As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This recipe produces a warm, rich elderberry liqueur that will remind you of a tawny Port wine, only stronger — and better for you.
Elderberries are in many ways little grapes, with a similar aroma, bloom on the skin and color; they even have little seeds inside. So I treated them like wine grapes for this elderberry liqueur recipe.
Fresh elderberries are what you want for this recipe. Dried elderberries will work in a pinch, but it will take you a lot longer to make your liqueur, and they have a raisiny flavor I don’t love.
And with the fresh berries, remember to destem them all — no stems, as they are slightly toxic. OK, no stems is an overstatement, but only by a little. You want to remove as many as you can, but a couple teeny ones here and there won’t hurt.
(Looking for something with elderflowers instead? Here’s my recipe for elderflower liqueur.)
Over the years, I’ve tested two recipes for elderberry liqueur: One where you buzz the berries in a blender, another using whole berries. I vastly prefer the method using whole, fresh berries.
It takes, well… a while to make your elderberry liqueur, at least a month in the jar. And since they are soaking in alcohol, you can leave them there for years. Seriously.
I imagine at some point you will get maximum extraction, however. So I reckon two to three months is enough.
It’s up to you whether to add sugar or honey to your liqueur. I do, but only a little. You add it into the jar with the berries, or after you strain them out. It will take a few days for the sugar to completely dissolve in the alcohol. Shake the jar every day until it does.
Elderberries are loaded with immune system boosters, and the extremely expensive elderberry tinctures you buy in the health food store, you know, the ones with the eye droppers, are really just this elderberry liqueur in a teeny bottle.
I say make your own, then, when you are feeling a bit under the weather — but not yet actually sick — treat yourself to a shot of homemade elderberry liqueur that you made, and that cost you just pennies. Am I right?
Looking for other things to make with elderberries? Try making elderberry ice cream, elderberry wine, or an old British sauce called pontack.
Elderberry Liqueur
Ingredients
- 1 pint fresh elderberries
- 1 quart vodka
- 3 one-inch pieces of lemon rind, white pith removed
- sugar to taste
Instructions
- Put elderberries into a quart Mason jar and pour over the vodka. Add the lemon rind (make sure the rind has no white pith, as it is bitter.) Seal and put in a dark cupboard for at least a month, or up to a year.
- The alcohol will extract flavor from the elderberries over time, so the longer you let it sit, the inkier it will get.
- When it is the color you want — anything from a Pinot Noir color to downright black — pour the vodka through a strainer lined with cheesecloth into another jar and add sugar.
- How much sugar or honey? At least 2 tablespoons, but to your taste. Shake to combine and put back in the cupboard. After a few days or weeks, the sugar will completely dissolve and the elderberry liqueur is ready to drink. It keeps forever.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Hank,
Last year, I tried your recipe with my left over dried elderberries/herbs after making elderberry syrup. I believe I added more unused dried elderberries to the mix. Came out delicious and dark. Any thoughts, suggestions?! Doing it again this year.
Thank you!!
1 pint fresh elderberries equals how many dry ounces?
Can I use frozen elderberries?
Dorothy: Yes, but I would use a higher proof alcohol in that case, like a 100 proof vodka.
Hi Hank! I’ve been a fan for quite some time. Question on this recipe — you say to use a Qt Mason jar; and pour the quart of vodka over the pint (2 cups) of berries. But you can’t get a full quart of vodka into a mason jar with 2 cups of berries? Perhaps I’m not understanding? Are we supposed to split it across two quart jars? or perhaps use a larger Mason jar? Just picked a bunch and wanted to do it correctly. Thank you.
Mike: Naw, it’s not an exact deal. You’ll use less than a quart of vodka. If you definitely want a quart of finished product, then yes, split it among a couple jars.
I thought fresh elderberries are toxic?
Anne: Nope. I can eat bowls of them. For a few people, they can cause an upset stomach. The fermenting process fixes all that.
A nice simple recipe that I’ve tried and it works. A couple of hints…..
Instead of shaking your container every day, just put it in the boot (truck to you) of your car and let it roll around for a few weeks. If you have several in there at the same time, tie a tea towel around each one to stop them clinking…. and do make sure they are well sealed.
The second point is about sweeteners. I add a tiny amount at the start as it’s difficult to gauge how sweet fruit is from one year to the next. After a couple of months I have a cheeky taste test and add more sweetener to taste.
As you said, these bottles will keep for years and do improve, so make enough to lose a couple of bottles in the back of the shed for a couple of years. You’ll be glad you did.