Making elderberry syrup at home starts with choosing how much of the preparation you want to do yourself. You can source the ingredients and follow a reliable recipe, use a pre-measured DIY kit, or leave the cooking to us and choose a finished bottle.
If you like the idea of a homemade batch but would rather skip buying and measuring each dry ingredient, our Elderberry Syrup DIY Kit is made for that middle ground. Here is what to check before you start.
From scratch, DIY kit, or ready-made?
- From scratch: You choose a reliable recipe, source its ingredients, and handle the measuring and preparation. This suits someone who enjoys the whole kitchen project and is prepared to follow the recipe's cooking and handling instructions.
- DIY kit: We measure and blend the dry elderberries and spices. You supply water and sweetener and prepare the syrup using the included directions. This suits someone who wants to make syrup without sourcing every dry ingredient separately.
- Ready-made syrup: We prepare and bottle it. Choose this if you would rather have a finished syrup than a cooking project.
The useful comparison is how each option fits your kitchen, your time, and the ingredients you want. If you are comparing costs, include the sweetener and any ingredients or equipment you still need, rather than comparing the kit price with one bottle alone.
What comes in our elderberry syrup kit?
The dry blend contains elderberries, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Water and sweetener are not included. We recommend local raw honey, and the kit's product page also allows you to choose your preferred sweetener.
One kit is designed to make three 16-fluid-ounce pints, or 48 fluid ounces total. You can prepare one pint at a time or all three. Directions are included for both the stovetop and an Instant Pot, so an Instant Pot is optional.
Keep the instructions that arrive with your kit. They are the place to find the water quantity, sweetener guidance, cooking sequence, and timing for your chosen method.
A five-point checklist before you cook
- Choose the batch size. Decide whether you want one pint or the full three-pint batch, then use the matching quantities in the instructions.
- Check every ingredient. Read the kit label and the label on your chosen sweetener, including any allergy information relevant to your household.
- Set out what the directions require. Have your cooking equipment, measuring tools, straining supplies, and clean containers ready before turning on the heat.
- Read the whole method first. Follow the supplied stovetop or Instant Pot directions rather than borrowing a cooking time from a different recipe.
- Plan for the finished batch. Keep the preparation and storage instructions with it, and note the preparation date and sweetener used. If a direction is missing or unclear, ask us before making the batch.
One pint now: a simple planning example
Suppose you want to try making a small batch before preparing the whole kit. Choose the one-pint instructions and plan for 16 fluid ounces of finished syrup. The full kit's stated yield is three such batches: 3 × 16 = 48 fluid ounces.
That yield helps you plan your containers and batch size. It does not tell you how much water or sweetener to add; use the actual preparation directions for those amounts. Follow the package instructions for the unused dry blend, too.
Is the kit the same recipe as the bottled syrup?
Compare the two ingredient lists before choosing. The kit's dry blend lists elderberries, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Our ready-made Elderberry Syrup also lists local raw honey, apple cider vinegar, and lemon and orange essential oils.
Your chosen sweetener is another part of a homemade batch, so do not assume the kit and a finished bottle will taste identical. You do not need to add the bottled syrup's extra ingredients to the kit; follow the kit directions as supplied.
Can I start with raw elderberries?
Do not eat raw elderberries or skip proper preparation. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health warns that raw or unripe berries, leaves, and stems contain cyanide-producing substances that can cause serious illness. Cooking is an important safety step.
If you are starting from scratch, use ingredients intended for food preparation and reliable cooking instructions. This guide is a planning checklist, not a substitute for a complete recipe or a guide to identifying wild plants.
Using honey? Do not give honey or honey-containing syrup to children younger than 12 months, following CDC guidance. Choosing another sweetener does not by itself establish that elderberry syrup is appropriate for an infant.
Choose the option you will enjoy making and using
For a homemade project with the dry ingredients already measured, start with the Elderberry Syrup DIY Kit. For a finished bottle, explore our ready-made Elderberry Syrup.
Once your syrup is prepared, our seven easy ways to use elderberry syrup offers ideas for food and drinks, from yogurt to sparkling water.