Bush Barn Farm elderberry syrup
Hannah MorrisThis immune-boosting elderberry syrup can be taken by a tablespoon on its own, or you can build it into your own daily routines (e.g. adding to porridge and smoothies). You can make it with dried elderberries, elderberry juice or from de-stemmed elderberries. The ingredients and method differ slightly - see below.
Serves: Will make approx 1 litre
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Base spices for all versions:
- 3 cinnamon sticks or 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground or whole cloves
- 1 inch fresh or dried ginger
- 250g honey
Then choose your berry option:
- Dried berries: 100g dried elderberries + 700ml water
- Fresh berries: 1kg de-stemmed elderberries + 100ml water
- Frozen juice: 1 litre elderberry juice
Method
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Combine ingredients:
- For dried or fresh berries: Place berries, water, and spices in a saucepan.
- For frozen juice: Place juice and spices in a saucepan.
-
Simmer:
- Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25–30 minutes.
- For dried berries, simmer until liquid reduces by half.
-
Strain:
- Pour through a fine mesh strainer or muslin cloth into a clean bowl.
- For berry versions, press pulp to extract all juice.
-
Cool & sweeten:
- Let liquid cool to room temperature.
- Whisk in honey until smooth.
-
Store:
- Transfer to a sealed glass jar and refrigerate. Keeps for 2 weeks.
- Freeze extras if needed.
Note: Homemade syrup is thinner than shop-bought versions – that’s normal!
Tips and variations
This recipe should make roughly 1 litre of elderberry syrup, but that amount will vary based on how long you let the liquid cook down.
This recipe is very adaptable, so feel free to experiment with the ingredients.
Elderberry syrup is most often taken by the tablespoon when needed. However, you can also use it to make an elderberry smoothie, or you can add it to your favourite warm tea with a squeeze of lemon juice, when you want to sooth your throat.
Incorporate elderberry syrup into your morning routine by drizzling it on waffles, pancakes, or over a bowl of porridge.