Berry and flower recipes

February 17, 2025

Elderberry Jelly for water-bath canning

Unlike many other fruits and berries, elderberries are not acidic enough to be safely canned for room-temperature storage unless sufficient sugar is added to be a preservative. (1,2)

Here is a recipe for elderberry jelly that I make and enjoy. This jam can be safely preserved and stored at room temperature as long as enough sugar is used in proportion to the elderberry juice.

The added lemon juice is an optional flavoring that can be omitted if you like. I prefer to use the lemon juice, however. It adds a bright citrus sparkle to the mild-flavored elderberries.

The large amount of sugar in this recipe is required — do not reduce the amount of sugar in proportion to the juice. The recipe has not been tested to be safe if made with other sweeteners, including honey. (1,2,3)

Elderberry Jelly (seedless)

Juice:
48 oz (3 lb, about 4 qt) elderberries, amount measured after destemming
4 oz (1/2 cup) water

Of this juice, this recipe will need:
24 oz (3 cups) elderberry juice

Jelly:
2 oz (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice (optional, but recommended)
31.5 oz (4 1/2 cups) sugar
1 box (1.75 oz) Sure-Jell powdered pectin

Make the juice:
Wash and destem the elderberries. Measure 48 oz (3 lb, about 4 quarts) of destemmed berries. Place berries in a 5-6 quart pan with 1/2 cup of water. Bring berries and water to a simmer over medium heat. After mixture is simmering, cook for another 6-10 minutes, mashing the berries with a spoon or potato masher while cooking.

Pour the mixture through a jelly bag or layers of cheesecloth, squeezing or pressing lightly, to harvest the juice.

Measure 24 oz (3 cups) juice for this recipe. Save any extra juice for another recipe. If there is not enough juice, add water or apple juice to bring the total to 3 cups. Discard berries.

Make the jelly:
Wash 6 half-pint (one cup) jars or 12 half-cup jars and enough rings and lids for the jars. Prepare a water bath canner.

Put the measured amounts of elderberry juice and lemon juice into a 5-6 quart pan.

IMPORTANT: Do not heat the juice until after the pectin is added!

Read pectin directions before use. Some pectin needs to be mixed with a small amount of sugar before it is added to the juice. If so, remove the recommended amount of sugar from the 31.5 oz total. Mix this sugar with the dry pectin.

Slowly scatter the pectin over the juice while stirring to minimize lumps and help the pectin to dissolve.

When pectin is mixed into the juice, turn on the heat and rapidly bring the juice-pectin mixture to a boil. Boil hard for 1 minute.

Add the sugar slowly while stirring. Rapidly return the mixture to a boil and boil hard for another 1 minute.

Remove jelly from the heat and ladle into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal with 2-part canning lids.

Process half-cup and half-pint jars in a water bath for 10 minutes (15 minutes if above 6,000 feet in elevation).

Once the processing time is complete, turn off the heat and allow the jars to sit in the canner for an additional 5 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter and set on a towel on the counter.

Do not cover jars with a towel. Allow jars to fully cool undisturbed. Check seals after 12 hours. Store any jars that did not seal properly in the refrigerator for immediate use.

The jelly will be at its best if used within 18 months after making. Flavor and nutritional quality will decline after that, although the jelly will remain safe to eat as long as the jars are properly sealed. Keep the jelly refrigerated after opening the jar.

Do not use this recipe for elderberry jam. The tested recipe for jam requires somewhat more sugar in proportion to the berry pulp so the jam is properly preserved and safe.

Notes:

(1) Elderberries: beautiful to look at, not for canning. Preserve It Fresh, Preserve It Safe: 2021, No. 4 (July/August). Version viewed on 17 February 2025: https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/hes141

(2) Perkins-Veazie P, et al. Fruit Composition of Elderberry (Sambucus spp.) Genotypes Grown in Oregon and Missouri, USA. Acta Hortic. 2015 Jan 12;1061:219-224. doi: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1061.24. PMID: 27158182; PMCID: PMC4859753. Version viewed on 17 February 2025: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4859753/

(3) Ashley Adamant. Elderberry Jelly. Creative Canning. Version viewed on 17 February 2025: https://creativecanning.com/elderberry-jelly/

(4) u/Thousand_YardStare. Elderberry Jelly. r/Canning on Reddit. Version viewed on 17 February 2025: https://www.reddit.com/r/Canning/comments/16wgebv/elderberry_jelly/

February 20, 2020

Using and storing elderberries

DJ Berry and flower recipes

Fresh berries

Handle and store fresh elderberries the same as fresh raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries.

Refrigerate and use berries within a few days after harvest for best quality. For longer storage, freeze or dry the berries.

February 19, 2020

Elderberry syrup

DJ Berry and flower recipes

Our recipe for elderberry syrup calls for simmering the berries and liquid for a brief time followed by a gentle steep off the heat, all in a covered pan. (5) This gentle infusion method creates a deep purple syrup that smells and tastes of fresh elderberries. Here’s the recipe:

Quantity: Makes 3-4 cups syrup.

Ingredients:

2 cups dried elderberries (6 oz, 170 g) OR 4 cups fresh or frozen berries (24 oz, 680 g)

4 cups water (32 oz, 908 g)

1 1/2 cups honey (18 oz, 510 g) OR 2 cups sugar (14 oz, 400 g) Adjust sweetener to taste if necessary (3)

2-3 tablespoons lemon juice OR 1/2 teaspoon citric acid powder (4)

Optional: Add one or more of these spices —

1 or 2 cinnamon sticks OR 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 whole cloves OR 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 to 2 inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated (1-2 Tablespoon) OR 1 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Sanitize one 32-ounce (1 quart) canning jar or 2 or 3 smaller jars with a total of 32 ounces of capacity by washing the jars in the dishwasher on a normal or sanitizing cleaning cycle. An alternative method to sanitize the jars is to submerge them for about 1 minute in a pot of water at a full rolling boil. Leave the jars in the dishwasher or hot water until you are ready to fill them.

In a 3 quart stainless steel or enameled pot, bring the berries, water, and optional spices to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan and gently simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let the mixture continue to steep with the cover on for another hour.

Line a sieve with cheesecloth, pour the syrup and berries into the sieve. Squeeze the cloth and berries to extract as much of the juice as possible. Discard the berries.

Stir in the sugar or honey and the lemon juice or citric acid.

Pour the syrup into sanitized jars, seal securely, and refrigerate or freeze. The syrup, if made as written and kept refrigerated in unopened, sanitized jars, will likely keep for up to 4 weeks, possibly longer. After a jar is opened, keep refrigerated and use the syrup within 1 or 2 weeks.

Do not can this syrup — this recipe has not been tested to be shelf-stable and safe for room-temperature storage.

There is no specific dosage for elderberry syrup as a health tonic. I suggest 1-2 teaspoons per day for healthy adults and children. This dosage can be doubled or tripled when a person is sick with a cold or the flu.

This syrup can also be enjoyed on pancakes, oatmeal, or ice cream or add it to hot or cold tea or lemonade.

Notes:

(1) Rosemary Gladstar. Medicinal Herbs: A beginner’s guide. Storey Publishing. 2012.

(2) Tieraona Low Dog. How to Make Elderberry Syrup for Immune Health. Downloaded 13 Feb 2020 from https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/elderberry-syrup-recipe

(3) You can use less or no sweetener or use a non-sugar sweetener such as Splenda. A reduced- or no-sugar syrup is more perishable than a syrup that is sweetened and acidified per this recipe. A low/no sugar syrup should be consumed within 1 week. Freeze for longer storage.

(4) Lemon juice or citric acid powder adds flavor and, if used in the recommended amounts or more, will help increase the shelf life. Find citric acid in the canning section at your local grocery or hardware store. Do not use ascorbic acid (sometimes sold as “Fruit Fresh”) in place of citric acid or lemon juice.

(5) The ratio in this recipe of 1 part dried berries to 2 parts water by volume is recommended by herbalists Rosemary Gladstar (1) and Tieraona Low Dog (2). Many recipes use only 1 part berries in 4 parts water, but they typically also call for cooking the syrup long enough to reduce the syrup volume by half. This long cook time affects the taste and aroma.

February 16, 2020

Using and storing elderflower

DJ Berry and flower recipes

Fresh flower

Fresh elderflowers are extremely perishable and should be used soon after harvest.

Elderflowers can be held for a day or two in the refrigerator, but the aroma disappears fast. During refrigeration, store the flower in a container with a loose, breathable covering that allows excessive moisture to escape.

For longer storage, elderflower should be dried. Elderflowers do not freeze well.

February 14, 2020

Elderflower cordial

DJ Berry and flower recipes

This versatile simple syrup adds a delicate floral flavor to drinks and foods. Here’s the recipe:

Quantity: Makes about 4 cups (1 quart / 1 liter)

Ingredients:

5 to 6 cups of fresh elderflowers (about 5 oz / 140 g), removed from their stems and gently packed OR 1 heaping cup dried elderflower (about 1 oz / 30 g) (1)

2 cups water (16 oz / 450 g)

2 cups sugar (14 oz / 400 g) OR 1 3/4 cups honey (21 oz / 600 g)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon citric acid powder or more to taste (2)

2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice or more to taste (3)

Optional: Zest from 1/2 to 1 lemon

Method:

In a 3 quart stainless steel or enameled pan, bring the water to a full boil. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.

Remove the pan from heat, and stir in the citric acid, lemon juice, and optional lemon zest. Syrup will foam up.

Cover the pan and let the syrup cool until the pan is pleasantly warm to the touch — less than 100 degrees F. Do not mix elderflowers with hot syrup because the heat will alter their flavor.

Put the flowers in a 1 1/2 or 2 quart (1 1/2 to 2 liter) container with a wide mouth and a tight-fitting lid (a 2-quart canning jar works well). Slowly pour the syrup over the flowers. Stir often to eliminate air bubbles and thoroughly mix the syrup with the flowers.

Cap the container, store in the refrigerator, and let the flowers infuse for 2-3 days. Gently mix the flowers and syrup once or twice a day.

When the infusion is done, sanitize one 32-ounce (1 quart, 1 liter) canning jar or 2 or 3 smaller jars with a total of 32 ounces of capacity by washing the jars in the dishwasher on a normal or sanitizing cleaning cycle. An alternative method to sanitize the jars is to submerge them for about 1 minute in a pot of water at a full rolling boil. Leave the jars in the dishwasher or hot water until you are ready to fill them.

Pour the syrup and flowers through a wire-mesh strainer. Press the flowers to get as much syrup as possible. Discard the flowers.

Pour the syrup into the sanitized jars, seal securely, and refrigerate or freeze.

If made with the citric acid and lemon juice as called for in the recipe and kept refrigerated in unopened, sanitized jars, the syrup will likely keep for up to 4 weeks. After a jar is opened, keep refrigerated and use the syrup within 1 or 2 weeks.

Do not can this syrup — this recipe has not been tested to be shelf-stable and safe for room-temperature storage.

The cordial will be cloudy yellow from the pollen in the flowers. Before use, shake or stir the cordial to mix the pollen back into the liquid.

If you want a perfectly clear cordial, allow the pollen to settle and then slowly pour the clear liquid off the top. Without the pollen, the floral aroma and taste will not be quite as strong.

Use elderflower cordial in place of regular simple syrup when making mixed drinks. Mix it with club soda and ice for an elder flower spritzer. Use it to sweeten hot or iced tea or as a flavoring in frostings or icings for cakes.

Notes:

(1) This cordial is best made from freshly picked flowers. If using dried flowers, use flowers with a pleasant floral aroma. Avoid flowers with a dusty or toasted odor.

(2) Find citric acid in the canning section at your local grocery or hardware store. Lemon juice and/or citric acid powder adds flavor and, if used in the recommended amounts or more, these acids will also help increase the shelf life. Do not use ascorbic acid (sometimes sold as “Fruit Fresh”) in place of citric acid or lemon juice.

(3) If you do not have citric acid, double the amount of lemon juice.

Berry and flower recipes

Elderberry Jelly for water-bath canning

Elderberry Jelly (seedless)

Using and storing elderberries

Fresh berries

Frozen berries

Dried berries

Ideas for use

Weights and volumes

Elderberry syrup

Using and storing elderflower

Fresh flower

Dried flower

Ideas for use

Weights and volumes

Elderflower cordial