Best Elderberry Syrup Recipe (2024)

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This Elderberry Syrup Recipe is one you will want to have in your wellness toolbox to keep you and your family in optimal health.

Using Elderberry Syrup is the best home remedies for cold and flu and works great for keeping your immune system strong, to fight off any germs you might come into contact over the next several months.

Best Elderberry Syrup Recipe (1)

I don’t know about you, but it seems like everyone I know is already complaining about getting sick this year. I’m sure that I am not the only one that just has no time to be sick.

This is why I am willing to try anything that I can to keep my system strong, especially since I will be around so many people during the holidays.

You could buy some Elderberry Syrup that is already made and ready to go. I always used Sambucol when my kids were little, before I knew I could easily just make my own.

This homemade elderberry syrup works great to make these elderberry gummies.

Dried Elderberries

The most important thing to keep in mind when making your own syrup from dried elderberries is to choose the best ingredients from the start.

  • I prefer to only use organic ingredients since this is something that we will be using for our health and wellness.
  • Each of the ingredients chosen have a specific benefit to them. The way something is grown will impact how potent and helpful the healing properties will be.
  • I don’t want to use ingredients that won’t work as well as they possibly could.

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Yield: about 24 ounces Prep time: 1 hour

You can easily make up a batch of elderberry syrup and have it on hand for you and your family all season long, using the recipe for elderberry syrup below.

Gather these ingredients to make your Elderberry Syrup.

Then scroll down for full Elderberry Syrup Recipe Measurements and instructions on creating this recipe– including a full recipe card that you can print for free that helps you shop and create easily in your kitchen!

Elderberry Syrup Ingredients

I recommend using a local source to buy your raw honey from because it will contain local pollen, which can strengthen a person’s immune system, and reduce pollen allergy symptoms.

Tips for making Elderberry Syrup

When adding the honey make sure the liquid is warm, but not hot. You do not want to kill off the antibacterial properties of the honey!

Mix syrup into smoothies or sparkling water. Or pour over pancakes or waffles!

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How Much Elderberry Syrup to take?

The most important thing to think about when using elderberry syrup is that it is something you want to take every single day. It is meant to be used as a preventative and works best that way.

Elderberry Syrup Dosage

Take 2 teaspoonfuls daily to boost your immune system and ward off the flu and colds. (½ to 1 teaspoonful for children).

To treat flu or colds, take 2 teaspoonfuls 4 times daily. (½ to 1 teaspoonful up to 4 times daily for children).

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How to Make Elderberry Syrup

Place water, organic dried elderberries, cinnamon, cloves, ginger into a saucepan. Give the lemon a squeeze into the liquid then drop it in, rind and all. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes, or until liquid has reduced to about half its original volume.

Instant Pot Recipe: You can easily use your Instant Pot to speed up the cooking process if you would like to.

  • Place water, organic dried elderberries, cinnamon, cloves, ginger into the pot. Give the lemon a squeeze into the liquid then drop it in, rind and all.
  • Close the Instant Pot with the valve in the “SEALING” position and allow to cook on manual pressure for 10 minutes.
  • Open the quick pressure release, remove the lid, and change the setting to “SAUTE”
  • Let it boil for about 10 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.

Remove pot from heat. Mash the berries with back of a spoon or a potato masher to squeeze any juices out of them. Remove the cinnamon stick, and lemon half. Strain liquid into a glass bowl, mashing the berries in the strainer as you pour.

Discard (or compost) the berry mash. Return the liquid to the saucepan and now stir in the honey. The pot and the liquid should still be just warm enough for the honey to easily incorporate into the liquid.

Pour into a large mason jar (or several small jars) and store in fridge. Can also store excess in the freezer until ready to use.

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Where to Buy Elderberries?

You can buy dried elderberries in bulk, but you don’t really need to do that when you can get the right sized bags of elderberries for sale from Amazon. These are the ones I use, and the price is great too!

Elderberry Benefits

The berries and flowers of elderberry are packed withantioxidantsandvitaminsthat may boost yourimmune system. They can help tameinflammation, lessenstress, and help protect yourheart, too.

Some experts recommend elderberry to help prevent and ease cold andflu symptoms.It’s also been used as a treatment for:

  • Constipation
  • Jointandmuscle pain
  • Headaches
  • Fever
  • Minorskinconditions
  • Stress

How Long Does Homemade Elderberry Syrup Last?

Your homemade elderberry syrup should keep in the fridge for up to six months. Just make sure that you are storing it in a container that has a nice tight fitting lid.

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these ones too:

  • Elderberry Gummies
  • Homemade Vapor Shower Disks
  • Homemade Sleep Salve
  • My Favorite Monthly Wellness Box
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Best Elderberry Syrup Recipe (7)

Elderberry Syrup

Kristie Sawicki

This recipe makes 24 ounces.

PRINT RECIPE SAVE RECIPE

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 24

Calories 75 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried elderberries
  • 4 cups filtered water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • ½ lemon
  • 1 ½ cup raw honey

Instructions

  • Place water, berries, cinnamon, cloves, ginger into a saucepan. Give the lemon a squeeze into the liquid then drop it in, rind and all. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes, or until liquid has reduced to about half its original volume.

  • Remove pot from heat. Mash the berries with back of a spoon or a potato masher to squeeze any juices out of them. Remove the cinnamon stick, and lemon half. Strain liquid into a glass bowl, mashing the berries in the strainer as you pour.

  • Discard (or compost) the berry mash. Return the liquid to the saucepan and now stir in the honey. The pot and the liquid should still be just warm enough for the honey to easily incorporate into the liquid.

  • Pour into a large mason jar (or several small jars) and store in fridge. Can also store excess in the freezer until ready to use.

Video

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Notes

Dosing:
Take 2 teaspoonfuls daily to boost your immune system and ward off the flu and colds. (½ to 1 teaspoonful for children).
To treat flu or colds, take 2 teaspoonsful 4 times daily. (½ to 1 teaspoonful up to 4 times daily for children).

Tips:
-When adding the honey make sure the liquid is warm, but not hot. You do not want to kill off the antibacterial properties of the honey!
-Mix syrup into smoothies or sparkling water. Or pour over pancakes or waffles!

Nutrition

Calories: 75kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 73IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is automatically calculated with ingredients and serving size and may not be accurate. Please always double check with your own nutritional apps as well.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave me a comment below, I would love to hear how you liked it (or not lol) Share a photo with me @KRISTIESAWICKI or tag #SAVINGDOLLARS!

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About Kristie Sawicki

I'm the blogger behind Saving Dollars & Sense. I started this website over ten years ago, to share my journey out of debt, while living a simple, frugal lifestyle. You'll find lots of great MONEY SAVING TIPS, DIY PROJECTS, HOMEMADE RECIPES, SIMPLE LIVING IDEAS and MORE!! I'm so glad you're here.

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Best Elderberry Syrup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What not to mix with elderberry? ›

Possible Interactions
  • Diuretics (water pills). Diuretics help the body get rid of excess fluid and increase the amount of urine your body makes. ...
  • Diabetes medications. Elderberry may lower blood sugar levels. ...
  • Chemotherapy. ...
  • Laxatives. ...
  • Theophylline (TheoDur). ...
  • Drugs that suppress the immune system.

What kind of elderberry is best for syrup? ›

The most popular variety used for syrups is Sambucus nigra, which is native to Europe. The berries on these trees are typically dark purple and tart in taste.

Is it OK to take elderberry syrup everyday? ›

Elderberry syrups and supplements made from reputable companies can be taken daily, even multiples times daily. Elderberry products, like Sambucol Black Elderberry Syrup and Sambucol Black Elderberry Gummies, are made from elderberry fruits. That means you're taking in a highly concentrated source of fruit.

Is homemade elderberry syrup better than store bought? ›

Homemade Elderberry Syrup vs Store Bought

By comparison, my homemade syrup is about a quarter of the price of over-the-counter options. The other draw back of over-the-counter versions is the sweetener, usually it's glucose. My recipe uses raw honey as a sweetener, which has so many healing properties.

Which autoimmune diseases should avoid elderberry? ›

Stay on the safe side and stick to food amounts. "Autoimmune diseases" such as multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or other conditions: Elderberry might cause the immune system to become more active. This could increase the symptoms of autoimmune diseases.

Does elderberry affect your liver? ›

Exposure to elderberry could be responsible for either the initiation or progression of autoimmune liver disease in the setting of genetic predisposition and molecular mimicry. Therefore, obtaining a meticulous history pertaining to medications is warranted, with an emphasis on over-the-counter supplements.

What form of elderberry is most effective? ›

However, studies have shown that elderberry syrup is the most effective form of elderberry supplement for immune support.

What is the best time of day to take elderberry syrup? ›

Although there is no specific time of day to take elderberry, you'll maximize its benefits by using it consistently on a regular basis. You can choose whether to use it morning, afternoon or evening. It may be best to use elderberry for short periods of time to support healthy immune function, and then take a break.

How often can you take homemade elderberry syrup? ›

There is no standard medical dosing for this syrup, but it's generally considered safe for adults to take 1 tablespoon by mouth daily for prevention, and 1 tablespoon every 2-3 hours when fighting the cold or the flu.

Does elderberry syrup need to be refrigerated? ›

We get asked all the time, “Do I need to refrigerate my syrup?” And the answer is YES! Most of the store-bought elderberry syrups out there are packed with preservatives, which is why they can last in the medicine cabinet for so long. Most preservatives are sugar laden and unhealthy for our bodies.

How long does it take for elderberry syrup to work? ›

May improve cold and flu symptoms

One 2004 study of 60 people with influenza found that those who took 15 mL of elderberry syrup four times per day showed symptom improvement in 2 to 4 days, while the control group took 7 to 8 days to improve ( 10 ).

Is homemade elderberry syrup safe? ›

Elderberries can be toxic when eaten raw but are safe to eat when cooked. The standard preparation method of boiling them down to make a “syrup” or “gummy” makes them safe to eat (figure 1).

Are elderberry gummies as effective as elderberry syrup? ›

Our gummies and syrup both have the same immune boosting strength, just in different forms.

Are elderberry gummies as good as elderberry syrup? ›

The most potent form of elderberry is raw elderberry syrup (Dr. Mobley suggests syrup made with organic, fresh-pressed elderberries). The syrup is absorbed most quickly by the body—whereas if you take elderberry gummies, capsules, lozenges, or teas, they're less potent and/or take longer for the body to digest.

Why is elderberry syrup so expensive? ›

Commercial elderberry syrups are pricey because of pasteurization. Although it is a standard practice in many manufacturing processes, it kills the healthy properties of honey (if the honey was even added), large amounts of low-quality sweeteners, Low amounts of actual elderberries, and often cheap additives.

Does elderberry interact with anything? ›

Elderberry has no known severe, serious, or moderate interactions with other drugs. Elderberry has mild interactions with at least 28 different drugs.

Does elderberry interact with any supplements? ›

Interactions. If you take any drugs or supplements regularly, talk to your doctor before you start using elderberry supplements. They could interact with chemotherapy for cancer, immunosuppressant drugs, diuretics, and laxatives.

Can you take elderberry and vitamins together? ›

Although elderberry has a history of being used for a wide variety of health reasons, when the goal is to supplement your diet to help support your immune system with Vitamin C and Zinc, the combination of elderberry with Vitamin C and Zinc provides the antioxidant and immune system support that is more helpful than ...

Is it OK to take Zinc and elderberry together? ›

Interactions between your drugs

No interactions were found between elderberry and Zinc. However, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

References

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