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Fill your home herbal medicine cabinet with homemade elderberry syrup for a cold busting remedy that also tastes good.
There’s nothing fancy or fussy about this elderberry syrup recipe, it’s simple and straight-forward in both ingredients and method.
Benefits of Elderberry
Volumes have been written about elderberry and their success at reducing the length and severity of colds and flu. There are, I’m sure, a multitude of ways to make elderberry syrup. I use a combination of methods and recipes I’ve learned over the years as well as my own little take on it.
This is more of method than an actual recipe so that you can adapt it to the amount of elderberries blessing your herbal kitchen. Here’s how to go about making medicinal elderberry syrup for your medicine cabinet:
How to Make Elderberry Juice
In order to make elderberry syrup, one first has to make elderberry juice. You have two options to do this with fresh or even frozen elderberries.
Boiling Berries
Put elderberries in a pot with half their volume of water. So 4 cups of berries, add 2 cups of water as an example.
Simmer and stir occasionally for about 2 hours or until reduced by about half. Strain the berries and squeeze out the juice using cheesecloth or a jelly bag. If you have a large quantity of berries, consider getting a brew bag that home winemakers use to juice fruit.
Unlike making jelly, you want to squeeze the berries and get out as much of the juice as possible rather than letting drain on its own.
Steam Juicer
If you have a steam juicer, use that to juice your berries and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to get the most juice possible.
Long Term Storage
After the elderberry syrup has been made. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
For longer storage, consider making it into ice cubes. Freeze the ice cubes until solid. Pop out of the trays and store the syrup cubes in airtight containers.
Thaw a cube at a time in the refrigerator to use as needed.
Process small jars in a boiling water bath canner. Consider using the 4-ounces jars so you only have to open a small container at a time. Process for 10 minutes, adjusting for elevation. Store any opened jars in the refrigerator.
How to Use Medicinal Elderberry Syrup
The most standard elderberry dosage is 1 teaspoon every hour the minute you feel a cold or flu coming on.
Make homemade elderberry gummies with the syrup, hot water, and gelatin.
Can you take elderberry syrup daily to prevent colds & flus?
There is no evidence stating that taking elderberry syrup everyday will prevent colds. It may not hurt – but it isn’t likely to help either. Take elderberry syrup as a way to boost immunity and shorten colds rather than prevent them.
This concoction has worked wonders for me over the years and while I’m not a doctor and can’t treat whatever ails you, next time you have a cold or flu you might just want to give this a try.
Elderberry Resources
Some great elderberry (and general herbal medicine) resources – most of which I used as source info for this article and my own elderberry / herbal education:
- Backyard Medicine by Julie Bruton-Seal & Matthew Seal
- Exploring Elderberry
- The Essential Herbal for Natural Health by Holly Bellebuono
- Don’t have access to fresh elderberries? Check out this recipe using dried elderberries.
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Use this elderberry syrup recipe to help fight off the common cold and flu naturally.
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Elderberry Juice
- 1/3 Cup Honey
- 1 Inch Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Whole Clove
- 2 slices of Lemon
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger, chopped
Instructions
- Combine everything into a saucepan.
- Simmer the mixture over low heat for approximately 20 minutes.
- Strain the spices and lemon out of the syrup.
- Pour the syrup into a clean bottle and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Alternatively, can the the syrup in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (adjusting for elevation).
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
192 teaspoonsServing Size:
1 teaspoonAmount Per Serving: Calories: 5Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 0g
We try our best but cannot guarantee that nutrition information is 100% accurate.
Great, great, post! Thx for sharing on Homestead Barn Hop. I love elderberries, and they grow in abundance in easy to harvest places here (along roads). For those who are not familiar with the plant, I wrote an extensive post on how to identify it, and another on making elderberry ice cream. I hope you don’t mind my leaving the link to my elderberry identification post. At the end of that post, I link to my ice cream recipe, if anyone is interested. Here’s the id post: http://ouroneacrefarm.com/foraging-for-elderberries/
Janet, thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your link!
Mine are just now forming. Have maybe 6 full clusters. Would that be enough?
It will be a small batch but I’d definitely go for it.
Oh Yum… thank you for the ice cream recipe! I just got my order of Elderberries in today … just in time. Making elderberry syrup and now I’ll add ice cream to my list.
You don’t mention what amount of Elderberries to use? Is there a certain amount for the syrup to be useful?
The idea is to measure the juice of the elderberries before adding the rest. So basically use whatever you have and measure out the juice. Some elderberries are going to be more juicy than others depending on the growing season, etc.
I make freezer jelly every year and I have 3 1 gallon bags left that I have frozen, can I use frozen berries to make this syrup what Is the ratio of berries and water as I don’t want to mess this up please and thanx
I don’t see why you can’t use frozen berries, I would put the frozen berries into a pot and let them thaw a bit and let the water juice out. If necessary, add a bit more water so that the berries don’t scorch (and that the water is about 1/2 the volume of the berries) and follow the rest of the procedure.
@Kathie Lapcevic, After picking a “branch” of berries I freeze the whole thing. It makes it much easier to remove the berries when frozen. When I’m ready to make my juice I take out just what I need from the freezer Also I add fresh cider rather than water and add no additional sugar.
I was wondering if you could harvest the juice using a steam juicer, or do to you think the heat would damage medicinal property of the Elderberries? The steam is a lot hotter than simmering but I find I get a lot more juice from other berries that I use it on.
I bet you could use a steam juicer. I just don’t happen to have one.
Cool. Now I just need some Elderberries. I would highly recommend a steam juicer.
Hi Kathy, on the subject of heat I made my Elderberry syrup but I didn’t want to can it because I thought it might destroy the healthy stuff in the honey and the apple cider vinegar that goes in mine what’s your thought on that subject?
I know there’s something to be said about keeping raw honey, raw. However, I’ve already cooked the elderberries to make the syrup so I don’t worry about a little extra heat in the canning process. Does it destroy some of the healing stuff? Perhaps. Does it make it void of anything healing? I don’t think so. The extended shelf life is worth it to me. I don’t put vinegar in my elderberry syrup that’s more of an oxymel and the vinegar could act as a decent preservative. The thing about elderberries is that they have a lot of natural yeast which could ferment into alcohol…
How long of a shelf life does the elderberry syrup have once it is canned?
All canned goods should be used up within 1 year.
I add my raw local honey, apple cider vinegar and essential oils in after its cooled down
I don’t use a steam juicer, but I use my Champion Juicer. I put the berries through a couple of times. What I am left with is more of a pulp than a juice. I also pick a bunch of rosehips, split them and cook on low with just enough water to get the good stuff out. Do not cook your honey, as it breaks down with heat, and I add honey to taste. I do can mine, I am at altitude, hot water bath 15 minutes. Been doing this for years. Just nice sometimes to see how other people do theirs.
My daughter has a steam juicer that she used on elderberries. Worked great. We just had to adjust recipes to account for no water was used to make the juice.
What would the recipe be if you use straight juice with no water added. We press out our elderberries to get pulp and juice?
Where can you get elderberries? Never heard of them, I don’t want to make the syrup, just to eat them, I heard dark berries are good for your metabolism
I don’t know where you could buy fresh elderberries. They should not be eaten be eaten raw as they can often cause upset stomachs.
Yes you need to cook before you can eat them , leaves & stems are poisonous also !
I have been wanting an elderberry tree for SO long so I could make this fabulous syrup. I finally broke down and bought some from Amazon.com and will be using a recipe very similar to this one. Much cheaper than buying it already made and bottled, that’s for sure!
For sure! The stuff you find at the store is crazy expensive.
What do elderberries taste like? :)
They’re tart not very sweet. They shouldn’t be eaten raw, there are reports that the raw berries can be toxic and while not deadly (at least not in my research) they can cause stomach upset in many people. Always cook the berries! The syrup in my opinion is very medicinal tasting. It’s not yucky but it’s not something you’d want to put on pancakes either. I’ve had elderberry jelly that’s mighty good but it was heavily sweetened too.
Funny. My grandmother had elderberries, so I grew up with her elderberry jelly. It was my Dad’s favorite. After I married, we moved into her home. I have made elderberry jelly and syrup many times over the years, loving the latter on pancakes. (I don’t put spices in mine.) I never knew it was medicinal. We just loved the flavor!
It is such a good flavor!
I have a question about the lemon. Do you simmer it with the peel & pith?
I do. I just slice the lemon and throw the whole thing in there, peel, pith, and fruit. I don’t notice any bitterness from it.
Great post – Eldenberries are truly one of nature’s gifts for health. Love you recipe – will save it. Visiting from Tuesday With a Twist Blog Hop!
Thanks so much for stopping by Marla!
I love this article – will bookmark to use next year. Looking forward to harvesting all the wild elderberries around here now that I know what to do with them and what they are good for. Thanks for sharing at The Backyard Farming Connection.
Jennifer
Have fun harvesting those next year.
Stopping over from Unprocessed Fridays Link-up. Looking forward to trying this, just have to find Elderberries. Have you tried adding gelatin and turn this into gummies?
I haven’t tried to make gummies because I really dislike the texture of gummies, ha. I’m sure it would work just fine, however.
We planted a couple of elderberries in our yard. It’s hard to beat the birds to them! Thank you for the recipe for your syrup! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Oh, those darn birds! They got to the saskatoon berries before I could last summer.
Hang a few old few in the tree. The movement and reflective light will keep the birds away
Darn auto correct!! It should say a few old cds!!
Oh ha!
Can you give me any idea of the efficacy of this vs. store-bought elderberry? The type we use (Planetary Herbals brand) says to take 1 t. up to twice daily.
Thanks!
Michelle, I can’t comment with any authority on how this would compare to the store bought brands. It’s not something I’ve done any testing on. I just know this homemade version has worked for us. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful but I don’t want to be misleading either.
Thanks for your honest answer – it’s very appreciated!
I’m going to have to grow Elderberry in my garden next year. Thanks for sharing @ Tuesdays with a Twist. You’ve been featured @ Back to the Basics!
I bought organic elderberries from amazon.com. Do I use the same amount of berries? Also have I simmer the berries and water…can I put it through a regular juicer? I also bought mason jars to store it in…do I have to can them storing them in a jar? OR can I just throw it in the fridge or freezer? Sorry this is my first time making this syrup.
How long does it last in the fridge and freezer? Thank you for taking the time!
Rachael
I would use the same amount of berries no matter the source. You need to cook the berries, I’ve read many recipes and methods for making elderberry syrup and every single one talks about cooking the berries before juicing. A steam juicer could work but I personally wouldn’t run it through a regular juicer. I’m sure you could freeze it with no problems, I’ve never done it. I do store my open jars in the fridge and they last a long time in there. I would just make sure there’s no mold or anything. In the freezer, I’m guessing they’d last about a year.
I had the same question about freezing it. Thanks for the post and this answer. :)
Hello! Do you have to put the ginger/clove in? I’m thinking my kids might take it better without it….would it be lacking?
No you could skip it, they have some medicinal properties but you’d be fine without them in my opinion.
Hi. I realize this post was a while ago but….these are all over our property! I really would like to use them for this. But I was always told growing up they are position? Any thoughts?
Elderberries should always be cooked to avoid the toxicity problems that can cause problems for some people (they cause stomach upset eaten raw). Make sure you’ve identified correctly before picking and always cook those berries.
Thanks for the response and info! I realize poisonous was auto-corrected to position. lol
Every part of elders are poisonous except the RIPE berries. Contains a form of cyanide, but you would need to ingest quite a bit. A few unripe berries are no more harmful than eating a few apple seeds.
Hi! How long will this keep after canning? Thanks:)
All canning recommendations suggest using it up within a year.
If you can the jars 10 minutes in boiling water it I think it would greatly reduce the benefit of the honey. If you are concerned about spoilage and don’t want to make a tincture, then you should use regular sugar, not honey.
In my opinion using sugar would negate any benefit at all from the actual elderberries. To each their own.
Hi,
Can you use herbal teas, ie; chai, peppermint, or camomile in the water base? And
Shelf life being refrigerated?
I don’t know honestly about using herbal teas for the base, I don’t know why not but I haven’t tried it. Shelf life refrigerated is about 6 months, though if it molds of course I’d get rid of it.
I have a question …I froze all my elderberries from last year ..could they be thawed and used in this recipe? Thanks
Lin
Yep, that’s exactly how I’ve done it.
I have an elderberry tree and those darn birds eat the flowers! I may have one berry left even though I have netting on the tree.
Just made my final batch of syrup from 2015 berries in the freezer and reading your posts. Regarding the birds, I’ve put a scarecrow and a Scare-eye balloon near my elderberry patch, and that seems to work – somewhat. I’m also planting more, so that there will be enough for all.
Do you happen to know what variety those elderberries are? Not a big deal, just curious. Lovely post!
I’m sorry I don’t. A friend has several large bushes that came with her house and well we just pick.
not sure what is meant for water amount.please clarify.
It’s half as much water as elderberries. So if you put 1 cup of elderberries in the pot, add 1/2 cup of water.
I am making some elderberry syrup right now with dried berries I bought online. I feel a nasty cold coming on, so I am desperately waiting for it to be done. I did use more water since the berries are dried. I will let you know how it works out.
I hope it works well and you feel better soon.
What is the shelf life on this elderberry syrup? We have a lot of elderberry!
It is usually suggested that anything canned be used up in a year and I think that’s a good rule here. Once it’s opened and in the fridge, use it up within a month.
It will keep in the fridge 3 months after opening.
“Thank You for the recipe. I am 95 years old and my son-in-law makes sure I get some Elderberries every year so I can make some jelly and I am anxious to make the medicinal recipe too. God Bless and “Thanks” again
You are so welcome! Thank you for stopping by and enjoy that jelly and the syrup.
I have played with elderberries for years, making jelly and syrup. This is the first time I have found any recipes for their use. Your recipe for syrup is a lot better than mine. Thanks so very much for sharing.
Oh I’m so glad this will come in handy for you! Enjoy those berries!
Have you ever added rose hips? I am going to pick elderberries tomorrow and am thinking about adding rose hips… Just not sure how much I should add. Suggestions?
I haven’t but I know other folks do. I’d toss in half as much rosehips as elderberries but that’s a guess. I’d try it and keep notes. They’re so high in Vitamin C I don’t think you could go wrong.
Hi, do you have to use fresh elderberries? Or will dry ones work? I can’t seem to find them in Northern California fresh…. Also, does this recipe just make one jar?
I haven’t tried this recipe with dried elderberries but there is a link in the post to a recipe that does use dried elderberries. This recipe is totally scalable depending on the amount of elderberries you start with.
How long does the syrup last on the fridge?
At least a month – I’ve kept it in much longer. Just watch for mold.
Your recipe is very similar to mine. I don’t use cinnamon (I’m allergic to it) but I use cloves and ginger like you. I also add plantain and elder flowers (if I have them) . Because of the plantain, I have to add extra honey or it tastes like grass. Hahaha.
Nice – I hadn’t thought of adding plantain but yes it doesn’t have the best flavor.
Elderberry pie is one of my FAVORITES! Maybe because I used to pick them with my grandma on the farm…I’ve had elderberry pancake syrup too…but both sugar laden! I’m definitely making this good-for-you syrup next season!!
I don’t think I’ve ever had an elderberry pie – I’ll have to remember that. I hope you enjoy this syrup!
We have Elderberries growing around our house. My mother-in-law lives in Switzerland and she showed me how to make Elderberry flower syrup , which is very good for you. Also she makes an elixir from Elderberries. I also freeze whole berries and but about 10 berries in my breakfast smoothies. Elderberries are great for your immune system. I am going to try your syrup for next year. I will use my juicer which then i don’t have to take them off the stem.
The recipe I’ve been using has the cinnamon, clove, ginger in the initial simmer (cuts down on time and steps) and adds the honey after the simmered liquid has been strained and cooled below 120 degrees. If you are using raw honey (presumably for its antibiotic and other health benefits) you kill all the good in it if you heat it above 120 degrees.
Yes, I know. However, I’m also canning this for long-term storage, so it’s a moot point.
How long will the syrup store for?
If you can it, use it up within 1 year. Refrigerated it will last a couple of months. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Can i make elderberry syrup using elderberry concentrate bc my stores dont sell dried or fresh
I can’t say with certainty. I’ve never seen or used elderberry concentrate. I suppose it could be done but I can’t guarantee the results.
How long will it last if canned? One year if stored in a cool, dry place?
Yes, store for a year canned.
I accidentally left my homemade elderberry syrup on the counter overnight. Is it still good?
I’m sure some people would say no. I would say yes. Do what you’re most comfortable with…
I have juice that I canned last summer, which I was going to use for jelly, but now want to use for medicinal syrup. Have I already lost the medicinal qualities by high heat of water bath canning? If I did use it, and added raw honey, wouldn’t canning lose the qualities of the honey as well? Just trying to puzzle out if what I have will work for what I plan to do and get the end result. (result desired: canned medicinal elderberry syrup that will keep long term).
The heat is definitely not good for raw honey. That being said I can it and use it and have had a great results. I have not, however; done any scientific studies to truly note the difference in medicinal properties from uncanned to canned. Nor have I been able to find any actual studies. The heat likely does make a difference does that mean it’s sterile and without medicinal properties, I doubt it (but cannot concretely prove or cite sources which I normally like to do).
Hi kathie,
I wanted to know for canning purposes how much lemon do I put in each batch per jar? And how long will it stay shelf stable for? Thank you so much!
Use up all canned goods within 1 year. Because elderberries are high acid, I don’t measure the lemon juice exactly per jar.
Hi! I’ve been making elderberry jelly for quite sometime now.
Im looking forward to trying your recipe:)
A couple of people have ask how many elderberries you need to get a quart of the juice for your medicinal recipe and I just want to comment about that.
The jelly recipe calls for 3lbs of elderberries and with no water added to the pan it comes out to about 3 cups.
So I’m thinking for your recipe I would recommend at least 3lbs since you add water. Hope that helps.
I freeze my medicinal syrup in ice cube trays. Freeze it and then store it frozen in ice cube trays. Does this change its medicinal value because of freezing??
I can’t find any sources that definitively say the medicinal value is changed. It may have some effect but I don’t know that it would be enough to worry about it. Personally, I think anything I make myself is better than store bought. Ha, however I know scientific evidence to back up that claim.
Hello I was wondering if you do the hot water bath for canning, how long does it stay good not refrigerated just on the shelf at room temperature like you would with homemade jelly or jam?
Use up all home-canned goods within 1 year.
I have been making a version of this for many years and freeze in sm 1/2 pint or less glass jars. I pull out as needed for a cold. I don’t get many colds, so I still have syrup left from 2 yrs ago. I’m certainly not throwing it away! LOL
What is the shelf life of this?
All canned goods should be used up within 1 year.
This looks so good! This would be a nice gift to give at Christmas in lieu of cookies!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Canned it will last a year.
Hi can I put the stems and elderberries through a juicer and then use this juice for this recipe
I would remove the berries from the stems. I can’t confidently say it’s safe to do otherwise.
Hi I’m wondering if I could make blueberry syrup with this recipe..I would like to preserve the syrup but not sure where to start.
The folks at Ball have a good recipe for blueberry syrup – I’m sure you could substitute saskatoons: https://www.freshpreserving.com/blog/blueberry-syrup-recipe
I imagine you could use the elderberry syrup method too but I haven’t tried it.