Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Elderberry syrup is my go-to remedy in the fall and winter for fighting off the crud. It is great for immune support and making it is quick and easy to do… seriously, like 30ish minutes from start to finish, with just a few ingredients, and 15 minutes of that is the cooling down time. And because this elderberry syrup tastes so amazing, it’s an easy win for getting sick kiddos to take it when fighting those nasty cold and flu bugs.

Why Take Elderberry Syrup

If you’ve had a sick child or even a husband down with a cold, you know how miserable it is for all involved when trying to help them feel better. Everybody is crabby and snotty, and nobody wants to take the “yucky medicine”. And even if you do make a trip to the doctor, they will likely tell you there isn’t much you can do but wait it out.

Thankfully though, elderberries can be your secret weapon in speeding up recovery and even avoiding the doctor’s office all together. AND IT TASTES GREAT! Even the pickiest kid will be happy to take it.

Sambucus Nigra aka Black Elderberries are packed full of vitamins like A, B, and C. They are also rich in minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and flavonoids. Which are all proven to assist the body in building a strong immune system and function.

These powerful berries are amazing on their own but when you mix them with the added benefits of ginger, cinnamon, clove, and raw honey you’ve got a powerful antiviral concoction. 

Health Benefits of Elderberry Syrup

Over the centuries, some say as far back as the ancient Egyptians, elderberries have been used as home remedies in fending off, not only viruses, but was (and often still are) used for reducing inflammation, respiratory support, aiding constipation issues, and even relieving everyday pain & stress.

Since the whole 2020 debacle we’ve seen a rise in the “natural living” movement and my guess is that this began with people asking the basic question of “Is all this stuff legit?” They then began researching viruses, efficacy of pharmaceutical companies, questioning manufacturing practices, and even traditional over-the-counter medications. AND THEN they began researching alternative medicine options… and I can pretty much guarantee that elderberries were one of the things that kept popping up in their google searches.

And now with that renewed interest in natural remedies, elderberries are receiving even more attention and research than ever before from the medical community. For example, while looking through actual medical journals and studies for elderberries effectiveness in fighting cold and flu, I found several studies supporting the antidotal tales… in fact this article even suggests a shorter duration of symptoms. So, yeah, the research IS out there.

Why is Elderberry Syrup so Expensive

Well, with the aforementioned natural living movement and a growing lack of trust in pharmaceutical companies, there is an increased demand for more holistic remedies with clean ingredients. And now coupled with all that research, prices for elderberry products are skyrocketing.

But let me tell ya a little secret… making elderberry syrup at home is SUPER easy, ensures quality ingredients, has no added fillers, and is a fraction of the cost of what you will pay over the counter. OH, and it tastes WAY better than anything you can buy.

If that doesn’t convince you to make it at home, I don’t know what will…

Where to get Elderberries

Elderberries thrive in North America and other countries but originated in Europe. They are usually easy to find, harvest and preserve for various uses. But it does require a lot of the little buggers to get the volume you may require. With as often as I make elderberry syrup, I’ve found I’d rather just buy them in bulk and already dried. And they are pretty easy to source on places like Amazon or Herbal websites.

My favorite place to buy organic dried elderberries though is from Azure Standard. I trust their quality and love that they are an ethical, family-owned business with fair prices.

Here’s a tip though, don’t wait until cold and flu season to order your berries… ask me how I know.

Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe

This recipe for elderberry syrup is simple and quick. In fact, it can be done in between loads of laundry… don’t forget to switch the laundry though or you’ll have to rewash it all. I do that ALL THE TIME.

Organic ingredients are always best to ensure healthiest available products but do the best you can with what you have. No judgement here.

Homemade Elderberry Syrup Supplies:

• Instant Pot (or a heavy bottomed pot for the stove top)
• Fine mesh colander or cheese cloth
• 1 Quart glass jar or some sort of glass container that seals

Homemade Elderberry Syrup Ingredients:

• 4 cups water
• 3/4 cup dried elderberries (1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen)
• 2 TBSP fresh grated ginger root (or ½ tsp dry ground)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or 3-5 cinnamon sticks)
• 1 TBSP whole cloves (or 1/2 tsp ground cloves)
• 1 – 1 ½ -ish cups raw honey
• 1 tsp pure vanilla… yes vanilla.

Instructions for Homemade Elderberry Syrup:

Instant Pot

1. Put all ingredients except honey and vanilla into the instant pot
2. Seal lid and set to manual for 9 minutes on high pressure
3. When done, vent and strain liquid through the colander or cheese cloth into jar while pressing or squeezing the juice out of any berries that didn’t burst open
4. Let liquid cool a bit  
5. While still warm, but not hot, add the honey and my secret ingredient… vanilla
6. Store in the refrigerator and take daily

Stove Top

1. Put all ingredients except honey and vanilla into the pot on the stove and bring to a boil
2. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes- liquid will reduce to about half.
3. When done strain liquid through the colander or cheese cloth into the jar, while pressing or squeezing the juice out of any berries that didn’t burst open
4. Let liquid cool a bit 
5. While still warm, but not hot, add the honey and my secret ingredient… vanilla
6. Store in the refrigerator and take daily… should last several weeks in the fridge

AND THAT’S IT! YOU’RE DONE…. Now go switch that laundry

NOTE:

1. Homemade syrup will not be a thick syrup… that’s ok.
2. If the liquid is too warm when you add the honey it will kill the medicinal properties in it, so make sure it’s not too hot when you add it… also, you can add more honey to taste if needed. Yes, honey is sugar, but if it’s raw it has lots of good stuff in it, so in cases like this where I want my children to enjoy taking it, I don’t mind it being sweeter. It will still be better for them than anything purchased in a store. Remember, in the wise words of Mary Poppins, “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” … and sometimes more sugar is necessary depending on the child.

How Much Elderberry Syrup Should I Take

A daily standard dose is ½ -1 teaspoon for kids and ½ – 1 tablespoon for adults who are healthy and just want the immune support. If you are maybe feeling something coming on or are in fact feeling like crap, take the standard dose every 2-3 hours until 24 hours after symptoms have subsided.

Disclaimer time. First, if anyone has an allergy to any of these ingredients, don’t take it. Second, honey is not advisable for children under 12 months of age, so don’t give it to babies. If you have a question about the safety of any of these ingredients and/or children consuming them, check with your pediatrician… as, I’m not a doctor… obviously.

I’d love to know your experience with Elderberry Syrup. Does your family use elderberry syrup or have other “go-to” remedies? If so, post them in the comments so we can all share some ideas.

ENJOY! And may the odds ever be with you, in avoiding the germs that they say are trying to kill us.