Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe: Cough Syrup
This post may contain affiliate links.
Winter time is the worst time for all of the nasty colds and flus that travel around. It seems like everyone we know is going through some kind of nasty bug right now. Try our homemade elderberry syrup recipe to help fight your colds and boost immunity! It helped us through the worst of it when our family caught it.
This elderberry cough syrup recipe is a very basic recipe but does the job for treating cold and flu symptoms. And is a loved “treat” in our house during the cold and flu season. It is high in antioxidants and vitamin C. Elderberry syrup has been used for hundreds of years as medicine by Native Americans and European herbalists. I always love great natural herbal remedies.
As a teacher or homeschool mom, you have a lot of responsibilities. Having some healthy tricks up your sleeve for those days you are not feeling your best are really important. If you can limit the amount of sick days you have, that is ideal, right?!
Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cup of Dried Elderberries (black elderberries: Sambucus nigra)
- 4 Cups of water
- 1 cup of honey (raw honey is best!)
- Additional add-ins that boost your immune system: Ground cloves (anti viral), ginger (antibiotic properties), cinnamon (antibacterial and antifungal properties)
Instructions:
To make the elderberry syrup, place 1 cup of dried elderberries into a saucepan with 4 cups of water.
Bring the mixture to a boil and let simmer for 30-45 minutes. It get’s stinky when cooking, but I promise it tastes way better than it smells! My kids hate the smell of it cooking, but truly love eating it. 🙂
You want to reduce the cooked elderberry “juice” to only 1-2 cups of liquid. Mash up the berries as they cook. A potato masher works great for this!
Once it has cooled to room temperature, strain the warm juice from cooked elderberries by pouring it through a sieve into a separate container. Discard the elderberries.
Pour your cup of honey into a large glass jar or bowl.
Now pour your warm, but not hot elderberry liquid over your honey and mix well.
Storage:
You can place your elderberry syrup into a sealable container and refrigerate. It should keep well for a couple months in the refrigerator. Once we are through our bug, I usually freeze what I have left until we need it again. I also keep my berries in the freezer to keep them fresh longer.
Tips For Making It
For an herbal syrup, typically you want a 2:1 or 1:1 Herb to honey ratio. The more honey you have, the longer the syrup will be preserved. Some think the 1:1 ratio is too sweet. You can play with different ratios based on your personal preference.
You want to use warm, but not hot liquid when mixing your honey and elderberry juice. This helps preserve the good qualities of the honey.
Recommendations for Using Elderberry Syrup
I give my kids 1 teaspoon per day during cold or flu season. If one of them is looking a bit run down or sick, I give them a teaspoon every hour for a day or two.
Adults in the house take 1 tablespoon per day. Also increasing to one every hour if feeling under the weather.
Benefits of Elderberry Syrup
- It boosts immunity by fighting the flu & reducing cold duration
- Great for your skin~ it’s high in vitamin A which can reduce age spots & lessen wrinkles! Some studies have even shown it to be good for acne.
- Helps with digestion and is often taken for constipation
- It is high in nutrients and antioxidants making it beneficial for your health in many ways.
**Caution: NEVER eat the leaves, stem or raw fruit. It contains a toxic substance that can make you very sick, giving you nausea, vomiting and diarrhea!
SEE ALSO:
Try this other sick day favorite: Sick Day Banana Berry Smoothie
Natural Remedies for Kids with Headaches
Natural ADHD Support for Kids
Essential Oils for Kids
