Homemade Elderberry Syrup | Adventures in Cooking

I’m bestowing you this elderberry syrup through a smoky haze, as the local wildfires have arrived about a month early this year. We are lucky in that our home is very airtight, so the smoke isn’t getting into the house, but my heart goes out to the folks and animals who don’t have the luxury. Despite the abysmal air quality, I ventured outside to do some harvesting of the wild elderberries that grow here around my homestead. They have a tart and tannic flavor reminiscent of dark fruits (think plums, but more sour), and are *wildly* good for you. I always dry some of them for tea, but my favorite way to enjoy their benefits is through a homemade elderberry syrup, one of my most treasured home delicacies.

What’s So Good About Elderberries?

You might be wondering what all the health benefit fuss is about with these guys. Well buckle up, because there is aplenty! Their dark color is made up of anthocyanins, which are full of anti-oxidants and have a strong anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Elderberries also have a ton of vitamin C, which is a key nutrient for the immune system. They also have a lot of phenolic acids and flavonols, which are more anti-oxidants that reduce oxidative stress in the body. And studies have shown that dried elderberries helped reduce the duration of the common cold by 2 days.

Take Caution When Harvesting & Preparing Elderberries

It is important to say that the raw berries, as well as the branches and leaves of the plant, are toxic if eaten. They contain compounds that turn into cyanide once ingested, can can cause a lot of stomach troubles. So never, ever eat the raw berries, despite how alluringly delicious they look. You either need to boil them (like in a syrup) or bake them. Heat is what breaks down the toxic compounds in the fresh berries.

How to Preserve & Enjoy the Elderberry Syrup

Once you’ve made the syrup, you can store it in a couple different ways. First, you can keep it in a clean jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Alternatively, you can also freeze the syrup in ice cube trays. Then break the frozen cubes out and place them all in a resealable container in the freezer. I will say, the ice cubes are not completely hard because of the sugar, so they cubes are a bit slushy around the edges, but still keep their shape well enough to grab one out of a resealable bag or container in the freezer. I keep mine this way since they’ll last for a couple years and I can use them during cold and flu season when I need the immune boost the most.

I make my elderberry syrup with spices like anise, cloves, and cinnamon, as well as some zesty bits like lemon zest and fresh ginger. When stewed together with the berries and some sugar, it makes for a profoundly warm and cozy-tasting sweet. Honestly, it tastes kind of like a non-alcoholic mulled wine, but a bit sweeter. I absolutely love it in tea or coffee lattes, cocktails or mocktails, in lemon juice for a quick lemonade, or just having a couple tablespoons when I feel a cold coming on. I highly encourage you to make some during elderberry season, it’s an absolute treat! And if you’re looking for another summery syrup to add to your cupboards, this fig leaf syrup is a crowd favorite (and mine, too!)