Best Elderberry Syrup Recipe (With Essential Oils + Canning Instructions)
Looking for a natural way to boost your immune system, support respiratory health, and stay well through the colder seasons? Elderberry syrup has been used for centuries as a trusted herbal remedy—and it’s easier to make than you think.
In this post, I’m sharing my personal elderberry syrup recipe with essential oils and high-antioxidant fruits—plus a full step-by-step tutorial for canning, so you can preserve your syrup for year-round wellness or gift it to loved ones. Whether you're deep into herbalism or just starting your holistic healing journey, this recipe is a seasonal ritual you’ll want to make your own.
✨ Make it a ritual: Pair your elderberry-making day with crystals that support immunity and protection, like Bloodstone, Amethyst, or Lapis Lazuli—or wear our Health + Vitality Gemstone Spiral Necklace to keep that healing energy close all day long.
Why Elderberry Syrup is a Must-Have in Your Wellness Cabinet
Elderberries are small but mighty. These dark purple berries are packed with flavonoids, which offer powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Elderberry syrup has long been used to naturally:
Support and strengthen the immune system
Fight off colds, flu, and other viral infections
Promote healthy respiratory function
Act as a natural diuretic
Aid digestion and soothe upset stomachs
Support cardiovascular health by helping regulate blood pressure
Add in ginger, citrus, spices, and essential oils, and you’ve got a wellness elixir that tastes amazing and helps your body thrive.
Elderberry Syrup with Essential Oils + High-Antioxidant Fruits
This recipe is infused with immune-supporting oils, antioxidant-rich fruits like pomegranate, and warming spices that make it both powerful and delicious. I prefer to use a pressure cooker for quick extraction, but stovetop instructions can be adapted.
Watch the Full Elderberry Syrup Tutorial
In this video, I’m joined by my sister Olivia and wellness-loving friend Tiffany Patrick as we walk you through the full recipe and canning steps. It’s the kind of nourishing ritual that brings people together—and makes your kitchen smell amazing.
Elderberry Syrup Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup dried elderberries
1 cup additional high-antioxidant fruit of choice (e.g. pomegranate seeds, Ningxia wolfberries, or açaí)
4 cups distilled water
Zest of one orange
2 cinnamon sticks
20 whole clove buds
40 whole allspice berries
1/4 cup crushed fresh ginger root
1/4–1/2 cup raw local honey (to taste)
Immune-supporting essential oils, to taste
(Examples: 1 drop each of Thieves blend, Copaiba, Citrus oils, Peppermint Vitality Oils per 8 oz jar. Be sure to ONLY use essential oils that are clearly labeled for internal use—like the Vitality line from Young Living, which is what I personally use and recommend. )
Yield: Makes approximately 4–5 eight-ounce jars
Instructions
Combine all ingredients (except honey and essential oils) in a pressure cooker with 4 cups distilled water.
Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.
Once pressure has released naturally, strain the mixture through a sieve or cheesecloth, pressing the solids with a spoon to extract all the juice.
Let cool slightly. Then add raw honey to taste.
Add essential oils either to the whole batch or individually to each jar (1 drop each - up to 5 drops total - per 8 oz).
For long-term storage, follow a proper canning process (watch our video tutorial above). Otherwise, refrigerate and use within 1–3 months.
💡 Suggested Daily Dose:
Adults: 1 tablespoon daily for immune support
Children: 1 teaspoon daily (Check with your pediatrician to ensure age-appropriate use of honey and oils)
🐝 Note on Honey & Preservation
If you're preserving your syrup via proper canning, you can leave raw honey out during cooking and add it after opening each jar to retain its full raw benefits.
Heating honey above ~98 °F, particularly during the cooking or canning phase, may reduce raw honey’s beneficial enzymes and antioxidants growcreatesip.comcanningdiva.com+1reddit.com+1.
If you're making a fridge-only batch, raw honey can help somewhat with freshness due to its natural antimicrobial properties—but you'll still need to refrigerate and use within a few weeks to avoid spoilage .
Tips for Personalizing Your Elderberry Syrup
No pressure cooker? Simmer ingredients on the stove for 45 minutes to 1 hour, uncovered.
No raw honey? Maple syrup or agave are vegan alternatives (though honey offers additional benefits).
New to essential oils? Start small—1 drop goes a long way. Make sure to use food-grade oils (we recommend Young Living’s Vitality line).
Continue Your Herbal Healing Journey
Love recipes like this? You’ll love the Crystal + Oil Synergies Healing Guide and Recipe E-Book — packed with more natural blends, safe essential oil usage tips, and crystal healing wisdom.
Tell Us How It Went!
Have you tried making your own elderberry syrup before? What do you add or change to make it your own?
Let us know in the comments or tag us on Instagram @ivy.and.light if you make this recipe—we’d love to see your syrup in action!
