How to Make Elderberry Syrup with Fresh or Dried Berries

Looking for some natural immune system support? Come learn how to make delicious homemade elderberry syrup with this easy step-by-step recipe. Elderberries can help prevent illness, soothe cold, flu and allergy symptoms, and promote a quick recovery when you’re feeling crummy. It tastes so good, the kiddos will love it too! Sharing bottles of elderberry syrup is also a fantastic DIY gift idea for the holiday season.

We’ve been making this elderberry recipe for many years, adapted from the queen-of-herbs Rosemary Gladstar’s book Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide. You can make elderberry syrup using dry, frozen, or fresh elderberries, so I’ve included instructions for all options.

This post was originally published in February 2019.

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RELATED: Don’t miss our elderberry gummies recipe, fire cider recipe, homemade cough drops with honey and ginger, or this delicious fermented garlic honey recipe!

The History of Elderberry

Known in the botanical world as Sambucus Nigra, elderberry has been used for centuries by traditional cultures and herbalists in natural medicine, both early in Europe and later in North America. Native Americans used the plants bark and leaves to make poultices to heal bruises and sprains, and internally to rid themselves of parasites. Now, the bark and leaves are not used as commonly in modern natural medicine due to its content of cyanide.

Safety precautions with fresh elderberries

There are several types of elderberries native to North America and Europe. The blue-black varieties are used for medicinal purposes (Sambucus Nigra). The varieties with red berries (Sambucus racemosa) are toxic and should be avoided.

Also, while there are no studies showing that elderberry is harmful during pregnancy, there is also a lack of studies to prove that it is safe. According to PubMed, “health care personnel should not advise pregnant women to use echinacea or elderberry against upper respiratory tract infection.”

Finally, please note that it is only safe to consume cooked, ripe, fresh elderberries (or dried). Other parts of the elderberry plant contain cyanide, including the stems or leaves – so be sure to thoroughly remove all the stems! Even pruning our elderberry plant gives me a rash. Raw, uncooked, or unripe berries will also likely cause an upset stomach and uncomfortable side effects. Considered “cooked”, dried berries do not pose the same risk.

Health Benefits of Elderberry Syrup

Combining the benefits of both elderberries and honey, elderberry syrup is a powerful natural cold and flu preventative and healer. Our elderberry syrup recipe also includes ginger, cinnamon, and other spices – making it extra therapeutic, and extra delicious!

Studies show that elderberries have antiviral and antimicrobial properties, helping to prevent illness as well as shorten and alleviate symptoms of the common cold. It’s full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that strengthen your immune system, cardiovascular system, and more. Elderberry syrup is also reported to help ease the symptoms of seasonal allergies.

Thick and sweet, honey is excellent at soothing sore throats and naturally suppressing coughs. Like elderberries, raw honey is also highly antimicrobial and loaded with antioxidants. Honey can help ward off internal pathogens when ingested, and can even be used topically to heal wounds too!

Health benefits aside, there are a number of other perks to making your own elderberry syrup at home. It’s fun and easy to do, and the end result is a nutrient-dense natural supplement for the fraction of the cost of buying it at the store!

Ingredients and Supplies

This recipe yeilds approximately 40 ounces of elderberry syrup.

• 4 cups of dried organic elderberries OR 8 cup fresh, ripe organic elderberries (or frozen berries). We usually use these organic dried elderberries. One bag is plenty to make this recipe.
• Honey, 16 to 24 ounces. Honey is best for immunity though you could substitute with agave or maple syrup to make vegan elderberry syrup.
• 2 tablespoons of grated raw fresh ginger or 1 tsp ground
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder OR 2 whole cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves (whole or ground)
• Optional: 2 to 3 whole star anise
• Optional: a splash of whiskey, vodka, or other alcohol (to help extend the shelf life)
• Water
• Cheese cloth or a nut milk bag to strain the berries
• Air-tight glass storage containers for the finished elderberry syrup, such as 8 oz swing top bottles, 16 oz glass bottles, or mason jars.

Another option is to get a convenient all-in-one DIY elderberry syrup kit like this one from TC Elderberry. It includes organic dry elderberries, cinnamon sticks, and other spices. All you have to do is brew it with water and add honey. Their “kicked up” version also has echinacea, rosehips and aronia berries for an added boost! They also offer finished syrup – made fresh to order. Use code “deannacat” to save 15% at TC Elderberry.

Step 1: Combine Elderberries and Water

Using dried berries: In a large pot or saucepan, combine 4 cups dried elderberries with 8 cups of water. Note the height of liquid in the pan.

Using fresh berries (or frozen): If you’re fortunate enough to have fresh elderberries available, use 8 cups of berries and just 1 cup of water. The natural juice in the berries will make up for the little amount of water added! Wash them and remove all the stems first. If you’re using frozen elderberries, there is no need to defrost them first.

Step 2: Add Spices

Turn the stove on a medium-low heat, enough to simmer the mixture but not boil. Once the mixture has begun to heat up, stir in:

• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder OR 2 whole cinnamon sticks
• ½ teaspoon of whole cloves (or 1/2 tsp powder)
• 2 heaping tablespoons of freshly grated raw ginger
• Optional: 2-3 whole star anise

Step 3: Simmer and Reduce

Dried elderberry variation:  Continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced to about half of the original volume. This could take only 30 minutes, or up to an hour or two, depending on how vigorous a simmer you set your stove to. We usually opt for slow-and-steady. As the berries soften and the water reduces, the elderberry juice becomes increasingly concentrated.

While simmering, leave the pot uncovered so steam can evaporate. Also stir the mixture on occasion. I use a large flat wood spoon to press the elderberries against the side of the pot as I stir. (Or you can use a potato masher if you have one.) This helps to squeeze out all the good juices we’re after!

Fresh elderberry variation: Simmer the berries and water for at least 30 minutes, until they’re soft and release their juices. Press and stir on occasion. Next, strain out the skins and pulp (as shown below) and return the elderberry juice to the pan. Continue to simmer until the original amount is reduced by about one-half.

Step 4: Strain

Once the liquid reduces to about half of the original volume, it is time to squeeze and strain! (If you haven’t already done that with your fresh berries in Step 3, that is.) Allow the elderberry mixture to cool slightly before proceeding, but not completely. You don’t want to burn yourself, but also want to keep the liquid warm to help dissolve the honey later.

• To strain the elderberries, we set a fine-mesh stainless steel strainer lined with either a nut milk bag or cheesecloth, set on top of a glass mixing bowl. We like this organic cotton unbleached cheesecloth.
  
  
• Gently pour some of the mixture into the strainer. I found it best to add a little at time, pressing the berries down into the strainer and cheese cloth with a wooden spoon as we went. This helped to extract as much of the precious juice as possible. Add some, smush and mash, add some, smush and mash. Continue this until all you have left in the strainer is fairly dry berry pulp, with a nice bowl of elderberry juice below.
  
  
• Next, carefully lift and close up the sides of the cheesecloth, forming a nice little sack of berries. Then squeeze the heck of out it! This will dye your hands purple for a day or two, so wear gloves if you want to avoid that.

Step 5: Measure

Pour the strained, concentrated elderberry juice into a measuring cup and take note of its volume or amount (e.g. 3 cups). Now add the juice back into your pot, but do not turn the heat back on.

Step 6: Add Honey

Now it is time to turn your elderberry juice into syrup with the addition of honey!

Most elderberry syrup recipes say to add an equal amounts of honey to concentrated elderberry juice. For instance, 3 cups of juice and 3 cups of honey. Honey offers key healing properties of its own and acts as a preservative for the syrup.

The juice is likely still a bit warm, hopefully enough to whisk in the honey without needing to heat anything further. Avoid directly heating the honey, which can destroy its beneficial properties. If your honey is extra cold, set the sealed jar of honey in a bowl of warm water to help gently warm it up.

Since I’m Type 1 diabetic, we sometimes only use about ¾ the amount of honey – such as 16 ounces of honey to 24 ounces of elderberry juice. That’s plenty to preserve it, though we try to use it up faster than recommended just in case. (Storage and shelf life notes to follow.)

To extend the shelf life of homemade elderberry syrup, you can also add a splash of liquor like vodka, whiskey, or brandy as an extra preservative. One-third to half a cup of liquor for this size batch of elderberry syrup will do the job just fine.

Step 7: Bottle

Finally, transfer your delicious homemade elderberry syrup into final storage containers such as mason jars, glass swing-top bottles, or these rad swing-top flasks. Store in the refrigerator.

Storage

How to Take Elderberry Syrup

You can take one teaspoon of elderberry syrup up to three times per day. We generally consume one teaspoon per day as a preventative measure, such as during cold and flu season or when something is going around our workplace. If we feel crud coming on or are actually sick, we increase our dose to 2 or 3 times per day.

Elderberry works to inhibit viral replication, so it is best to take it as the very first symptoms of illness appear, or soon after you’re around someone who is sick.

You can also use your elderberry syrup to make homemade elderberry gummies!

Bottoms up! I hope you found this guide to be helpful. If so, please leave a review below. Also feel free to ask any questions. Thank you so much for tuning in. Cheers to staying healthy, naturally.

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