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My head is full of pollen right now and I can’t think clearly so I’ll try to make this coherent and short. Elderberry syrup! Delicious and nutritious! Amazing for your immune system, full of vitamins and quercetin which is an immune booster naturally found in lots of foods. Elderberry can help with previously mentioned head full of pollen as well as common cold viruses and flu. I might come back to this and add more about the benefits of elderberry and the other ingredients, but for now just take a peek at the recipe and try it.
Update: I wrote this in the spring and this syrup has gotten us through lots of sickness since. I am not making any medical claims. I am just saying I seem to fend everything off better compared to when I did not take my elderberry syrup. Your mileage will vary.
Where to Find Elderberries
Local health food stores and markets, Mountain Rose Herbs, Amazon, etc. If you’re lucky you might find them in the wild. I never have gathered enough. The birds seem to get them first or they are always out of reach. I wanted to plant a few but completely forgot so I’m on the lookout for cuttings. For now though I snagged some dried at a local apothecary and they were a great price. I also just recently got some from Starwest Botanicals. These little guys are potent so you don’t need a lot for the recipe. Also raw local honey is best but use what you’ve got. I had half a bottle of Walmart stuff. Read more about raw honey in this post.
How to Use Homemade Elderberry Syrup
You can either take it by the spoonful or incorporate it in foods and drinks. I drizzle it over smoothie bowls, squirt in my iced tea, in cocktails and mocktails. My latest favorite is with pineapple coconut water, with or without vodka. Don’t judge me. The fresh ginger and the tiny hint of cinnamon is perfect. There is no clove in this recipe but feel free to add it! I left it out intentionally. I love clove in certain recipes but it can be overpowering. Try it like this, you won’t regret it, I promise. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
You’ve probably seen a lot of recipes with different ratios and this is just what I personally like the best after making syrup so many times. A tablespoon per cup doesn’t sound like much but I feel like anymore is just a waste of berries.
Too many berries per cup of water won’t really add any benefit because you won’t extract everything out. I think it’s better to start with more water, get everything you can out of those berries, and then reduce the liquid from there for a potent end product.
Otherwise the sky is the limit and you can add other herbs you like. I add rosehips and lemon balm on occasion. Orange peels are also popular. If you’re looking for other ideas check out my recipe Herbal Honey Cough & Cold Syrup
Homemade Elderberry Syrup
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Knife
- Whisk or spoon
- strainer preferably fine mesh
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp dried elderberries
- 1 or 2 inches fresh ginger root
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2.5 cups water
- 1 cup raw honey
Instructions
- Rough chop or slice up the ginger.
- Place elderberries, ginger, and cinnamon stick in the saucepan. Add water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Once it is bubbling, turn heat down to the lowest setting, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Uncover the pot and continue to simmer until the liquid is almost reduced to half.
- Let it cool and strain mixture. You should have about 1 cup (8 oz) of liquid. If you have more put the strained liquid back on the stove to reduce it more.
- Combine the cooled, strained, elderberry liquid with the honey and mix very well. If you do this when the liquid is still warm (not hot) it will mix easier.
- Store your syrup in a clean jar or bottle in the fridge. It should be good for a month or so.
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My partner really likes elderberry flavoured things, especially drinks. So I’ll be sharing this recipe with them