How To Make: Elderberry & Rosehip Syrup
- Let Them Be Wild
- Sep 2
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 8
With autumn coming and the kids heading back to school, it's almost time for cold and flu season. Why not get the kids involved and whip up your own family remedy? This natural medicine is loaded with vitamin C and antioxidants to give your immune systems a boost for winter! This was a wartime staple for kids in the 1950s, which we've let slip away but hopefully we can pass the tradition on to future generations before it's lost completely!
There are tons of options for winter potions, but we've picked this classic that my grandparents always loved. It's super easy to make, and you can easily find bilberries and rosehips in parks all over the UK around this time of year since they've started ripening in early September. They are also some of the easiest to identify when foraging for the first time.
All of the ingredients/weights and timings in this recipe are flexible and other ingredients can be added or removed depending on taste and whatever's left in the cupboards! Use this recipe as a guide rather than gospel! making potions is about experimenting and sparking imaginations- the taste is just a bonus! if you like less sugar - use less sugar, if you like more bilberry - add more bilberry. If you like whiskey - add whiskey! you get my point...
We've used 600g of berries and rosehips combined for this recipe as that's roughly the amount the kids managed to collect in their tesco bags before being distracted by the swings in the park.
To check ripeness of berries - elderberries and blackberries should be dark black colour and can be pulled of their stems easily. Rosehips come in lots of different shapes and sizes but are all edible once ripe, they are ripe ones dark red and feel soft and slightly squishy, they are also easy to pluck from the stems once ripe.
Ingredients
300g of elderberries (destemmed)
300g of rosehips (remove green tops & tails) & blackberries (optional)
300g granulated sugar (or brown sugar or honey if preferred)
1.2 litres water (or enough to completely cover your berries in a saucepan)
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (optional)
4–5 cloves (optional)
A slice of fresh ginger (optional)
Method
1. Prepare the berries: Remove elderberries from stems (they can be toxic if eaten raw in quantity) and trim rosehips as best you can. Rinse well.
2. Simmer: Add all the berries, rosehips and water to a large pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for around 20–30 minutes until soft.
3. Mash & strain: Use a potato masher (or back of a spoon) to crush the berries. Strain through a muslin cloth or fine sieve into a clean bowl.
4. Sweeten: Return liquid to the saucepan. Stir in sugar (or honey after cooling) and optional spices. Simmer gently until sugar is dissolved. allow to steep for 20 minutes before bottling.
5. Bottle up: Pour into sterilised bottles and seal. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months. We can vouch for hobbycraft who have an amazing range of these jars in different colours/sizes for just £3. click here to view their range!
How to Use
Take 1–2 teaspoons daily through the winter months. a very sweet antioxidant to perk you up!
Given its sweetness its perfect for drizzling over porridge or pancakes for a vitamin-packed treat or stir into boiled water for a soothing immune-boosting herbal tea.
This syrup is a simple, natural way to keep the family healthy – and it’s delicious too! :)
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