Super Simple 4 Ingredient Elderberry Jam
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This Homemade Elderberry Jam Recipe is the perfect way to preserve the luscious taste and health benefits of the prized elderberry. Use fresh or dried elderberries to make a jam you can enjoy year round, even when the berries are out of season!
It’s absolutely that time of year again when a simple visit to the playgroup, daycare, or classroom can put the whole family under the weather for a week.
And every time this happens, I chide myself for not having dosed us all up sooner with a generous helping of Elderberries, or any of these other common superfoods.
Hands down my favorite go-to plant for staying healthy during cold and flu season, Elderberry is a powerful little berry jam-packed with antioxidants, and well studied for its protective effects from viruses. A smart little berry indeed, Elderberry flavonoids trick flu viruses by binding to the proteins on their viral envelopes. Those nifty proteins are the ones that viruses use to bind to our cells and cause infection. Successfully duped, the viruses are thus deactivated from reproducing in the body and are then easily flushed out by our body’s natural immune defenses.
Clever berries.
Although I love Elderberry, and although my little one will readily consume anything tasting even remotely sweet, I’m not quite thrilled about pumping my child full of sugar in order to get this lovely berry to do its job. Furthermore, sugar has been shown to lower the body’s immune response, so it just seems silly to give an overly sugary syrup to a sick child.
Vegetable glycerine is highly processed and refined, and can be sourced from different plants (with soy, palm, and coconut being likely contenders). It’s not the best source but just something to know.
Although there are many ways to introduce herbal preparations to children, I particularly appreciate food-based herbal recipes that are also low on the glycemic index. Hence my quest for the perfect sugar-free Elderberry jam recipe.
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Caution About Elderberries
1. First and foremost, Elderberries must always be heated, since in their raw form, they contain a constituent similar to cyanide. Although some sources say that fully ripe elderberries and dried elderberries are okay to consume raw, I prefer to be on the safe side and treat my berries to a nice, hot bath.
2. Ripe Elderberries are lovely to the point of being intoxicating, however they can be hard to source unless you know your plants, and are confident with your identification skills. It could be easy to pick a poisonous berry instead. No thanks. I just bought these Organic Dried Elderberries a few months ago and will be using them :)!} Luckily, Elderberries retain much of their potency when dried, and can easily be rehydrated to make a delicious jam.
Recipe Notes
1. Juice Options
Apple juice is a popular choice for making jams, and will also serve as a natural sweetener for the jam. Other good ideas are pear, mango, and grape. My juices of choice are unsweetened berry juices because they are high in antioxidants, and give the jam a deep purple color. However, unsweetened berry juices will generally result in a jam that is less sweet.
Pure blueberry juice is a great option. Use lemon or lime juice for a low-carb option.
2. Sweetener Options & Notes
A couple of low-glycemic syrups are yacon syrup (glycemic index of 5) and Brown Rice syrup (glycemic index of 25). Stevia is also a great choice since it has a glycemic index of 0, but this will also impart its own flavor to the jam. I personally don’t like the taste of stevia, but most people don’t seem to mind. Another great option is to sweeten your jam with a dried fruit paste, which can easily be made with dates, apricots, figs, or raisins.
The popular agave syrup has been featured in numerous reports questioning whether it is indeed a safe and healthy choice. Although it has been shown to have a low glycemic index, questions have surfaced around whether its effects on the body are actually equivalent to that of high fructose corn syrup.
Furthermore, agave nectar is produced through a highly refined chemical process in which the starch of the root is reduced to syrup; it is not actually derived from the natural sap of the plant, as the word “nectar” would have us believe. Since there are lots of other safer and more natural sweetener options, I generally steer clear of this one.
Vegetable glycerine is another good low-carb sweetener option if you can have it. Otherwise, you can use 1/8 teaspoon of stevia extract. See How to Use Stevia here.
Any sweetener can be used for this, but you will almost always use the same amount of another sweetener when substituting for the date paste.
Jerusalem Artichoke Syrup is another option choice. I’ve read it is a pre-biotic sweetener (helps your body’s gut) and has a glycemic index of only 6.
3. Storage
Originally this post stated that this jam could be canned for up to two years, however, since then, we have learned that elderberries are low in acid and care really needs to be taken when canning them and if you are going to can this jam, then you need to use sugar instead of the date paste. Here is how it should be done:
- For Jam: the ratio of elderberry pulp to sugar must be no more than: weight of fruit/ weight of sugar = 47/55 = 0.85. For every 16 ounces (1 pound) of fruit pulp you need to use at least 18.9 ounces of sugar.
- For Jelly, the ratio of elderberry juice to sugar must be less than or equal to: weight of fruit juice/ weight of sugar = 45/55 = 0.82. For every 16 ounces (1 pound) of fruit juice for Jelly, your recipe must include at least 19.5 ounces, by weight, of sugar. Adding more sugar than that is fine, but less is not.
- Lemon juice will not reduce the pH sufficiently apparently, but it is good for the end product.
- Honey cannot be used as the sugar source.
- Low-sugar or no-sugar added pectin cannot be used. (source)
I have not investigated this topic, and I think that the lemon juice could of course reduce the pH but other things could as well. However, this seems to be crucial information and regardless, the pH needs to be at a safe level (4.6 or lower) for canning.
You could use acid pH strips or a pH meter to test the pH of your elderberry jam or jelly before canning.
Typically, a homemade jam that is canned can last up to two years if unopened. Once opened, it should be refrigerated and should last to about 3 months. (source) It’s possible that the shelf-life when refrigerated could be 6 to 12 months considering that the lid is tightly closed and the jar is undamaged. (source)
Elderberry Jam
Ingredients
Elderberry Jam
- 1/2 cup dried elderberries (or 1 1/2 cups fresh)
- 3/4 cup filtered water
- 1 1/2 cups apple juice (see recipe notes for alternatives)
- 3 teaspoons sugar-free pectin
- 1/2 cup date paste (see recipe for date paste below or use 1/2 cup this low carb sweetener for lower-carb, or see notes for other alternatives)
Date Paste
- 1 cup dates
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Elderberry Jam
- If using dried elderberries, soak them in enough water to cover overnight.
- Bring berries, water, and juice to a boil.
- Remove one cup of jam mixture from heat, add pectin and date paste or syrup, and blend until smooth.
- Return blended ingredients to pot and bring to a boil once again. Reduce heat slightly and keep stirring for 10 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat and pour jam into canning jars. The sugar-free pectin will harden the jam as it cools.
Date Paste
- Soak dates in water overnight.
- Separate the dates from water, and place dates in blender or food processor.
- Blend on medium speed adding date water as necessary to form a thick paste. You shouldn't need more than ½ cup of the date water, and even less for a thicker paste.
- Store in fridge or freezer. Dates can be substituted with other dried fruits, however you may need to boil tougher dried fruits such as apricots and figs for 30 minutes before blending.
Notes
-
- For Jam: the ratio of elderberry pulp to sugar must be no more than: weight of fruit/ weight of sugar = 47/55 = 0.85. For every 16 ounces (1 pound) of fruit pulp you need to use at least 18.9 ounces of sugar.
-
- For Jelly, the ratio of elderberry juice to sugar must be less than or equal to: weight of fruit juice/ weight of sugar = 45/55 = 0.82. For every 16 ounces (1 pound) of fruit juice for Jelly, your recipe must include at least 19.5 ounces, by weight, of sugar. Adding more sugar than that is fine, but less is not.
-
- Lemon juice will not reduce the pH sufficiently apparently, but it is good for the end product.
-
- Honey cannot be used as the sugar source.
-
- Low-sugar or no-sugar added pectin cannot be used. (source)
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
What do YOU use to support your immune system?
Author: Mélanie Pulla is an herbalist, mamma, radical homemaker, and entrepreneur. She has a BSc in Wellness and Alternative Medicine, holds several diplomas in herbal medicine, and is the founder and editor of Herb Geek, an online educational resource for natural healing. Mélanie is happiest when exploring the natural world, crafting herbal concoctions in her kitchen, and sharing her herbal musings with the world.
Your comments about sweeteners are excellent. You caution using agave. NEVER use agave in anything but Tequila! Agave is 90%+ fructose and fructose is the sugar you should use in only minute quantities. yes table sugar is 50:50 glucose/fructose and you should also only use table sugar in limited amounts. less than 25 gm/day. I urge my patients to eliminate sucrose entirely if possible and substitute glucose(dextrose). Fructose is metabolized only in the liver with a metabolic pathway similar to alcohol. Glucose is not. In our house we label table sugar “POISON” and use it only to feed hummingbirds. Read Dr Bob Lustig on the dangers of sucrose and fructose. Kind Regards, hugh owens MD Jackson wyoming
Thank you for such an interesting comment and for your kind words! I didn’t know that about fructose! Does that work w/ fruits too?
Hello Adrienne. Fructose is of course in fruits but the fiber acts as an “antidote” of sorts and the amounts per fruit serving are low. the amount of fructose in some juices is very high, eg., orange, apple and for that reason we rarely drink fruit juices. The amount in most sodas is staggeringly high and xs fructose/high fructose corn syrup etc is a major cause of the obesity epidemic because it directly causes fatty liver disease in a similar fashion that alcoholism does and deposition of such “visceral fat” is dangerous and a root cause of cardiac disease, some cancers, as well as many other ailments such as insulin resistance. Subcutaneous fat,”butt fat” is not visceral fat BTW. This is a complicated subject and the info is relatively new and thus is not well understood my most doctors and nutritionists. Bob Lustig’s best book is METABOLICAL which is the definitive treatise but can be difficult for the lay public. He has a nifty book called “The Far Chance Cookbook” which lays out the basics in a simplified format as well as some healthy practical recipes. He is a friend of Michael Pollan and rails against commercial processed food and urges people to only consume”real food”. He wrote once that if it has a label, put it back on the shelf! Check Youtube for his videos. I have reviewed his book(s)on Goodreads and Amazon as well as on my blog(s). You are on track BTW with your good work!
Thank you so much, Hugh. I was a sugar addict (haven’t written amazingly organized posts on the topic but they are there – https://wholenewmom.com/what-is-candida-the-beginning-of-my-sugar-free-lifestyle/.
Is that book a keeper or something that it’s best to just take out from the library?
Adrienne my new friend! You may not be fully cognizant of the importance of your work. There are an increasing amount of people just like you who are beginning to GET IT. The key to combatting the health disaster of Metabolic Syndrome is diet and exercise. This deplorable situation began over 5 decades ago with misinformation and it can end with true information. I have studied this Metabolic disaster for 8 years and I think I understand it in detail. I have quite a collection of books and papers on metabolism. I would advise picking up an old https://cal48koho.wordpress.com/2023/06/18/is-sugar-a-toxin/https://cal48koho.wordpress.com/2023/06/18/is-sugar-a-toxin/https://wordpress.com/post/cal48koho.wordpress.com/1018 copy of The Fat Chance Cookbook from someplace like Abebooks. It’s chief value is its readability. Some of the recipes are good as well. A short note like this does not do the subject justice. I did a book review of METABOLICAL on one of my blogs. You may find it useful:
https://cal48koho.wordpress.com is my main blog site. Click down the list of posts to one called “Is sugar toxic?” which is has a review of Bob’s book. BTW I am working on my own cookbook of real food recipes which my wife and I have devised along with concise and understandable explanation of how a good diet of real food could turn this whole thing around. regards, hugh
Hi again, Hugh! Glad to have a new friend :). Your first link isn’t working. Can you fix that please? I really need to get help w/ my site b/c I have a lot more that I want to share and more to learn of course!
I will have to find your reviews as well, but would be interested in your thoughts about some of the complaints I’m reading online. One is that he gives no solutions, another is that it’s just common sense, and another is that it has way too much opinion, including a heavy political bent. Thoughts?
I posted a reply Adrienne and it is replete with some errors where I tried to post the title of my post on sugar. I am not real fluent on blogging.
Hi again – You can share it again please.
Your recipe does not take into account the minimum sugar content according to recommandation due to their low acidity and which makes the unfit for canning. The canned Elderberry jam can develop botulism if the sugar ( only real sugar and no substitutes) content is below the minimal quantity. You made mention in your description but don’t follow through in your recipe.
Hello Peter. Thanks for reading. I had that information in a section in the post but now it’s in the recipe card. Do let me know if you think anything else should be changed and thanks again!
Could it be pressure canned? With the date paste and all….
Hi there. Golly I wrote a LONG response to you and now it’s vanished. The situation is—I believe I commented about this earlier in the comments and said that you shouldn’t, however, I spent a long time researching this today and it seems that you can. I’m going to have to write a post / section about this but it appears that the acid is the issue.
I read in at least one place that you cannot can elderberries due to them not being acidic enough, however, you should just be able to add acid to change that. I don’t understand the reasoning. I haven’t found anything about canning with date paste, however. It does seem that you can use honey, so I think it’s OK, however I haven’t tried it and don’t know. I see canned date paste for sale, so I would think so, however I just do not know. Maybe I can figure that out in the future. I haven’t canned anything on my own so I’m no expert so please let me know if you figure this out! I will ask some knowledgeable friends. Thanks for asking a good question!
Must I soak fresh berries overnight? If yes, how much water is to be kept? Recipe says boil water, berries and juice together. How much water please? Thank you!
Hi there – no you don’t need to soak them if they are fresh. The recipe notes 3/4 cup filtered water for the jam. Hope that helps! 🙂