How to Make Dandelion Syrup
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I love this time of year. My daffodils are blooming and the tulips are getting ready to next make their appearance. I noticed today that the dandelions had popped up overnight. They are literally everywhere! Time to make some dandelion syrup.
Dandelion syrup tastes like a honey syrup and is great for flavoring iced tea, soda, and cocktails. If you are wondering what dandelion syrup tastes like, it does indeed taste like honey. You can even add some extra honey to it to enhance the honey flavor.
When picking dandelions, make sure they have not been sprayed with any pesticides. We used to spray our yard to kill the dandelions, but we don’t anymore. Ever since we got our own beehive, we have been a lot more cautious about what we spray in our yard.
The bees feed on the pollen of dandelions in early spring when there isn’t much other pollen yet. Chemicals can kill bees, so we have opted to enjoy the dandelions instead of trying to get rid of them.
Health Benefits of Dandelions
According to WebMD, it is claimed that dandelions have many health benefits, but not enough studies have been done to see if dandelions are really effective in treating these health conditions.
Many people, however, claim that dandelions have many benefits. People use them to treat upset stomach, gas, gall stones, joint pain, eczema, and muscle aches.
Dandelion Syrup Recipe
Dandelion syrup is a simple syrup, and simple syrups are very easy to make. See the recipe list below for more of my easy simple syrup recipes.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups sugar*
- 3 cups dandelion flowers
Dandelions will give your syrup a honey flavor, but if you wish you can replace some of the sugar with honey to enhance the honey flavor. For instance use 3 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup honey.
Place the dandelion flowers in a strainer and rinse them thoroughly to remove any bugs or dirt. Place the water and dandelion flowers in a sauce pan and bring the water to a boil.
When the water starts boiling remove the pan from the heat. Let the dandelion flowers sit in the water for at least several hours, you can even leave them overnight.
Strain the dandelions out of the water with a fine sieve. Return the water to the stove and add the sugar. Bring the water to a simmer. When the sugar has completely dissolved remove the pan from the heat.
This recipe makes approximately 3 pints of syrup. If you are a little short of 3 pints just add a little extra water to make 3 pints. You can place lids on the jars and just place them in the refrigerator if you are going to use them within a couple of weeks. I love these pretty Pioneer Woman canning jar lids you can get from Amazon. If you want to store the dandelion syrup longer, you can also can it.
Canning Directions
To can your syrup, wash and sterilize three pint size canning jars. I sterilize mine by running them through a quick rinse in the dishwasher. Fill your boiling water canner about half full with water and bring the water to a boil.
Pour the hot dandelion syrup into the canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. You can easily measure the head space with this inexpensive canning funnel.
Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel and place the lids and rings on the jars finger tight. Place the jars in the boiling water canner, making sure there is at least 1 inch of water above the canning jars. Add additional water if necessary. Bring the water to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.
Remove the jars from the canner and place them on a kitchen towel on the counter to cool. After the jars have cooled press your finger in the center of the lids to make sure the lids have sealed. If any of the lids didn’t seal, you can still place them in the refrigerator and use them within the next week. Sealed jars can be stored in the pantry for 1-2 years.
Related Recipes
- Dandelion Jelly
- Dandelion Lemonade
- Rose Hip Syrup
- Rhubarb Simple Syrup
- Lilac Simple Syrup
- Ginger Simple Syrup
- Dandelion Iced Tea
- Elderberry Syrup
- Lavender Simple Syrup
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