Organic Dried Elderberries (Bulgaria)

Elderberry Syrup Honey Recipe (honey-based)

This elderberry honey syrup recipe is a favorite among many for being natural. It does, however, come with the price of a short shelf life.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Elderberry Honey Syrup Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh elderberries
  OR 2/3 cups of dried elderberries plus 3 cups water
• 2/3 cup of Honey
• Yield 1 pint

Spice is Optional ~ Before boiling add the spices of your choice 1/4 teaspoon of ginger 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, or 2 cloves. Also consider Rosehips, Anise Star, or Echinacea.

Instructions

Place the elderberries (and water if using dried elderberries) in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently to reduce the liquid to half. *Strain seeds/pulp out, pour water over pulp if necessary to increase liquid to equal 1 1/3 cups juice. When it’s warm but NOT hot, add 2/3 cup of honey. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.

Grandma’s Elderberry Syrup Recipe (sugar-based)

Prep time 5 minutes.
Cooking Time 30 minutes.
Yield 1 Pint

Grandma’s Elderberry Syrup Recipe Ingredients for 1 Pint

• 2 cups fresh elderberries
  OR 2/3 cups of dried elderberries plus 3 cups water
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar

Instructions for Grandma’s Elderberry Syrup Recipe
Place the elderberries (and water if using dried elderberries) in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer to reduce the liquid to half. *Strain seeds/pulp out. Move liquid to clean pan, add the sugar and lemon juice and boil briefly to dissolve the sugar. Optional Spices – per each pint, add 1/4 tsp of Ginger, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 2 cloves. Process for 10 minutes in a water bath canner (add 1 minute for every 1,000 feet above sea level).

Grandma wrote that the syrup was good for 1 year when canned. Unsealed and chilled in the refrigerator, she used it for 2 months. Grandma also wrote to NOT to try to adjust the sugar or lemon juice amounts in this recipe. My PH has tested 3.6 to 3.8 consistently for this elderberry syrup recipe over many years and batches, so it looks like Grandma’s proportions are exactly right.

**Syrup recipes from https://www.elderberryedgefarm.com/pages/elderberry-recipes