Elderberry Syrup Recipe – Cold & Flu Remedy – Instant Pot or Stovetop – FOOD is Four Letter Word (2024)

Prep time: 3 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 24 Oz

Method

• 1)

  INSTANT POT Instructions: Place all the ingredients except for the honey into the Instant Pot. Set for Manual / High Pressure for 20 minutes. Let it do a natural pressure release for 15 minutes then switch the nob to venting to release the rest of the pressure.

  STOVETOP Instructions: Place all the ingredients into a large pot except for the honey. Add an extra 2 cups of filtered water. Bring it to a boil then simmer for about 1 hour or until the mixture has reduced by about half.

  ***You can omit any of the spices if you prefer, the store bought syrup usually doesn’t contain any spices, but I add them for the additional health benefits, but kids might not like the taste of the spices

• 2)

  Strain the mixture, press the berries to extract all the juice, then add the honey and mix well. Store the syrup in glass bottles or mason jars. It should keep well for several months in the refrigerator.

24 Comments

• Lisa Bartlett

  January 13, 2018 at 2:03 am

  Thank you for sharing this in the gummy bear instructions. I am definitely going to try this. For now I’ll do it on the stove top until the instant pots are back in stock so I can order one

  Reply

• Andrea

  January 13, 2018 at 2:48 pm

  Is there a non-sugar substitute for honey in this recipe? Perhaps vegetable glycerin? I am extremely low to no sugar

  Reply

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  1. Van

     January 13, 2018 at 4:58 pm

     Hi Andrea, you can leave the honey out of this recipe, the honey acts as a preservative for the syrup – that’s why it can last several months in the refrigerator. The syrup will last bout 10-14 days without any sugar. Maybe you can make a ½ recipe or ⅓ recipe since it doesn’t keep that long.

     Reply

• Jackie O

  January 16, 2018 at 4:14 am

  So this may be a silly questions, but I was a bit confused on how to measure our the elderberries. When I purchased the elderberries, I told the woman I needed one cup of elderberries for my recipe, and measured out 8 oz. of elderberries for me. When I got home, I measured one cup with my dry measuring cup, it was about 4 oz. of elderberries. Should I have used just the 4 oz. (1 dry measuring cup) of elderberries or one cup as in 8 oz of elderberries? I am afraid that I am going to make my family (husband and 3 year old daughter) nauseous because I made it too strong. Please help!

  Reply

  1. Van

     January 16, 2018 at 11:58 pm

     Hi Jackie, the recipe used 1 cup (dry measuring cup) which is about 4 oz in weight. If you accidentally used 8 oz in this recipe, just give your family a half serving instead.

     Reply

• Ashley

  January 22, 2018 at 9:13 am

  So im confused about last comment…1 cup is 8oz…. how do u get 4oz?

  Reply

  1. Van

     January 22, 2018 at 3:42 pm

     Hi Ashley, 4oz in weight of dried elderberries is about 1 cup measured. I believe you’re thinking 8oz of liquid is the same as one cup measured.

     Reply

• Billie

  January 23, 2018 at 3:00 am

  I’ve made this recipe and it is really good, thank you! I was wondering why you use only 2.5 cups of water? I mean, clearly everyone has their own preference, but many recipes which require fewer berries use more water. What do you think?

  Reply

  1. Van

     January 26, 2018 at 6:00 pm

     I have been making this for years and when I used the stovetop method, I use more water because of the evaporation from simmering. Since there is almost no evaporation when I use Instant Pot, I use less water for that method.

     Reply

• Bri

  January 26, 2018 at 4:43 pm

  Trying this tonight, a couple questions
  1…. Do you mash the elderberries before straining?
  Also, do you let it cool before adding the honey?

  Thanks so much!

  Reply

  See Also

  This is the recipe for How to Make Sugar Free Egg Nog

  1. Van

     January 26, 2018 at 5:57 pm

     Hi Bri, I don’t mash them before straining, but you definitely could if you’re trying to extract more juice out of them. I don’t use raw honey so I don’t wait until it cools before adding it, if you’re using raw honey than you could wait until it cools.

     Reply

• Randi

  January 31, 2018 at 9:45 pm

  Thank you so much for this recipe! I am letting mine cool as we speak! I was wondering what you do with elderberries from the pot? Can i make another batch? Do you just throw them away?

  Reply

  1. Van

     January 31, 2018 at 10:32 pm

     Hi Randi, you’re welcome! You can’t make another batch with the old berries, but you can pour some warm water over them, strain & make a tea from them. After that they are just compost.

     Reply

• Brittany

  February 8, 2018 at 9:23 pm

  I have frozen berries that I harvested this last fall. Would you still add 2-1/2 cups water or a bit less since they are not dehydrated?

  Reply

  1. Van

     February 8, 2018 at 9:50 pm

     Hi Brittany, you’re so lucky to have access to an elderberry bush! Use 2 cups of water instead and it should work out perfectly.

     Reply

• Jenn

  February 9, 2018 at 9:35 am

  I need to use it in concentrate form as I can’t get dried. How much of the concentrated

  Reply

  1. Van

     February 9, 2018 at 9:38 am

     Hi Jenn, do you mean the dried elderberry powder? You can use 4oz Weight of powder in this recipe and use a fine mesh strainer to strain the powder at the end.

     Reply

• Van

  February 11, 2018 at 5:21 pm

  Hi Brianna, it lasts at leasts 3 months in the refrigerator. It will probably last a little longer, but I usually use it up before then.

  Reply

• BRUN

  February 11, 2018 at 5:22 pm

  How long does a finished product last?!

  Reply

  1. Van

     February 11, 2018 at 5:26 pm

     Hi Brianna, it lasts at leasts 3 months in the refrigerator. It will probably last a little longer, but I usually use it up before then.

     Reply

• Angela

  February 21, 2018 at 4:30 pm

  I was only able to find elderberry tincture. How would I incorporate this in the recipe to make it work? Thanks!

  Reply

  1. Van

     February 21, 2018 at 6:55 pm

     Hi Angela, so you already have the syrup/tincture, but you wanted to add the spices? You could just take the syrup you already have a in a covered pan simmer on low with the spices for about 40 mins.

     Reply

• Jessica

  January 25, 2020 at 6:49 pm

  Can you freeze it and use later? How long would it be good in the freezer if so? Thanks!

  Reply

  1. Van

     January 26, 2020 at 5:22 pm

     Hi Jessica, yes you can freeze it – I’m guessing it would be good for up to a year? I’ve kept mine in the fridge for up to 6 months with no issues.

     Reply