Description
This homemade elderberry syrup is a delicious, time-tested natural remedy with a beautiful ruby color and comforting aroma. It’s perfect for busy families seeking natural wellness support, especially during cold season, offering a potent and flavorful elixir.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups fresh elderberries, destemmed and rinsed (approx. 250 g)
- 4 cups filtered water (950 ml)
- 1.5 cups raw honey (360 ml), added once cooled
- 1 large knob fresh ginger root, thinly sliced (5 cm)
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks (7.5 cm each)
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves (2 g)
Instructions
- Prepare Elderberries: Rinse 2 cups (250 g) fresh elderberries well and carefully destem them (allow 5 minutes), ensuring no green stems remain; they can cause stomach upset.
- Simmer Ingredients: In a 3-quart stainless steel saucepan, combine elderberries, water, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Simmer gently for 45-60 minutes until deeply colored and fragrant.
- Mash Berries: Remove from heat. Mash the very soft elderberries directly in the pot with a potato masher. This releases maximum juice and flavor.
- Strain Liquid: Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large, clean bowl. Pour the mixture through, pressing solids firmly to extract all liquid. Discard cooked berries and spices.
- Sweeten and Cool: Let liquid cool to warm. Stir in 1.5 cups (360 ml) raw honey. (If too thin, simmer 5-10 minutes until it coats a spoon.) This preserves enzymes.
- Bottle and Store: Pour your cooled fresh elderberry syrup into clean, airtight glass bottles. Store immediately in the refrigerator. I like to sterilize my bottles first, which means less worry about quick spoilage.
Notes
Store fresh berries in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for longer. For a faster option, use an Instant Pot (cook ingredients (without honey) on high pressure for 7 minutes, then natural release, then proceed with mashing and straining). For a vegan choice, maple syrup can replace honey.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Natural Remedy
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: General
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 40 calories
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: elderberry syrup, natural remedy, cold season, immune boost, homemade wellness, fresh berries, healthy eating, easy recipe