Homemade Elderberry Syrup
This homemade elderberry syrup combines dried elderberries with fresh ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and honey. It has a rich berry flavor with a little warmth from the spices, and it's delicious stirred into tea or blended into smoothies.
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.
