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A basket full of fresh elderberries sitting next to a bottle of homemade elderberry syrup.

Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe, Easy & Affordable

Homemade elderberry syrup is simple, affordable, and easy to customize! Learn how to make this flavorful herbal syrup with fresh, frozen, or dried elderberries, plus helpful tips for storage, substitutions, and safe preparation. It’s a practical recipe to have ready when cold and flu season rolls around.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 32 servings
Author: Carolyn Thomas
Cost: Varies

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 cups filtered water
  • 2 cups cups fresh or frozen elderberries Or 1 cup dried elderberries. When using dried elderberries, I use this elderberry syrup mix from Farmhouse Teas.
  • 2 cups honey
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Add water and fresh berries (or dried berries) to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil.
  • Simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Strain liquid through a fine-mesh strainer, removing berries and add-ins. At this point, you can mash the berries a bit to release all their liquid.
  • Continue simmering until the liquid is reduced by half.
  • Remove from heat and allow liquid to cool to just above room temperature. You want to be able to touch it comfortably with your finger (or, if using a thermometer, about 110 degrees F or less).
  • Add honey and lemon juice, stir until honey is dissolved.
  • Ladle into your jars, label and put on a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Notes

Tips and Troubleshooting:
Problem
 Solution
Why Does My Elderberry Syrup Taste Bitter?
 Elderberries have a naturally earthy, tart flavor. If the syrup tastes too strong for your family, you can adjust the flavor with additional honey, lemon, cinnamon, ginger, or other spices.
Why Is My Syrup Too Thin?
 The consistency depends largely on how far you reduce the liquid. If your syrup seems too thin, you can return it to the pot and simmer it a little longer. Keep an eye on it, though. You don’t want to reduce it so far that you end up with a very thick concentrate.
Why Is My Syrup Too Thick?
 If you reduced the syrup too far, you can thin it with a little water. Add a small amount at a time and stir well.
Dosing Suggestions:
My preferred dosage for daily immune support during cold and flu season is as follows:
  • Adults take 1 teaspoon daily. 
  • Kids (6-12 years old) take 1 teaspoon daily. 
  • Kids (1-5 years old) take ½ teaspoon daily.
My preferred dosage when fighting off illness (until symptoms subside) is as follows:
  • Adults take 1 teaspoon up to 1 Tablespoon every 2-3 hours.
  • Kids (6-12 years old) take 1 teaspoon every 2-3 hours.
  • Kids (1-5 years old) take ½ teaspoon every 2-3 hours.
* Not recommended for kids under 1 year old.
Homemade elderberry syrup can also be incorporated into your everyday foods. 
  • Stir it into tea.
  • Add a little to juice.
  • Blend it into a smoothie.
  • Drizzle a small amount over pancakes.
  • Add it to homemade kombucha for flavor.
For children who don't love the flavor of herbal preparations, this elderberry gummies recipe can be a fun alternative.
And honestly, this is one of those recipes where getting the flavor right matters. If your family loves it, they’re much more likely to actually use it.
Storing Homemade Elderberry Syrup:
Once the elderberry syrup has been prepared and cooled, transfer it to clean jars, add tight-fitting lids, label them, and store them in the refrigerator.
For this recipe, plan to use the syrup within 2 months when refrigerated.
You can also freeze elderberry syrup if you want to prepare a batch ahead of time. Leave appropriate headspace in freezer-safe containers because liquids expand as they freeze.
For long-term pantry storage, don't rely on this refrigerator recipe. Instead, use a research-based, tested preservation recipe specifically developed for elderberry syrup or another elderberry product. Extension food-safety guidance recommends following research-based processing instructions for elderberry canning.
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