Elderberry Syrup for Kids (That they actually like!)

Elderberry syrup is a staple in our home. We use it to help keep us healthy during cold and flu season and my kids even find it helps with upset tummies.  Today I’m going to share with you the simple recipe I have worked out over time. This is an elderberry syrup for kids that they actually like, too!

Best elderberry syrup for kids - that they actually like! Find out how to make elderberry syrup from toddlers to adults that tastes good.

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What Are Elderberries? 

Elderberries have been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for hundreds of years. The berries and flowers of the Elderberry Tree can be used to make teas, syrups and tinctures to help boost the immune system and ward off cold and flu at the first sign of symptoms. They can also shorten the duration of cold and flu. 

You can grow elderberries (which I hope to try someday), but most people buy them dried from health food stores or online. You can find some wonderful elderberries or pre-make syrup on Amazon for a good price, and that’s where I get mine most often now. Hopefully some day I’ll find a local source, but I can still buy them organic and in bulk

Only blue and black elderberries are edible. Other parts of the plant are poisonous.  Elderberries can be used in foods or to make teas, but so far we have only used the to make a syrup. 

What is Elderberry Syrup? 

Elderberry syrup is one of the many things you can make with elderberries. It is made from elderberries and other healthy ingredients that create a sweet and tart liquid. The syrup is stored in glass jars in the refrigerator and taken to treat cold and flu, primarily. 

I know some families that take elderberry syrup all year round. We choose to take it at the first sign of cold and flu symptoms every 2 hours or so until the symptoms are gone. Catching symptoms RIGHT AWAY is a big help and can really shorten duration of sickness. That is probably the most notable difference I have seen since we started using it. 

There is some controversy over whether elderberries are safe to use while pregnant or nursing. As far as I’ve been able to determine, any caution is due to a lack of testing and research in this area and not a specific effect there is concern about. Please use discernment and research for yourself before deciding whether to take elderberry syrup. Consulting a doctor or herbalist is advisable. 

Simmering elderberry syrup - making elderberry syrup kids like!

Pressing liquid from cooked elderberries - making elderberry syrup kids like!

Adding raw honey and other healthy ingredients - making elderberry syrup kids like!

Ready to taste - making elderberry syrup kids like!

Finished jars of cold and flu fighting syrup - making elderberry syrup kids like!

Elderberry Syrup for Kids (that they actually like)! 

There are several different recipes available for elderberry syrup but I ended up with the ingredients you see in the recipe below. Not only do each of them have great health properties, but they combine to create a tasty syrup. Now, this is not a syrup you’ll be putting on pancakes. This is a tart and sweet syrup that might take some getting used to, but the benefits are worth it. 

The one ingredient I omit that many other recipes include is ginger. Ginger is wonderful and can add good things to your syrup if you’d like to try that. However I knew my kids wouldn’t go for that taste and so I have left that out. The resulting recipe is an elderberry syrup for kids that they find tasty and even ask to have!

Love this simple recipe for elderberry syrup kids like!


Elderberry Syrup Kids Like
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups dried black elderberries
  2. 4 cups water
  3. 3 cups raw honey
  4. 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  5. 1 cup raw apple cider vinegar
Instructions
  1. Combine all but honey and apple cider vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about an hour.
  2. Remove from heat and mash the berries with a slotted spoon or potato masher. Let cool until just warm. Add the honey and apple cider vinegar and mix well. Strain with a fine mesh strainer and store in glass jars in the fridge.
  3. Shake jars a bit before using. Sing “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” when administering. When finished, take a spoonful for yourself and then lick your lips and say “mmm, rum punch!” Be sure to roll your “r” in the word “rum.” That's important.
Notes
  1. Stores for 2-4 weeks in the fridge and up to a year in the freezer. Take 1 tsp every 1.5-2 hours for sick kids, 1tbsp for adults)
  2. Want to make this in the Instant Pot? Follow the recipe as is and put the IP on high for 7 minutes, then quick release. Let cool to room temperature before adding the honey.
Proverbial Homemaker https://www.proverbialhomemaker.com/
*** Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or a medical professional. Natural remedies are not a substitute for medical treatment when necessary. Always consult a medical professional before using a remedy. ***

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This Post Has 16 Comments

  1. Amy Johnson

    Been wanting to try this for some time. Just curious, doesn’t boiling the raw honey take away the health benefits of using raw honey?

    1. Tauna

      Yes! Thanks so much for mentioning that. I showed it correctly in the images but didn’t list the instructions correctly. The honey should be added with the apple cider vinegar after the syrup has cooled for a while. 🙂

  2. Penny

    I love elderberry syrup and tinctures (enough I got tired of foraging and planted a bunch of bushes on my property) and thought I would also put in an encouragement to try them in food. The kids love to harvest for me (because they get to use scissors to cut the bunches off the bushes) and then we sit and watch tv while we strip the berries off the stems. After that some are processed in tinctures, but the rest are put in gallon bags in the freezer. When we make smoothies, a handful goes in. When we make pies, a handful goes in. Jam, syrup, same thing. You can even throw a handful in with some blueberries when making pancakes. They’re a bit tart, so you kind of want it to be something that is sweetened, but this way we’re getting some here and there and they’re full of awesome antioxidants, too!

    1. Tauna

      What fabulous tips, thank you!

  3. Rachel

    Does the apple cider vinegar help keep it from coagulating? Mine turned jelly like in less than a week.

    1. Tauna

      I’m not sure! Did your recipe look just like mine except the apple cider vinegar? I’ve never had thick syrup for elderberry syrup. If I were making it for non-medicinal purposes (pancakes, etc.) then I would have to work to boil it down or add sugar and make it thicker.

  4. jeronimama

    I would like to use fresh elderberries – do you have a recipe using fresh?

    1. Tauna Meyer

      I don’t, I’m sorry! If I ever get a good source for them I’ll look up solutions!

  5. Lisa

    I am looking for a recipe that my kids will like. The last batch I made didn’t suit their tastebuds, so I’m thinking of trying this one! First, I’d like to know…. what is the purpose of the apple cider vinegar? Can you taste it in the syrup? How strongly does is alter the taste? My kids love the store-bought super sweet elderberry syrup, so trying to find something similar. Thank you!

    1. Tauna Meyer

      ACV has great immune boosting and cold and flu fighting properties itself. If you want, try making a small batch with the ACV and the rest without? Or perhaps start with a small amount and increase from there. We’ve never tried the store-bought so I’m not sure how it compares. My kids don’t seem to mind it at all!

  6. Meagan Ramer

    I’m now making my second batch this season. Granted I only make a half batch last time and 1 1/2 this time, but I LOVE your recipe! The consistency is good and thick like the store bought. I’ve tried several recipes over the years and my least favorite was the instant pot version which was way too watery. It makes for difficult accurate dosing. Thanks for sharing!!!

    1. Tauna Meyer

      I’m so glad it was helpful! 🙂 I’m getting ready to make a new batch too. Here’s praying our families stay healthy this year! 🙂

  7. Cindy

    Can this be used for an every day immune booster?

    1. Tauna Meyer

      Yes it can, and many people use it that way, but I don’t want to use it up that way so I tend to use it daily as an immune booster when we’re specifically in an environment where a cold is going around or if someone is starting to get symptoms.

  8. Pam

    I read the seeds were poisonous, is that true? This question is in reference to Penny’s comments. I would really like to know. I love the idea of throwing a handful in other foods, as she suggested.

    1. Tauna Meyer

      When they are raw they can make you sick. You’ll want to look up safety information for the type you are using.

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