Homemade Elderberry Syrup
This homemade elderberry syrup combines dried elderberries with fresh ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and honey for a rich berry flavor with a little warmth from the spices.
A Cold and Flu Season Staple
I like to keep dried elderberries on hand, especially during cold and flu season. I buy mine from Azure Standard and use them to make a simple homemade elderberry syrup with honey, fresh ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a delicious, rich berry flavor and is easy to make with just a handful of ingredients.
Why I Keep a Jar in the Fridge
I love keeping a jar in the refrigerator to stir into tea or add to smoothies. It is one of those simple homemade staples I enjoy having on hand during the colder months. My family takes a teaspoon or tablespoon when they feel like they are getting sick, and I add it to tea at night. I make it for cold and flu season immune support.
Homemade elderberry syrup is easy to customize with your favorite spices, and you can freeze any extra to enjoy later. Remember to cook elderberries thoroughly, keep your syrup refrigerated, and use it as a flavorful, healthful addition to your routine rather than a proven way to prevent or treat illness.
Main Ingredients & Swaps
- Dried elderberries: 3/4 cup. I buy mine from Azure Standard. Use dried elderberries, which are safe once cooked thoroughly.
- Water: 3 cups, for simmering the berries and spices.
- Cinnamon stick: 1, for warm spice flavor.
- Whole cloves: A few (6 in the recipe) for depth.
- Fresh ginger: About 2 inches, sliced. Adds a gentle warmth.
- Raw honey: 1 cup, added after the liquid cools so you keep its delicate flavor. The honey helps preserve the syrup too. Never give honey to children under 12 months.
How I Make It
- Add the dried elderberries, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and sliced ginger to a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then simmer uncovered about 45 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, pressing gently to extract the juice. Discard the solids.
- Let the liquid cool until warm but not hot. Funnel it into a quart-sized mason jar to measure how much juice you have.
- Stir in about an equal volume of honey (if you have 1 cup of juice, add about 1 cup of honey; I ended up with roughly half and half). Stir until combined.
- Transfer to an airtight bottle or a mason jar with a lid. Seal, label, and refrigerate.
How to Use Elderberry Syrup
- Stir a spoonful into warm tea.
- Add a tablespoon to a berry smoothie.
- Drizzle over yogurt or oatmeal for a fruity, honey-sweetened addition.
Storage and Safety
Keep the syrup refrigerated in a clean, sealed jar. I ended up funneling my elderberry syrup into these flip top bottles for easier pouring. For longer storage, freeze it in small portions in souper cubes.
A note on safety: Homemade elderberry syrup is not a proven way to prevent or treat infections. Raw elderberries and other parts of the elderberry plant can be toxic; cook the berries thoroughly and discard the solids. Honey should not be given to children under 12 months. Adding honey does not guarantee preservation or make homemade syrup shelf-stable, so keep it refrigerated or frozen.
Immunity Smoothie
This was really good! I made this when I felt sickness coming on and felt completely better later. Here is what I put in it:
- 1 thick slice fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon elderberry syrup
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 large handful fresh spinach
- 1/2 frozen banana
- 1 tablespoon hemp hearts
- 1 scoop CSE vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 to 1 cup water, as needed for blending
Add everything to a high-powered blender like a Vitamix and blend until smooth.
Tips for the Best Syrup
- Let the liquid cool before adding the honey so the heat does not damage the honey.
- Press the berries gently when straining to get every bit of juice.
- Adjust the spices to your taste; add more cinnamon or ginger if you like it warmer.
- Freeze extra in ice cube trays for easy portions.
Watch Me Make It
More Homemade Staples
If you enjoy simple homemade staples, here are a few more recipes to try:
- Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
- Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal
- Blueberry Lemon Spelt Muffins with Greek Yogurt
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dried elderberries
- 3 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 whole cloves
- 2 inches fresh ginger sliced
- 1 cup raw honey
Instructions
- Simmer: Add the dried elderberries, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and sliced ginger to a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes, letting the liquid reduce and the flavors develop.
- Strain: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, pressing gently to extract the juice. Discard the solids.
- Measure the liquid: Let the elderberry liquid cool until warm, but no longer hot. Funnel the juice into a quart-sized mason jar to measure it so you know how much honey to add.
- Add the honey: Stir in approximately an equal volume of honey. For example, if you have 1 cup of strained elderberry juice, add 1 cup of honey. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Bottle and refrigerate: Use a funnel to transfer the syrup to an airtight bottle, or keep it in a mason jar with a lid. Seal, label, and refrigerate.
Video
Notes
- Keep the syrup refrigerated in a clean, sealed jar. For longer storage, freeze it in small portions with souber cubes.
- A note on safety: Homemade elderberry syrup is not a proven way to prevent or treat infections. Raw elderberries and other parts of the elderberry plant can be toxic; cook the berries thoroughly and discard the solids. Honey should not be given to children under 12 months. Adding honey does not guarantee preservation or make homemade syrup shelf-stable, so keep it refrigerated or frozen.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting me and my family!
