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thickened elderberry syrup

How to Make Elderberry Syrup- A Natural Immune Booster

Keep your family healthy during the cold and flu season with this incredibly simple, tasty, healthy, and cost effective elderberry syrup recipe.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • mesh strainer
  • spoon
  • glass jar with lid

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups filtered water
  • 1 cup dried elderberries
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 inch piece fresh ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp whole cloves or 1/2 tsp dried cloves
  • 1 tsp dried hibiscus
  • 1 inch piece orange peel organically sourced
  • 1 cup local raw honey
  • see optional add-ons in notes below

Instructions
 

  • Combine elderberries, cinnamon stick, ginger, cloves, hibiscus, orange peel, other supporting herbs (if using) and filtered water in a medium saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil and stir. Then, reduce heat and simmer herbs for about 1 hour uncovered until mixture is reduced to just under half.
  • Turn off heat and allow mixture to cool for a few minutes. Strain out herbs using a mesh strainer. Mash berries with the back of a spoon to release as much elderberry juice as possible.
  • Allow elderberry liquid to cool for about 5 minutes. Then, add honey and citrus juice (if using). Stir until combined.
  • Pour into a glass jar with lid for storage. Allow jar to cool completely before moving to refrigerator.
  • Keeps in refrigerator for about 1 month or freeze for up to 6 months.
  • Adults can take 1 TBLS daily as a preventative. If experiencing cold/flu symptoms you can take 1 TBLS every 3 hours. Children over 2 years of age can take between a 1/2-1 teaspoon daily.
    Yields a little over a pint
    Disclaimer- I am not a doctor, but you should consult yours with any concerns. Please do your own research to see what you are comfortable with giving your own family.

Notes

Optional Add-Ons

I almost always add in some extra herbs, but you can explore with different combinations for added health benefits or to adjust the overall flavor or texture. Here are just a few ideas...
    • 1 tsp of other supporting herbs- such as marshmallow root, echinacea, lemon balm, or rosehips
    • juice of 1/2 an orange or 1 lemon or lime- for longer shelf life and vitamin C boost; if using, add at same time as honey
    • 2 TBLS of arrowroot powder for extra thickening- see special notes below for this variation

Variation Using Arrowroot Powder to Thicken Syrup

After you have strained your herbs, add elderberry liquid back to saucepan. Add 2 TBLS of arrowroot powder to the saucepan and stir for a few minutes over low heat until slightly thickened. I like to sift my arrowroot powder through a mesh strainer to avoid clumping. Then, turn off heat and add the honey and citrus juice (if using). Continue with the rest of the above instructions.

Tips to Increase Shelf Life

Freeze
Elderberry syrup will last about 6 months in the freezer, so you can make a big batch and have it waiting for you when you start feeling cold/flu symptoms. You could also freeze it in ice cube trays for smaller portions as needed.
Add Citrus Juice
Adding lemon, lime, orange or any citrus juice to your elderberry syrup will also increase the shelf life. I almost always add this because it tastes great and also gives an extra boost of vitamin C. I have also heard of people adding citric acid for longer shelf life.

Add Alcohol
You can add a little bit of alcohol such as brandy or bourbon to extend shelf life. Obviously, this is NOT something to be given to your children. There are also some possible health concerns with this one, but it is still worth mentioning. Do what you are comfortable with.
Turn into Gummies!
I haven't yet tried this myself, but looks very intriguing. Of course this would be a favorite for the kiddos, but it might be hard to keep them from eating too many though! You can find out how to do this HERE.