DIY Elderberry Syrup Recipe for Back to School

DIY Elderberry Syrup Recipe for Back to School

Elderberry 101: Berry • Botanical Name • Best Season • Traditional Uses • Safety Note

Hi babes! Summer will soon come to a close and it's already time to start prepping our natural remedies for Fall! There’s something extra comforting about having a jar of homemade elderberry syrup tucked away in the refrigerator — especially as we head into back to school - AKA cold and flu season. I am lucky enough to have elderberries growing at home, and if the weather permits I highly encourage you to do the same! Elderberry has been used traditionally for generations as a seasonal wellness herb, and today you’ll find it in everything from teas and tinctures to gummies and syrups.

For those who just came to grab the recipe here it is below, but keep reading for more deets on how to use it safely:

DIY Elderberry Recipe:

Here's what you will need:

  • 1 cup dried elderberries
  • 3 cups water
  • 1-2 teaspoon dried cinnamon or 1-2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 teaspoon dried cloves or 4 whole cloves
  • 2 tablespoon fresh ginger 
    1 cup raw honey or manuka honey if you can!

Here's how to create:

1. Boil water, elderberries, water, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.

2. Reduce to simmer and cover for 45 mins. Liquid should reduce to about half.

3. Let cool and then strain. Make sure you smash the berries down to get all the goodness!

4. Add raw honey.

4. Store in the fridge for up to two months.

A Little Love for Elderberry

Made from the dark berries of the elder tree, most commonly black elderberry (Sambucus nigra), elderberry is naturally rich in plant compounds called anthocyanins and other polyphenols. These compounds have antioxidant activity, which is one reason elderberry has become such a popular addition to seasonal wellness routines.

I personally love making it at home because I can keep the ingredients simple, customize the flavor, and turn the process itself into a little seasonal ritual. You can find elderberries fresh at your local farmers market, but you cannot eat them raw or unripe. Buying them already dried out will save you a lot of time! 

    What Are the Benefits of Elderberry?

    Elderberry is probably best known for its traditional use during cold and flu season. Research is still developing, but some clinical studies suggest that certain standardized elderberry preparations may help reduce the severity or duration of upper respiratory symptoms once someone is sick. At this point, however, there isn’t strong enough evidence to say that elderberry prevents colds, influenza, or other viral illnesses.

    Potential benefits include:

    • Antioxidant support: Elderberries contain anthocyanins and other polyphenols that help protect cells from oxidative stress.
    • Seasonal immune support: Elderberry has a long history of traditional use during cold and flu season.
    • Respiratory symptom support: Some small studies have found improvements in the duration or severity of cold and flu-like symptoms.
    • A nutrient-rich herbal food: Properly prepared elderberries can be incorporated into syrups, teas, jams, and other foods as part of a varied diet.

    I like to think of elderberry as one tool in the wellness toolbox, rather than a substitute for medical treatment, vaccinations, rest, hydration, or other appropriate care.

    Elderberry Safety: The Important Part!

    One thing I always want people to know when making elderberry syrup at home is that elderberries should be properly cooked before consuming them.

    Raw or unripe elderberries, as well as the leaves and stems of the elder plant, can contain cyanogenic compounds that may cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, or diarrhea. Cooking the berries substantially reduces this risk. Leaves, stems, bark, and unripe green berries should not be included in your syrup.

    If you are harvesting elderberries yourself rather than purchasing dried berries from a reputable supplier, proper plant identification is especially important.

    Who Should Use Extra Caution?

    Talk with your healthcare provider before using elderberry medicinally if you:

    • Are pregnant or breastfeeding. There simply isn’t enough research yet to establish the safety of medicinal elderberry use during pregnancy or lactation. However, I know moms who do it and are perfectly fine. Follow your instincts on this!
    • Take prescription medications or regularly use other herbal supplements. Herbal products can sometimes interact with medications.
    • Take medications for diabetes, fluid balance/diuresis, or constipation, because potential additive effects have been proposed and should be discussed with your healthcare provider.
    • Have a known allergy to elderberry or related plants.
    • Develop persistent nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, or other unusual symptoms after taking elderberry.
    • If you have an autoimmune condition or take immunosuppressive medication, talk with your healthcare provider before using concentrated elderberry products.

    And remember: herbal does not automatically mean risk-free. Plants can be powerful, which is exactly why knowing how to prepare and use them appropriately matters.

    How Much Elderberry Syrup Should You Take?

    Here is where things get a little tricky.

    There is no universally established medical dosage for homemade elderberry syrup, and homemade recipes can vary dramatically in how much elderberry is actually present in each tablespoon.

    Clinical trials have generally studied standardized commercial elderberry extracts, not homemade syrup. For example, one influenza study used 15 mL of a specific standardized elderberry syrup four times daily in adults — but that should not be interpreted as an equivalent dosage for every homemade recipe.

    For a homemade syrup like this one, I prefer to think in terms of a small culinary or traditional serving rather than presenting it as a treatment dose.

    A common traditional serving might look like:

    Adults: 1 tablespoon as a serving.

    Older children: Smaller amounts are commonly used based on age, but because homemade concentrations vary, parents should speak with their pediatrician or qualified herbal practitioner about medicinal use.

    If symptoms develop, especially high fever, breathing difficulty, dehydration, severe pain, symptoms that are worsening, or illness in a very young child, elderberry syrup should never delay appropriate medical care.

    ***If your recipe contains honey, it should never be given to a baby under 12 months old because of the risk of infant botulism.

    Elderberry syrup can be a beautiful addition to a home herbal pantry when it is prepared correctly and used thoughtfully. I love that it connects something as simple as a berry with generations of traditional plant knowledge — while still leaving room for what modern research is continuing to teach us.

    As always, get curious about the herbs you use. Learn their benefits, learn their boundaries, and remember that wellness does not have to mean choosing between ancestral wisdom and evidence-based care. There is room for both.

    Sources & Further Reading:

    Back to blog

    Leave a comment

    Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.