Elderberry Cough Syrup Recipe – (6 Ingredients, Potent Cold & Flu Remedy)

Use this easy elderberry cough syrup recipe to help ease a scratchy throat (along with these homemade cough drops with honey). With only six ingredients, this homemade cough syrup is easy to whip up but packs a big punch to your immune system. Homemade elderberry syrup can help ease a cough and reduce the duration of cold systems. A natural remedy perfect for moms.

I have yet to meet a mama who doesn’t DREAD getting sick- especially having a sore throat. We’re not only running around all day but we’re reading books, teaching and generally speaking to our babes.

Which means the scratchy throat feeling a big RED FLAG. Thankfully, there’s a lot you can do to both ease a sore throat as well as boost your immune system to prevent the cold from getting worse.

Don’t want to learn? JUMP to the recipe.

When To Use The Elderberry Cough Syrup Recipe

Having homemade cough syrup on hand is a given in my house- especially during the winter months. Kids bring home all kinds of sick from school and not only does this elderberry cough syrup helps ease a sore throat but it’s also a great way to boost your immune system.

Use this homemade cough syrup with honey recipe:

• Immediately when you feel a cough or cold coming on
• As an immune system boost in the winter months 
• In the form of homemade gummy bears.

How To Make Homemade Elderberry Syrup

Cinnamon

Cinnamon not only helps flavor this elderberry cough syrup recipe but it can also help reduce inflammation which means it’s a great way to ease a sore throat.

Cloves

The cloves in this elderberry cough syrup are optional- some people dislike the flavor. However, cloves have been shown to be anti-bacterial which is why I like to add them. Full cloves are best but if you’re in a pinch, use ground!

Lemon

Lemon is one of the ingredients in my easy homemade cough drops recipe because lemon can help breakdown mucus in the throat. It’s anti-bacterial and especially soothing when combined with honey.

Raw Honey

Of course, the homemade cough syrup recipe is going to contain honey! Honey is a staple for sore throats because it’s soothing, it coats the throat when it’s feeling “raw” but also because it’s anti-bacterial.

I use local, raw honey to get the biggest bang for my buck. This way I know all the good stuff hasn’t been boiled out. Using local can also help you adjust to local pollen levels and reduce allergies.

Note: I also use a lot of bone broth to both fight colds and prevent them! It’s actually one of my most recommended foods for toddlers because it’s so healing. However, making homemade broth takes TIME (a lot of it!) which I’m slightly limited on.

So while I do strive to make my own I also make use of two time savers: I use bone broth powder from perfect supplements (use code mamabear10) normally whisked into something (or even snuck into a chocolate smoothie!) or I use Kettle & Fire pre-made bone broth (I like straight-up chicken or the turmeric one!) because their quality is so high (simmered for ten hours!).

Elderberry Cough Syrup Recipe For Kids

Now, I’m not a doctor, herbalist, or anything of the sort. I personally use this elderberry cough syrup recipe with my kids. Not in excess, but I do remember my six-month-old getting sick and me whipping up a batch to give her a teaspoon!.

However, this was a very personal decision and I urge you to research. Learn, read and make your own informed decisions based on what you’re comfortable with.

For me, if they are just battling a cold, I feel far more comfortable giving them this homemade cough syrup than I do medical varieties. If it is something more serious, obviously consult and doc and do what you need to mama.

We also use this elderberry cough syrup recipe as a preventative measure (like in homemade gummies) to keep our immune systems up in the winter.

What To Do With Leftover Elderberries From Homemade Cough Syrup

You’ll have noticed in the video that once you make the elderberry cough syrup recipe, you have a bunch of mostly depleted elderberries left!

Since I try my best not to waste, I actually freeze these and then use them in smoothies or even muffins. This way you at least get the biggest bang for your buck from the elderberries.

Tip: I’ve heard that you shouldn’t eat elderberries raw as they can give a bit of a tummy ache. These freeze-dried elderberries have been cookies and strained (thus much of their benefits are gone), I still don’t like to waste them. Since they’re cooked I always try to use them.

Natural Cough & Cold Remedies

I’ll be touching on this in another blog post soon but what I really want to point out is that the best course of action is always prevention keep your immune system high to reduce your chances of getting sick!

To naturally prevent coughs and colds during the season we:

• Make homemade fire cider,
• Snack on gut-boosting gummies 
• Implement proper nutrition and protein intake
• Dose up on fermented foods

If you do end up with a bit of a cough or cold, make use of easy homemade cough drops, DIY shower melts to reduce congestion and electrolyte popsicles etc.

It’s never fun getting sick as a mom. But what I’ve experienced is that while taking precautions to stay healthy doesn’t mean you NEVER Get sick; it tends to mean you don’t get as sick. So, I’ll take it.

Don’t forget to pin this elderberry cough syrup recipe!

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Homemade Elderberry Cough Syrup

A homemade cough syrup recipe made from elderberries honey and spices to ease a sore throat.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 1 cups

Author fitasamamabear

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups elderberries freeze-dried
• 3 cups filtered water
• 3 cinnamon sticks or 6 if they're short
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 2 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp cloves optional
• 1 tbs fresh ginger optional

Instructions

1. In a large piece of cookware, combine everything except the lemon juice and honey.

2. Heat until boiling and then reduce heat and keep it at a rolling boil for 30 minutes, stirring often.

3. Once boiling is done, pick out the cinnamon sticks and strain out the elderberries from the liquid. Make sure to press into the mesh sieve to get all the good juice!

4. Whisk in the honey and lemon juice.

5. Pour into a jar and keep in the fridge until needed.

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This elderberry syrup recipe is a great way to help relieve a sore throat naturally! As well as give the immune system a helping hand. It’s simple to make so keep some on hand for when your system needs a boost!