1 Pot, 4 Elderberry Remedies
THE PRINTABLE IS LINKED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE ⬇️
Every fall I make one big pot of elderberry decoction, and by the end of the day it has become four different things: a syrup, an oxymel, a tray of sugar-coated gummies, and a batch of ice pops for the freezer. One pot, one cleanup, and the medicine cabinet is stocked before the holidays.
This post walks you through the why and the how. The full recipes, with measurements, are on the free printable below so you can keep them in your kitchen binder.
[Watch the full video]
Why I make these every year
Holiday travel season is when our house fills up. Family flies in from all over, and the germs from the plane tend to arrive with our guests. I learned the hard way that the time to make remedies is before anyone is sick, not while you’re nursing a houseful of sniffles and trying to get dinner on the table.
So now I make these in the fall. When someone starts feeling run down, everything is already in the pantry and the freezer, waiting.
It all starts with the decoction
A decoction is simply a strong extract made by simmering, rather than steeping. Elderberries need it. Raw elderberries, along with the stems and leaves, can make you sick, so the berries must be fully cooked before they go into anything. Everything in this post starts with that one cooked pot.
Once you have your decoction strained, you divide it up and go four directions.
1. Elderberry and rosehip syrup
This is the classic, the one most people picture when they think of elderberry. I add rosehips to mine because they bring a bright, slightly tart flavor, and rosehips are naturally rich in vitamin C. It’s pourable, it keeps in the fridge, and it goes by the spoonful or stirred into tea.
2. Elderberry and rosehip oxymel
An oxymel is an old-fashioned preparation of vinegar and honey. If you’ve never tried one, think of a sweet and tangy shrub. It’s my favorite way to take elderberry because the vinegar cuts the sweetness, and a splash in warm water makes a lovely drink on a cold afternoon.
3. Elderberry gummies
These are the ones that disappear first. Chewy, rolled in sugar, and cut into little squares that store easily. They’re the most fun of the four to make, and they’re the easiest to hand to someone who doesn’t love the taste of syrup.
4. Elderberry ice pops
I’ll be honest with you, the same way I am in the video: these don’t taste like the ice pops from the grocery store. But when your throat is scratchy and you want something cold, you’ll be so glad they’re waiting in the freezer. They’re pleasant, and they taste a whole lot better than any medicine I’ve ever handed my family.
A few important notes
Never eat elderberries raw. Always cook them fully first, as shown in the video.
Honey is not safe for babies under one year old. Keep anything made with honey away from little ones under a year.
I’m not a doctor. These are traditional home remedies I make for my own family. Please check with your healthcare provider, especially for children, during pregnancy, or if you take any medication.
Get the printable
The printable recipe cards include all four recipes, plus the decoction, with full measurements and storage notes. Print them, tuck them into your kitchen binder, and they’ll be ready next fall too.
If you make any of these, I’d love to hear which one becomes your family’s favorite. Leave me a comment on the video and tell me.
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