I used ground ginger with mine. From a Google search, it would be 3/4 ground per 1TB dried. I’m not sure about the cloves. I would assume ground should be fine as well. You might want to look that up.

      Reply
  10. Donna says

    December 14, 2020 at 11:06 am

    Thank you for printing a recipe with options/substitutions. While I frequently have cinnamon sticks and ginger around the house that’s not always the case. I love this and it’s great added to tea.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  11. Jason says

    November 30, 2020 at 8:48 pm

    I have been making this for few years now and I love trying different reciepies and add ins they are all good ! Thanks you so much!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  12. Crystal Allen says

    November 23, 2020 at 6:55 am

    Hi! What is the yield for this recipe? I’m going to order jars to give these as gifts.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Aimee says

      November 23, 2020 at 9:21 am

      The liquid reduces by about half so this recipe will yield 1.5-2 cups.

      Reply
    • MaryBeth says

      December 5, 2020 at 12:43 pm

      Looks super easy! Ive been sick a couple times when nothing else would ease my cough except elderberries.
      So today I bought frozen elderberries at an Amish market. Im wondering how the recipe would convert to using these frozen ones instead of dried?

      Reply
    • Elaine says

      December 5, 2020 at 8:41 pm

      You could order Jelly/Jam Jars if you are giving more than a few as gifts. I think I made a double batch and I got 4.5pts. I also reduced the the amount of honey quite a bit because I didn’t feel like I needed so much. (Note: Soak your elderberries for a while [about an hour] before cooking them. Good luck!

      Reply
  13. Sade Russell says

    November 14, 2020 at 10:24 am

    Do you know if this is safe to take while pregnant? I’ve been taking this syrup all year and I recently found out that I’m pregnant so I want to know if it is safe to continue taking.

    Reply
    • Maryea says

      November 18, 2020 at 8:30 am

      I always say make sure to check with your pediatrician and I’m not comfortable giving out medical advice. 🙂

      Reply
    • Kee says

      November 25, 2020 at 9:29 pm

      No it’s not safe. You should not consume elderberries while pregnant or lactating

      Reply
    • elaine says

      December 5, 2020 at 8:44 pm

      If you haven’t been taking it regularly, then don’t start. You can naturally boost your immune system by eating a healthy diet high in fruits, vegetables and protein, and low in sugar and other refined carbs.

      Reply
    • Stephanie says

      December 10, 2020 at 1:21 pm

      My OB Dr. told me I could take it once I got to my third trimester, but I would definitely talk with yours before taking any.

      Reply
    • Stephanie says

      December 17, 2020 at 9:38 am

      I took elderberry syrup my entire pregnancy and my dr was happy about it. Totally safe and I took it while breast feeding as well.

      Reply
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