How to Make Homemade Elderberry Syrup

How to Make Homemade Elderberry Syrup

One wonderful way to celebrate fall is to make homemade elderberry syrup! The delicious taste of this recipe has some amazing nutritional properties. In addition, elderberries contain an abundance of vitamin C and antioxidents, and are considered helpful for a healthy immune system. Other benefits include easing a sore throat or lowering inflammation. It’s possible it could be a great defense for colds and flu. Did you know elderberry could also contribute to better skin? Be sure to check out the link to see the plethora of benefits that have been listed.

This particular recipe is fine to use as a burst of flavor for your pancakes, but might be too rich to use as much as you would use maple syrup. You’ll have to decide for yourself, of course. I’ve taken a spoonful daily for a couple of weeks for an immunity boost, but I’ve also used some syrup on pancakes with lots of butter. It just can be overpowering for me, so sometimes I’ll only use a bit of elderberry and then add more maple syrup on my pancakes.

Relatively recently, I planted my elderberry shrubs. It will definitely take a couple of years for your elderberry to produce berries. If you decide to plant elderberry, keep in mind that the leaves and berries are poisonous for dogs and chickens. Actually the chickens can eat the berries, but you do not want to feed the leaves to your pets.

Raw Elderberries Must Be Cooked

Cook raw elderberries before eating them. Consuming raw elderberries can put you at risk of cyanide poisoning resulting in nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.10

However, you can remove elderberry’s toxic properties by cooking it at 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

This recipe does show you how to cook the elderberries!

1/2 cup of dried elderberries or 1-1/4 cups of fresh elderberries

2 cups of filtered water

7 whole cloves

1 inch knob of ginger, shredded (or more if preferred!); washed but no need to peel

1/2 tsp or more of anise

1 cup of raw honey

1. Combine elderberries, water and all spices (not honey) in a sauce pan and bring to a gentle boil.
2. When the liquid begins to boil, turn burner to low.
3. Berries and spices should cook to a low simmer for about 40-45 minutes. The plan is to simmer the liquid until it cooks half way down in the pan.
4. Press berries with a spoon or a potato masher to expel berries and release the juice.
5. Allow berry mixture to cool to 115 degrees or cooler.
6. Pour berries through a strainer with small holes or cheesecloth. Gently push (or squeeze if using cheesecloth)  on the berries again, to make sure to get as much of juice and spices as possible.
7. Combine the cup of raw honey to the elderberry mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
8. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 months or more.

 

Additional Supplies and Alternative Ingredients

Dried elderberries

Syrup dispenser

 

Weck Jars

Dressing dispenser

Essential Oil; therapuetic grade

Salad dressing convenient containers

Pancake mix (My personal favorite)

 

Julieanned vegetables are easy with this

Spiralizer (love this option for my vegetables)

Cutting board

Great Blender option

 

The cutest aprons Ever

Very practical apron option

Grow your own Elderberry

Seeds to Grow

 

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