Cold and flu season is upon us, but with this homemade elderberry syrup recipe, you can help to support your immune system with just a few simple ingredients. And with the addition of warming spices and raw honey, it tastes great too!
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Elderberry syrup has gained popularity in recent years as a natural but powerful herbal remedy, particularly for helping with treatment during cold and flu season. After all, elderberries are packed with immune-boosting compounds, vitamins, and antioxidants, and scientific study after scientific study has shown the efficacy of elderberries when it comes to easing cold and flu symptoms.
But there’s also some important safety information you should know about using elderberries and elderberry syrup, so before you skip to the bottom of this post to get my homemade elderberry syrup recipe, I encourage you to take a moment to read through the following info. and brush up on your elderberry knowledge first.
Disclaimer: I am not a certified herbalist or health care practitioner. This information is for educational and entertainment purposes only, and you should always speak with your doctor or health care provider before using herbal remedies as part of your healthcare routine. Just because something is natural does not automatically make it safe, and there may be ingredients in the recipe I’m about to share with you that can interfere with certain medications and medical conditions. Always use good judgment and speak with your doctor before using medicinal herbs. You can read my full disclaimer here.
What are elderberries?
Elderberries are the fruit (berries) of the Sambucus tree/shrub. There are two types of edible elderberry plant: Sambucus nigra (European elderberry) and Sambucus canadensis (North American elderberry).
Both of these varieties produce black elderberries, which are both edible and useful for medicinal purposes. There are also red elderberries (Sambucus racemosa) but these red elderberries are poisonous and should never be consumed.
The Sambucus (Elder) plants first produce elderflowers in the spring. These tiny, delicate white flowers grow in clusters and are also edible. In the summer, the elderflowers die and leave behind small black elderberries.
While these black elderberries are both edible and medicinal, they must be cooked first as raw elderberries contain toxins, including glycosides that can cause a buildup of cyanide in the body.
Are elderberries toxic?
Raw elderberries can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, which is probably the last thing you want at any time really, but especially if you’re already feeling sick.
Once cooked, however, elderberries are perfectly edible and still retain all of their medicinal properties.
Medicinal benefits of elderberries
Elderberries are high in antioxidants, vitamins A, vitamin C, as well as antiviral and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Elderberries -and elderberry syrup in particular- are best known for their ability to help boost immunity and ease cold and flu symptoms such as fever, headaches, muscle pain, sore throat and nasal congestion. Lesser known medicinal purposes include elderberries’ ability to help ease constipation (presumably due to their high fibre content), lower blood pressure, soothe inflammatory skin conditions, including acne, and reduce wrinkles.
Is elderberry syrup safe for kids?
Yes. Elderberry syrup is generally considered safe for small children over the age of one. Raw honey can cause infant botulism in very young children so this syrup should not be given to children under the age of one.
Fresh vs. dried elderberries (and where to buy elderberries)
You can use fresh or dried elderberries to make elderberry syrup. If you’re growing your own elderberries then by all means use the fresh elderberries to make your syrup! Or you can dry them in a dehydrator or oven and then use the dried berries. However if you’re not growing your own elderberries, then you best option is to purchase dried elderberries and use those to make your syrup.
If using fresh elderberries, use twice as much. For example, this recipe calls for one cup of dried elderberries, so if using fresh elderberries, use two cups instead.
Even if you have to buy some dried elderberries, they go quite a long way and you’ll get quite a few batches of elderberry syrup out of a bag of dried elderberries, so this is still a much cheaper option than buying elderberry syrup from your local pharmacy or health food store.
We planted a couple elderberry bushes in the spring, but they’re going to take a few seasons to get established and start producing enough elderberries for us to harvest. So in the meantime, I use dried elderberries.
In the past I’ve used Starwest Botanicals brand dried elderberries and I’ve been very happy with them. However lately I’ve been using dried elderberries from Farmhouse Teas (which is also where I get my herbal tea blends for flavouring my kombucha).
Farmhouse Teas also caries an Herbal Elderberry Syrup Kit, which is an herbal blend that includes all organic ingredients including dried elderberries, orange peel, rose hips, astragalus, echinacea, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. I’ve used this kit to make my own elderberry syrup before and it’s a pretty strong contender with the recipe I’m sharing with you here!
How to make homemade elderberry syrup
By making your own elderberry syrup, you’ll not only save money (have you seen how expensive bottles of elderberry syrup are at the health food store?), you’ll also get to customize your elderberry syrup by adding in a variety of other medicinal herbs and delicious spices.
To make a basic elderberry syrup all you need to do is add one cup of elderberries and four cups of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to medium heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by about half (roughly 25 to 30 minutes).
Strain out the elderberries, reserving the liquid and mix in one cup of unpasteurized raw honey. Transfer to a bottle (I use these amber glass bottles, but a glass jar or other glass bottle will work too) and store in the fridge for up to 6 months.
However the recipe I’m about to share with you also calls for cinnamon, cloves, ginger and lemon, all of which have medicinal properties of their own. But you can choose to omit one or all of these additional ingredients if you like. Or you can add in other medicinal herbs like rosemary or thyme. Customize away!
My favourite elderberry syrup recipe
This is my favourite homemade elderberry syrup recipe. It begins and ends with the basics (elderberries and unpasteurized raw honey), but I also add cinnamon, ginger, lemon peel and cloves.
Not only does this syrup taste amazing, the added ingredients possess potent medicinal properties of their own.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon is anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and high in antioxidants.
Fresh Ginger: Ginger is antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, as well as being a potent antioxidant. Ginger is also well known for its ability to ease nausea and soothe upset stomachs.
Cloves: Cloves are antiseptic, antiviral, antimicrobial and anti- inflammatory, and are known for their ability to help ease sore throats.
Lemon peel: Antimicrobial. antifungal, high in antioxidants and vitamin C.
Unpasteurized Honey: Antibacterial, antifungal, high in antioxidants and helps to ease inflammation and sooth sore throats.
Add all of the powerhouse ingredients along with the health benefits of elderberries, and you’ve got a powerful herbal medicine that tastes good enough to pour over pancakes in the morning;)
How to use elderberry syrup
Finally, you should probably know how to use your own elderberry syrup once you’ve made it.
Preventative use: Due to its immune boosting properties, elderberry syrup is most effective when taken regularly as a preventative measure and for general immune support. Take one to two teaspoons daily.
Curative use: f you’ve come down with a cold or flu, increase dosage up to 4 tablespoons per day until symptoms subside.
Culinary uses: You can also use elderberry syrup in place of other types of fruit or maple syrup and pour over pancakes, waffles or ice cream, or add to soda water for a refreshing drink!
Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried elderberries (or 2 cups fresh elderberries, washed and stems removed)
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup unpasteurized raw honey
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks
- 2 Tbsp. freshly grated/chopped ginger
- 1 tsp. whole cloves
- 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
Instructions
- Add elderberries, cinnamon, ginger, whole cloves, lemon peel and water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by about half (approx. 25-30 minutes).
- Remove from heat and let steep for another 5 minutes or so. Then strain out the solids with a fine mesh strainer and reserve as much liquid as possible.
- Add the raw honey to the liquid and stir until dissolved. Transfer to a bottle or jar (a glass jar works well) and store in the fridge for up to 6 months.
I was on a search for a supplement my family could take after enduring sickness truly every other week last winter. I gave this a try for my family of 5. We take it every day and I kid you not, this has saved my family these past 3 months! Not one bout of sickness! If I get a tickle in my throat or a hear a cough beginning in my child I have us take more as was instructed. It keeps it at bay then eliminates the symptoms. I owe so much health to this! Thank you for sharing it!!!
We’re so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the elderberry syrup, Camie! Thanks for letting us know 🙂 -Ashley (assistant)
How much does the recipe make?
Hi Brandy,
This recipe makes approximately 3 cups!
Great recipe! Can you reboil the leftover elderberries and ingredients?
Hi Marlena,
Yes, you can absolutely reboil and add additional ingredients. You won’t get as potent of an extraction from the elderberries the second time around, but you’d get some of the flavour and benefits.
Can I use frozen elderberries in this recipe?
Yes, absolutely!
We harvested the berries locally so we are making a double batch. Is it possible to freeze the syrup so that it will last longer?
Yes, you can absolutely freeze it. Most sources say it will last about 6 months in the freezer. Some people like to freeze it in ice cube trays to make for easy thawing and dosing. -Ashley (assistant)
What is the shelf life of the syrup? What is the difference between your recipe and the elderberry syrup they sell in stores to boost ones immune system? Thank you!
Hi Monika, the syrup can be stored for up to 6 months in the fridge.
As for the difference between this recipe and store-bought syrups… it really depends what you’re comparing it to. But generally, the benefit of making your own syrup comes down to cost (it’s generally much cheaper to make your own) and control over the quality and kinds of ingredients that you add. Enjoy! -Ashley (assistant)
Could I just dehydrate them and powder them and put them in capsules and take?
That’s not something I’ve personally tried – but you might find this article helpful: https://simplybeyondherbs.com/elderberry-powder-recipe/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20best%20ways,100%20g%20of%20fresh%20elderberries.
She has some good information on whether you should dehydrate cooked or raw elderberries as well, be sure to read up on that.
Is there any that this syrup could be made in a slow cooker. I am always worried about how much goodness will be lost through the high heat of boiling
I don’t see why not, as long as the berries get thoroughly cooked. However, to get a syrupy consistency, you do need to simmer it until it’s reduced by about half, as per the recipe. It may be worth looking for a similar recipe that specifically uses a slow cooker, as the directions may differ.
Can this syrup be canned? If so any idea how long to process in canner? Looks like a great recipe! Thank you!
Hi Jeanne,
I would caution against canning this exact recipe for elderberry syrup as it hasn’t been tested as being safe for canning. I did find a great article explaining how to can elderberry juice (which you could then turn into syrup). The article explains that some elderberries have a higher PH than others and there’s no really way to know for sure what the PH is of the elderberries you’re using, so it calls for the addition of citric acid or lemon juice. You can read the article here. The other thing is that I wouldn’t can it with honey as the temperatures from the boiling water bath will kill off any of the beneficial properties of the honey and it will simply become a sweetener. It’s best to add the honey once the juice has cooled a bit so that you don’t inadvertently kill off the beneficial enzymes in the raw honey.
Can you reuse the dried elderberries after making a batch ( I’m a first-timer)
Hi Annette,
Once you use your dried elderberries to make syrup, their nutritional/medicinal goodness is used up. Some people have been able to dehydrate them again and make a tea but you are really just looking for some flavor and not the medicinal benefits. And it won’t have as much flavor as it did when you made the syrup.
Most people just put them in their compost to nourish the soil instead. 🙂
How much do you take of the syrup?
Hi Becky,
I usually take about a tablespoon per day, which is what I give to my daughter too. I know some people eat it over their pancakes or ice cream, so it’s not like most modern cough syrups where you have to be more cautious about how much you take. I wouldn’t overdo it, but we usually take one or even two Tablespoons per day for prevention and up it to four tablespoons a day if/when we get sick. Four tablespoons a day is what is typically recommended to help treat cold and flu symptoms.