Description
A homemade, natural immune-support syrup made with dried elderberries, fresh ginger, and raw honey. This batch-prep recipe yields five 8-ounce jars, offering a potent, tart, and spicy remedy for seasonal sniffles that is easy to store and customize.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (115g) dried elderberries
- 1 cup (340g) raw honey
- 3 inches (approx. 60g) fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups (960ml) filtered water
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 large cinnamon stick
- 5–6 whole cloves
Instructions
- Add dried elderberries, chopped ginger, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and cloves to a large saucepan. Pour in 4 cups of water and stir to submerge the berries.
- Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 45-60 minutes until the liquid turns deep purple and reduces slightly.
- Turn off the heat and mash the berries and ginger against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to release juices. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a bowl. Let it drip naturally, then gently press the pulp to extract remaining liquid. Discard solids.
- Allow the strained liquid to cool to room temperature. Stir in the raw honey until completely dissolved. Do not add honey to hot liquid to preserve enzymes.
- Pour the finished syrup into clean glass jars. Store 2 jars in the fridge for immediate use and freeze the remaining 3 jars.
Notes
Do not use fresh elderberries as they contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides; always use dried. Cool the liquid completely before adding honey to preserve its beneficial enzymes. For a clearer syrup, strain twice. Adjust ginger amount based on desired spice level. Safe for children over 1 year old.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Condiments
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 60
- Sugar: 14
- Carbohydrates: 15
Keywords: elderberry syrup, immune boost, ginger syrup, natural cold remedy, honey syrup, batch prep, healthy winter drink, elderberry recipe