This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Click HERE to read my policies & disclaimers if you're interested. I will only link products I use and personally recommend. Thank you for your support, friends!

There’s no one and done elderberry syrup recipe that fits all households.  The simple recipe in this blog post is a guide that will give you and idea on what to use and consider adding to your elderberry syrup.  I recommend doing a little bit of research and seeing what kind of herbs and spices work well for your family and, also, ones they’ll tolerate and if using for kids, ones that can be safely dosed for kids.  Because at the end of the day, my whole family LOOOVEEESSSSS licorice root, fresh ginger, and tons of clove and cinnamon and another family is going to think it’s too hot and bitter for their liking.  I make one that contains herbs I want to have handy in this form to give and boost and support my family, and myself, when we need it most.  Elderberry syrup seems to be all the craze right now and you see it everywhere along with other natural remedies.  And BOY is store-bought elderberry syrup expensive.  I just think homemade is seriously the best.  And I’m so grateful to have tonsssssss of elderberry bushes (sambucus nigra) in my immediate area to pick from as they ripen.  This year was an absolutely amazing year for picking fresh elderberries and I got so many I also made pie filling and a fancy catsup with it.  Now, I’m finally getting to canning a new batch even though I still have jars from 2023 I’m working through.  I’m thankful for the abundance this year because last year the birds put me out of business.  If you don’t have fresh berries at your disposal, you can absolutely order some dried elderberries and they’ll work fine too.

NOW.

I know someone probably croaked because I said I can my elderberry syrup.  And I guess maybe the title was a bit misleading but I didn’t know how to word it without the title being an hour long dissertation in and of itself.  I make the infused elderberry JUICE and can that.  And then after I open the jar, I mix with raw honey and then call that the syrup.  To dissolve the honey I do gently heat the syrup just to maybeeeee 100F and then whisk the honey in.  It just helps it mix in better, especially since mine is almost always crystallized :)

Medicinal Herbs I Use & Why

​Elderberries

Obviously the star of the show here.  If you’re reading this blog post, you already know why cause you want to make elderberry syrup and have probably heard about the power of elderberries.  Elderberries have quite the lovely medicinal benefits and are excellent immune boosters.  Just don’t be eating raw or unripe berries; they’ll make your tum hurt real badddd (insert Jennifer Coolidge voice).  Choose ripe, dark purple colored berries when picking.  Red berries are not ready.  I cut the umbels off the stem, toss them in a bag and freeze.  Once frozen, remove the bag and shake vigorously and all the berries fall right off the stems.  Pick any big stems out but a few let behind won’t be what does you in.  Stems and leaves can contain some toxic compounds but don’t get in a tizzy over it.  The boiling process will remove anything remaining.

Cinnamon Sticks

I mostly add cinnamon sticks because they are delicious in this and add a nice warm and cozy flavor to the syrup.  Cinnamon does have some lovely properties to it though that are good for our bodies.

Whole Cloves

Again, mostly for flavor, but they are rich in antioxidants which is what we need when we’re fighting off cooties.

Licorice Root

This is one that you really need to research before you use it and make sure you’re good with it as it’s not a popular choice in other recipes I’ve seen.  Sometimes I add it and sometimes I don’t and just revert to using my licorice tincture if needed.  I do add it in a small amount though for those digestive and immune system supporting properties and also because it is amazing in soothing sore throats.  Just make sure you’re getting it from a good source because sometimes it’s not actually a good quality licorice root and you’ll get no health benefits from that.

Star Anise

I add this one entirely for flavor. That’s all. Plus I love opening the jar I have of them. They smell soooo goooooood.

Astragalus Root

I adore this root for its usefulness! It is found to help with immune boosting along with heart and kidney function. It’s seriously amazing and you should definitely look into this one!

Rose Hips

These are an amazing source of vitamin C and if you freeze your elderberries til fall, you can forage some if you have them and use them fresh in your syrup.  Otherwise, you can purchase them dried and they are good that way too.

Mullein Leaves

I have a thing for mullein.  I love it.  I love the plant.  I love the flowers.  I love that it’s fuzzy.  I love that it grows everywhere.  I love looove it.  It’s medicinal properties are amazing and I have found that, for me and my family, it is an amazing decongestant and expectorant, so obviously I’m tossing some dehydrated leaves in I preserved earlier this spring.  You can also use some fresh picked and I just tear the leaves apart a little.  It’s a great way to sneak in some unexpected goodness into your syrup!

Fresh Ginger

Ginger is amazing for digestive medicinal value and also for flavor.

Lemon Juice

Lemons are a nice source of good quality vitamin C, but I mainly add lemon juice to increase the acidity of the juice when I’m canning.  If you’re not canning this recipe or you’re freezing it, you can leave it out, but also feel free to add fresh squeezed and up that vitamin C.  It ain’t gonna hurt ya!  Zest of fresh lemons is really good added to this.

Rebel Canning

This recipe can be considered rebel canning.  This means this exact recipe has not been evaluated nor approved by the USDA or NCHFP.  Does the mean this recipe is unsafe?  Sure doesn’t, as its one I and many others use and consume.  What it does mean is as with any home canning, you should can at your own risk and use common sense.  Make your own decisions because what I do and say I’m doing in my own home should not affect what you do in yours.  If you are not comfortable with rebel canning, please don’t follow this recipe.   In the end, you will have canned something you are afraid of and you will not eat it or use it and you will have essentially wasted your time and money.  My opinion?  Elderberry juice is an acidic liquid infused with herbs.  You’ll be fine.

Now, let’s make our own elderberry syrup!

Equipment You Might Want

• Large Stock Pot
• Pint or smaller canning jars
• Canning lids & bands
• Jar Funnel
• Steam Canner
• Water bath canning pot
• Jar lifter

Ingredients

• 8 cups raw elderberries (half this amount of dried berries)
• 8 cups of water
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 whole cloves
• 2 Tablespoons astragalus root
• 1 star anise pod
• 2 Tablespoons rose hips
• 1/2 cup dried mullein leaves
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 1/2 cup raw local honey

Step 1:  Prep

To a stock pot, add raw elderberries, water, and herbs of your choice (the ones in the recipe and measurements are just a guide of what I do, which doesn’t have to be what you do!)

Step 2:  Cook

Place pot over medium heat, cover, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a gently simmer, remove the lid, and allow it to simmer for about an hour to an hour and a half.  You’re looking to reduce the liquid amount by half.  Don’t let the mixture reduce too quickly or you won’t get a nice infusion of everything, so err on the side of more gentle and slower just to make sure you suck out all the benefits of elderberries and the herbs you added.

Once reduced, strain mixture.  I use a fine mesh strainer lined with muslin or my milk strainer with a milk filter on it.  Either works fine.

Step 3:  Canning

Into clean pint jars, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to each jar.

Ladle hot elderberry juice into each jar to 1/2 inch head space.

Wipe jar rims and add a lid and secure with a screw band.

Process pint or smaller jars for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath or steam canner, adjusting processing time for elevation if needed.

Once canning time is complete, remove jars from canner and set aside on a heat proof surface lined with a clean towel to cool undisturbed for 18-24 hours.

Step 4:  Storage

Once cool, remove bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.  Room temperature is fine as long as jars are not exposed to extreme temperatures, but cool and dark is always preferred.

Shelf life is ’til you use it.  Aim to use canned goods within 2 years but they’ll last longer if you need them to.

Step 5:  Preparing

Dump a pint jar into a small sauce pan and warm slightly if the juice is cold (my cellar is chilly) just enough to dissolve the honey.  If it’s warm, you probably don’t need to warm it if your honey is liquid.  Add up to 1 1/2 cups of honey and mix well.  I generally add about 1/2 cup of honey because I can’t stand something super sweet when I’m sick.

Store syrup in the refrigerator and consume within a couple months.

General guidelines for dosing for adults is 1-2 tablespoons up to 3 times a day as needed.  Do not give to children under 1 year of age due to honey content and botulism risk in infants.  Child dose for kids 1-5 years old is 1 teaspoon and you can increase as your child grows and you see fit.  My kids like to take it straight off the spoon, but you can make homemade gummies if they don’t enjoy that!

Take anytime you are going to potentially be exposed to illness prior to exposure or if illness is present, take with meals 3x per day.

Notes:

Feel free to make your own little tweaks and add or remove any herbs given in this recipe.  The measurements and ingredients are not a hard and fast rule.  The only thing you should stick to is 2 quarts of elderberries to 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in each pint jar for canning.  Everything else is fully customizable to your liking and your family’s needs.

And there yo have a shelf-stable syrup ready for you to open and use when you need it!  I hope I’ve inspired you to make your own homemade elderberry syrup because it really is that easy.

How to Make Homemade Elderberry Syrup and Preserve It

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Canning Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 3 pints

Author: Ruby – Red Feather Farm

Equipment

• Large Stock Pot
• pint or smaller canning jars
• canning lids & bands
• jar funnel
• steam canner
• Water bath canning pot
• jar lifter

Ingredients

• 8 cups raw elderberries half this amount of dried berries
• 8 cups of water
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 whole cloves
• 2 Tablespoons astragalus root
• 1 star anise pod
• 2 Tablespoons rose hips
• 1/2 cup dried mullein leaves
• 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger minced
• 1 1/2 cup raw local honey

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• To a stock pot, add raw elderberries, water, and herbs of your choice (the ones in the recipe and measurements are just a guide of what I do, which doesn't have to be what you do!)
• Place pot over medium heat, cover, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a gently simmer, remove the lid, and allow it to simmer for about an hour to an hour and a half.
• You're looking to reduce the liquid amount by half.  Don't let the mixture reduce too quickly or you won't get a nice infusion of everything, so err on the side of more gentle and slower just to make sure you suck out all the benefits of elderberries and the herbs you added.
• Once reduced, strain mixture.  I use a fine mesh strainer lined with muslin or my milk strainer with a milk filter on it.  Either works fine.
• Into clean pint jars, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to each jar.
• Ladle hot elderberry juice into each jar to 1/2 inch head space.
• Wipe jar rims and add a lid and secure with a screw band.
• Process pint or smaller jars for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath or steam canner, adjusting processing time for elevation if needed.
• Once canning time is complete, remove jars from canner and set aside on a heat proof surface lined with a clean towel to cool undisturbed for 18-24 hours.
• Once cool, remove bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.  Room temperature is fine as long as jars are not exposed to extreme temperatures, but cool and dark is always preferred.
• Shelf life is 'til you use it.  Aim to use canned goods within 2 years but they'll last longer if you need them to.

To Use:

• Dump a pint jar into a small sauce pan and warm slightly if the juice is cold (my cellar is chilly) just enough to dissolve the honey.  If it's warm, you probably don't need to warm it if your honey is liquid.  Add up to 1 1/2 cups of honey and mix well.  I generally add about 1/2 cup of honey because I can't stand something super sweet when I'm sick.
• Store syrup in the refrigerator and consume within a couple months.
• General guidelines for dosing for adults is 1-2 tablespoons up to 3 times a day as needed.  Do not give to children under 1 year of age due to honey content and botulism risk in infants.  Child dose for kids 1-5 years old is 1 teaspoon and you can increase as your child grows and you see fit.

Notes

Feel free to make your own little tweaks and add or remove any herbs given in this recipe.  The measurements and ingredients are not a hard and fast rule.  The only thing you should stick to is 2 quarts of elderberries to 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in each pint jar for canning.  Everything else is fully customizable to your liking and your family’s needs.

Pin this for later!