DIY Elderberry Syrup and Gummies Recipe
Post Updated August 25th, 2021
Elder is by far one of my favorite plants, herbs, fruit & flower. All in one, this plant can pack an immune system punch and is safe for most everyone* to use. Brad’s entire family is from England, and we frequently visit there, usually during the summer months. As we drive down the windy narrow country roads, the elder flowers that line the roads breathtakingly blow in the wind as you drive past. If you head into a pub or shoppe, you will find a wide assortment of elder flavored things, my favorite being the elder syrup or elder essense. It is lovely and light, bright and floral. Elder flower and berry tea is popular as well, making a presence in the fall and winter time.
We have elder growing here at Liferoot and it always reminds me of the English countryside every time I walk past the flowers in the spring and summer. In the fall, those flowers turn into elderberries, which are a potent winter wellness superpower. I am sure you have seen the advertisements for elderberry syrup most everywhere, I have even seen Walgreens carry it. I do applaud stores for carrying this natural and safe option for flus, colds and winter wellness.
I will say that it can be pretty expensive for a family to take it as a preventative if they are buying store bought, as well as a good quality store bought brand can be hard to find, with the right potency and freshness (without many preservatives and fake sugars). So hence the DIY recipe!!
Elderberry syrup is easy to make, and makes a lot, so will last a family of 5 for a while (usually about two months).
We have also included a gummy recipe below that is great for kids (or adults). If you don’t want to gather all the supplies to make it, we sell the DIY kits on our site, so grab one to get all the supplies and recipe card sent to your door. :)
In our house, we typically begin taking elderberry syrup in late October and keep going on and off till March. I don’t think taking any herb every single day is a great thing (see our blog post here for why), so I recommend taking elderberry syrup, tincture or gummies every other day. Another strategy is to take Monday thru Friday and don’t take on the weekends.
We also utilize many other strategies in our Winter Wellness routine, and I encourage you hop over to our Winter Wellness Strategies and Tips for some great recommendations to keep your family healthy this winter season.
Without further ado… heres the recipe! Enjoy!
*Elderberry has been proven safe for most ages, although there isn’t enough evidence to support use for pregnant or nursing mamas, young babies or toddler children. From my herbalist perspective, many women, men, and families (especially European families and climates where this grows wild and plentiful) have used this syrup for generations, pregnant, nursing, toddler or otherwise. I have also seen babies do well on it in my experience (not using raw honey recipe), and young toddlers. But please don’t think I am a doctor, use your noggin, smarts and choices, and do what is right for your family. xoxo
DIY Winter Wellness Syrup
Ingredients:
2/3 cup organic dried black elderberries
3½ cups water (use filtered please)
2 tbs. (fresh or dried) organic ginger root
1 tbs. organic cinnamon powder or 1-2 dried cinnamon sticks
½ tsp. organic clove powder
1 cup raw honey (Liferoot’s DIY blend is infused with rose hips, goji berries, but if you can, preferably use local raw honey to your area, from happy healthy bees). Can sub in Maple Syrup for smaller children or vegan version. Never give raw honey to a child under one years old.
1 tbs. organic acai powder
You Will Need:
Ingredients above
Quart Saucepan
Strainer
Bowl
Large Serving Spoon
Quart Glass Jar with Lid or other sealable container to store syrup
Instructions:
Pour water into medium saucepan and add elderberries, ginger, cinnamon, and clove mixture.
Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until the liquid has reduced by almost half.
Remove from heat and let mixture cool until it is cool enough to be handled.
Add Acai powder. Stir.
Pour through a strainer into a glass jar or bowl. Mash the berries carefully using a spoon or other flat utensil to sqeeze out last bit of juice.
Discard/compost the elderberries and let the liquid cool to lukewarm.
When it is no longer hot, add the honey and stir well.
When the honey is well mixed in and dissolved, pour the syrup into a quart sized mason jar.
YAY! You just made winter wellness syrup! Store in the fridge and take for immune boosting properties. Some sources recommend taking only during the week and not on the weekends to boost immunity, or one week on, one week off. Adult dosage 1-2 tsp per day, increase dosage when symptoms occur to 1-3x per day. Children, adjust accordingly by weight. Average children dosage, 1/2 to 1 tsp once per day, increase dosage when symptoms occur.
Note: This syrup uses raw honey, and is not recommended for children under one year old. Always use common sense and use your best judgement when administering, test for allergies, and consult a practitioner before use.
Enjoy! Save this recipe for making another batch, or you can always order another kit through Liferoot Botanicals here:
Gummy recipe is below!
Elderberry Gummy Recipe:
Ingredients:
Food grade silicon molds
1 TBSP oil (preferred coconut, avocado, olive)
1 cup Liferoot elderberry syrup (made from recipe above)
1/4 cup gelatin powder (we prefer unflavored grass-fed beef gelatin)
½ cup hot water
You will need:
Ingredients above
2-cup measuring cup
Storage Container (a glass snap top is preferred)
Parchment or wax paper
Whisk
Instructions:
Grease molds to prevent sticking.
Place ¼ cup of cooled elderberry syrup in a 2 cup measuring cup and quickly whisk in the gelatin powder.
Add the ½ cup of hot (not boiling) water and stir quickly until smooth.
Add the rest of the elderberry syrup and stir or whisk until completely smooth.
Pour into molds and refrigerate for 2 hours or until completely firm.
Pop out of molds and store in airtight container with parchment paper between layers.
Dosage: One or two gummies per day, according to weight. Can increase at first signs of illness to one every two hours.
This recipe was adapted from Wellness Mamas Flu-Busting Elderberry Gummies