Grandma's Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Authors ~  Grandma & Shannon  ~   2/28/19
Grandma's Elderberry Syrup Recipe

 Simple Elderberry Syrup Recipe

Grandma has been gone for a long while now but thankfully she wrote down her Elderberry Syrup Recipe. An elderberry syrup recipe that has stood the test of time. Grandma used this elderberry syrup recipe because of the longer shelf life compared to honey elderberry syrup recipes. 

Don't fear the sugar, it may seem like a lot, but since you only take a tablespoon at a time that makes it 48 calories and 12g of sugar. For comparison, one chocolate chip cookie from Subway has 200 calories and 18g of sugar.

Leave out any spices for more of a kid-friendly elderberry syrup. 

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Grandma's Elderberry Syrup

Grandma's Elderberry Syrup Recipe Cards Dried and Fresh Elderberries 
  Prep time 5 minutes.
  Cooking Time 30 minutes. 
 Yield 1 Pint    

Grandma's Elderberry Syrup Recipe Ingredients for 1 Pint

Recipe Card includes amounts for a 1/2 pint and 6 pint batches. And amounts for both fresh and dried elderberries. 
  • 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.  

   

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Serving Size 1 Tablespoon

Grandma's elderberry syrup recipe nutritional analysis