How To Make Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Homemade elderberry syrup is a natural home remedy that many families like to keep on hand during cold and flu season. Made with dried elderberries, honey, and warming spices, it has a rich berry flavor with a sweet, lightly tart taste for a delicious addition to your germ fighting arsenal.
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Once cold and flu season hits, I’m always a little happier knowing I have a few tricks up my sleeve for us to weather the worst of the season.
We’ve got chicken soup, pastina soup (aka Italian penicillin), and this homemade elderberry syrup.
It’s a superstar for curing what ails you thanks to all the antioxidants and vitamins packed into each drop.
Ginger, cinnamon, and sore throat soothing honey finish the syrup off.
It’s a home “medicine” that doesn’t need a spoonful of sugar to help it go down with tart, fruity flavor from the elderberries, sweetness from the honey and warmth from the cinnamon and ginger.
While traditionally people take it by the spoonful, you can also stir it into warm tea, add it to sparkling water, or drizzle a little over yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, or waffles.
Although I do like keeping a batch in the fridge during cold and flu season, remember it doesn’t replace medical care when you or a loved one is sick.
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need:
- Elderberries– Dried organic elderberries
- Water
- Ginger root– Dried organic ginger root
- Cinnamon– Dried cinnamon chips (NOT the kind in the baking aisle), or a cinnamon stick
- Honey– Raw honey
How to Make
Homemade elderberry syrup is so easy to make.
Just bring the elderberries, ginger root, cinnamon stick, and cold water to a boil in saucepan over medium heat.
Once it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes.
After 30-40 minutes, take the syrup off the heat and let it sit for an hour to deepen the infusion.
Then, strain the berries and herbs over a mesh strainer and carefully squeeze out all the liquid.
Let it keep cooling to just above room temperature and then stir in the honey.
Pour into a clean glass jar and refrigerate.
Storing
Store this in an airtight jar in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks.
If you double the honey, it will last for up to 2 months in an airtight jar in the fridge.
Tips, Tricks, and Health Considerations
- Be sure to properly cook elderberries before consuming them. Raw elderberries, including dried elderberries, are not safe to eat. They can cause nausea, vomiting, other unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects, and dizziness. Boiling them for 30-45 minutes kills the compounds that cause the adverse effects.
- Check with your healthcare provider before using elderberry products, particularly for children, during pregnancy, or if you’re taking medications.
- Do not give this to a child under age 1. Infants under the age of 1 are at risk of botulism from the honey and should not eat anything with raw honey in it.
- Give it a shake before each use.
- Label the syrup clearly before storing it.
Other Homemade Cold Remedies
Homemade elderberry syrup is a handy addition to your fridge this cold and flu season.
Make it to have on hand to beat any case of sniffles.
Looking for other homemade cold remedies?
Try these:
- Vitamin C Supplement Gummies
- Homemade Cold Medicine
- Constipation Candies
- Copycat Vick’s Vapor Shower Discs
If you’ve tried this HOMEMADE ELDERBERRY SYRUP, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
How To Make Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried organic elderberries
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 1/2 tsp dried organic ginger root
- 1 tsp cinnamon chips or 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 cup raw honey
Instructions
- Add the elderberries, ginger root, cinnamon stick, and cold water to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.½ cup dried organic elderberries, 2 cups cold water, 1 1/2 tsp dried organic ginger root, 1 tsp cinnamon chips
- Reduce heat and allow the herbs to gently simmer for 30-40 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let the mixture steep for 1 hour to deepen the infusion.
- Strain the berries and herbs. Carefully squeeze out all liquid.
- Once the liquid has cooled to just above room temperature, stir in the honey.1/2 cup raw honey
- Pour into a clean glass jar and refrigerate.
Notes
- Be sure to properly cook elderberries before consuming them. Raw elderberries, including dried elderberries, are not safe to eat. They can cause nausea, vomiting, other unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects, and dizziness. Boiling them for 30-45 minutes kills the compounds that cause the adverse effects.
- Check with your healthcare provider before using elderberry products, particularly for children, during pregnancy, or if you're taking medications.
- Do not give this to a child under age 1. Infants under the age of 1 are at risk of botulism from the honey and should not eat anything with raw honey in it.
- Give it a shake before each use.
- Label the syrup clearly before storing it.
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details. As always, all opinions are my own.
