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Hawthorn syrup is a traditional heart tonic, and it’s also delicious in drinks and desserts.
Hawthorn berries are small, red fruits that grow on thorny shrubs or trees, often found in hedgerows or as wild-growing trees in gardens. These berries ripen in late summer to early autumn and are full of tiny seeds.
While the berries themselves can be a bit tart and astringent when eaten raw, they make a smooth, lightly sweet syrup. You can take it on its own as a traditional heart tonic, or add it to drinks and desserts.
Hawthorn syrup has long been used in traditional medicine, particularly for its potential to support heart health and circulation. The berries are rich in flavonoids, antioxidants, and vitamin C, all of which contribute to their heart-healthy reputation.
I usually harvest hawthorn berries in the wild, and they’re abundant here in the northeast. If you’re curious about proper identification in the wild, you can read my guide to foraging hawthorn. The berries are also easy to get from herbal supply shops, where they sell dried hawthorn berries.
(I know, they call them berries for some reason. They’re actually little fruits that look like mini apples, and they’re related closely to rose hips. Not really berries at all.)
Benefits of Hawthorn Syrup
Hawthorn berries are highly regarded for their potential to promote cardiovascular health.
Traditionally, they have been used to improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, and support overall heart function. Herbalists have also used hawthorn for digestive issues and anxiety. If you take medicine for your heart or blood pressure, talk with your doctor before using hawthorn.
Hawthorn syrup is an easy way to add this plant to your everyday routine, especially as the colder months approach.
Ingredients for Hawthorn Syrup
To make hawthorn syrup, you’ll need a few basic ingredients that come together to create a flavorful and nutritious syrup. The basic proportions follow the same 3:2:1 ratio used for other syrups: 3 parts water, 2 parts hawthorn berries, and 1 part sugar or honey, depending on your taste. For a small batch, you’ll need:
- 500 grams fresh hawthorn berries (or 250 grams dried hawthorn berries)
- 250 grams sugar (or an equal amount of honey, if you prefer)
- 750 ml water (or about 3 cups)
Fresh hawthorn berries yield a brighter flavor, while dried berries provide a more concentrated taste. If you want a syrup that has more complexity, feel free to substitute the sugar with honey. Honey adds a floral, rich sweetness, enhancing the natural flavor of the hawthorn berries, while sugar results in a more neutral, clean syrup. The tested syrup process uses sugar, though, so a honey syrup goes in the fridge or freezer rather than the canner.
You can also add a splash of apple cider vinegar (about 2 to 3 tablespoons) to balance the sweetness, giving the syrup a slight tang that complements its fruitiness.
How to Make Hawthorn Syrup
Start by preparing your hawthorn berries. Wash them thoroughly and remove any stems or leaves, as they can be tough. If you’re using dried berries, there’s no need to rinse them; just skip this step. You can mash fresh berries lightly to split the skins, but don’t crush them in a mortar and pestle. Hawthorn seeds contain amygdalin, a compound that can release cyanide when the seeds are crushed, so keep them whole and strain them out with the pulp.
Place the prepared berries in a large pot and add 750 ml of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the berries soften and the water has reduced by about half. You’ll know the mixture is ready when it becomes a concentrated, deep red infusion.
After the berries have softened and the liquid has reduced, it’s time to strain the syrup. Using a fine mesh sieve lined with muslin or cheesecloth, strain the liquid into a clean container, making sure to remove all the seeds and pulp. Strain it well so no seeds or bits of skin end up in the syrup. If necessary, strain it a second time to ensure the syrup is smooth and clear.
Once you have your hawthorn liquid, measure it out. For every 500 ml of strained liquid, add 250 grams of sugar or honey, depending on your preference. Stir gently to dissolve the sugar, and then bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to boil for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, to help the syrup thicken slightly.
Hawthorn berries are plenty acidic, so the syrup cans the same way as other fruit syrups, with the NCHFP Berry Syrup process. Start heating your water bath canner to about 180 degrees F while the berries simmer, and keep your half pint or pint jars hot.
Ladle the hot syrup into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace, then wipe the rims and add the lids and bands. Process half pints or pints for 10 minutes in the water bath canner, adjusting for altitude with the chart below. When the time is up, turn off the heat, take the lid off the canner, and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes before lifting them out. That short rest helps prevent siphoning.
If you’d rather skip the canner, pour the hot syrup into clean bottles or jars and let it cool. Then keep it in the fridge, where it lasts a few weeks, or freeze it for longer storage.
Altitude Adjustments
These processing times are for water bath canning half pints and pints, and they go up at higher elevations.
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 10 minutes
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 20 minutes
How to Use Hawthorn Syrup
Once you’ve made your hawthorn syrup, there are many creative ways to incorporate it into your daily routine. Here are a few ideas for how to use this healthful syrup:
For Medicinal Use
Heart Tonic: Hawthorn syrup is traditionally used as a heart tonic. The usual amount is 1 to 2 tablespoons a day, especially through the colder months. Herbal doses are individual, so check with your doctor or an herbalist first.
Digestion: Herbalists also use hawthorn for digestion, and a spoonful of syrup in warm water makes a pleasant, calming drink.
For Culinary Use
As a Sweetener: Use hawthorn syrup in place of regular sugar or maple syrup. It’s wonderful drizzled over pancakes, waffles, or French toast for a seasonal twist.
Dessert Topping: Pour the syrup over ice cream, yogurt, or fresh fruit to add a natural sweetness with a fruity kick.
In Cocktails: Hawthorn syrup is a nice addition to cocktails. Stir it into gin, whiskey, or rum for a unique, autumn-inspired drink, or mix it with sparkling water for a light and refreshing beverage.
Hot Drinks: Add a spoonful of hawthorn syrup to hot tea or a hot toddy for a warming drink on a cold day.
Storage & Shelf Life
Store sealed jars of canned hawthorn syrup in a cool, dark place, and use them within 12 to 18 months. Once a jar is open, keep it in the fridge, where it lasts a few weeks. If you skip the canner, keep the syrup in the fridge, or freeze it in freezer-safe jars with 1 inch of headspace for longer storage. As with other syrups, hawthorn syrup may thicken over time, particularly if refrigerated. If it becomes too thick, simply warm it up to return it to a syrup consistency.
More Syrup Recipes
A few more wild fruit syrups to try.
If you tried this Hawthorn Syrup or any other recipe on Practical Self Reliance, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments!
Hawthorn Syrup
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh hawthorn berries, or dried, see notes
- 1 1/4 cup sugar, or honey, see notes
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Wash the fresh berries and remove any stems or leaves. If you’re using dried berries, you can skip this step. Leave the berries whole, or mash fresh ones lightly to split the skins, without crushing the seeds.
- Put the berries in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the berries are soft and the liquid has reduced by about half.
- While the berries simmer, heat the water in a water bath canner to about 180 degrees F, and keep half pint or pint jars hot.
- Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth, removing all the seeds and pulp. Strain it a second time for a smooth syrup.
- Add the sugar and heat gently until it dissolves, then boil for 3 minutes.
- Ladle the hot syrup into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims and add the lids and bands.
- Process half pints or pints in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see notes).
- Turn off the heat, take the lid off the canner, and let the jars sit in the water for 5 minutes before lifting them out.
Notes
- 0 to 1,000 feet: 10 minutes
- 1,001 to 6,000 feet: 15 minutes
- Above 6,000 feet: 20 minutes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A Note from Your Family Herbalist
I’m a family herbalist, trained by more than 20 years of hands-on work with medicinal plants and rounded out with coursework through the Herbal Academy of New England. That means I know my way around the plants in this post, and I’ve personally made and used the remedies I write about, often many times over. But there’s a real difference between knowing what works on my homestead and knowing what’s right for you.
Medicine is a personal affair. Every body is different, every medical history is different, and herbs interact with medications, pregnancy, nursing, and existing health conditions in ways no general blog post can anticipate. Even mild medicinal plants like chamomile cause allergic reactions in some people, so what sits comfortably on my own medicine shelf might not be the right choice for yours.
For guidance tailored to your situation, there are three directions I’d point you:
- See a local clinical herbalist. A practicing clinical herbalist can take your full health picture into account, recommend the right herb and dose for you, and adjust the protocol as you go. Ask around at your nearest food co-op, herb farm, or natural-foods store; most communities have at least one.
- Talk to your doctor before adding any new herb to your routine, especially if you take prescription medications, are pregnant or nursing, or are managing a chronic condition. A good doctor will welcome the conversation.
- Educate yourself, the way I have. The Herbal Academy of New England runs the courses I credit with sharpening my own practice. Their Introduction to Herbal Medicine course is where I’d start. I’ve also taken and recommend their Mushroom Course and their Botany and Wildcrafting Course. All three are well-paced and easy to follow at home.
Hawthorn Recipes
Looking for more ways to use hawthorn?
Hi Ashley,
I made a berry juice from chokecherry, hawthorn, rosehip and grapes. Do I need to add lemon for safety when canning it for acidity levels?
Thank you!
All of those are plenty acidic and each is safe to can on its own without added acidity. You can make a jelly just fine with those, no added lemon juice. You can, however, add lemon juice for flavor (fresh or bottled) to cut the sweetness if you make a full sugar jelly. That mix will likely need pectin to set dependably. Enjoy.
Hi, do you sterilize the final product so it can be self stable? I’m scare of leaving it on the counter for several months just as is. Thanks.
This one isn’t processed, so I’d keep it in the fridge, where it lasts a few weeks, or freeze it in small jars or ice cube trays for longer.
Thanks for this recipe. It’s a good alternative for hawthorn berry tea for cardiac. The only thing I would say, respectfully, is that you suggested using honey or sugar, but then you directed boiling. Honey should never be heated over 100° F — never hotter than the hive — or it dies and becomes toxic. Just saying.