This wonderful classic elderberry syrup recipe comes from Mountain Rose Herbs. Elderberry syrup is delicious and a great way to support your immune system in low daily doses as the temperatures drop. The beautiful rich color of elderberry tells us it’s a phytonutrient power house. It's rich in vitamin c, potassium quercetin, rutin and phenolic acids. It also contains flavonoids (antioxidants), and anthocyanidins (immune-boosting properties).
Elderberry, like echinacea, has traditionally been used to optimize and modulate immune response. It’s beneficial if taken in low dose preventatively and can be increased in dose with early cold or flu symptoms. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, children, or those with autoimmune disorders should use caution or check with a professional before taking Elderberry. Here’s a deeper dive.
A bonus of this syrup is that it is a great vessel to add less tasty herbs, supplements or tinctures to if your family is picky about such things.
I make Mountain Rose Herbs’ base recipe for delicious and immune supporting elderberry syrup and also buy my ingredients from them. It keeps well in the fridge for several weeks without adding any alcohol. I add a few rose hips and cloves to the pot while simmering. I recommend a small mouthed bottle to pour well and prevent things from getting too sticky!
Looking for a quick win instead of a recipe?
For daily immune maintenance, age 4 and up, we recommend Standard Process Children’s Immune. It has immune supporting: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, Bovine Colostrum, Pre-biotic, and Elderberry in a chewable tablet. Also available for local pick up from our office (contact us).
You could also purchase this Elderberry Syrup already made from Mountain Rose Herbs!
Ingredients:
2 cups dried organic elderberries
4 cups cold water (distilled, purified, or spring water works best)
2-3 tsp. organic dried ginger root
1 cup raw, local honey (or organic maple syrup or agave for a vegan/infant-friendly recipe); double the amount of sweetener to increase shelf life
1 cup vodka or brandy (optional to increase shelf life)
Directions:
Combine berries and herbs with cold water in pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and allow herbs to simmer 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove from heat and let steep 1 hour.
Strain berries and herbs using a funnel overlaid with doubled cheesecloth or undyed cotton muslin bag (I use a fine strainer instead) and squeeze out liquid (careful, liquid will likely still be hot!). Discard used herbs in compost.
Once liquid has cooled to just above room temperature, add honey and stir to incorporate.
If using vodka or brandy, add here and stir until well combined.
Bottle in sterilized glass and store in the refrigerator.
Tips:
Be sure to add honey in a ratio that is at least half of the total volume of liquid after it has simmered. This amount can change slightly and you want to make sure you have enough preservative (honey) so that your syrup won't spoil. (Example: If you are left with 2 cups of elderberry decoction, you will want to add at least 1 cup of honey.)
This recipe is easy to multiply if you’d like to make a big batch to store or give as gifts (glass pantry jars and amber bottles are great choices!).
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