Old fashioned cough syrup recipe

A combination of elderflowers, thyme, and linden makes this homemade cough syrup a potent natural remedy that eases cough and sore throat.

Every family has a few home remedies that have been known for generations. Those are, in my family, old-time preparations made of herbs that were easy to forage and free.

I have told you about my grandma’s tea for cough, and today I will share her old fashioned cough syrup recipe that my family makes every year.   

Sometimes it is wise to prepare things in advance. To make this old cough syrup recipe, you want to start collecting linden and elderflower blossoms in June when in bloom.

So you are ready in autumn when the cold and flu season hits.

“Happiness is homemade”

Karen Buhk

While making homemade cough syrup enables you to control the ingredients it also requires knowing the proper process of making it. While some herbs especially roots and fruits can handle the heat without losing their medicinal properties, flowers and stems are more sensitive. To make this homemade cough syrup with honey and lemon medicinal we are going to use heat for woody parts and roots such as cinnamon, clove and ginger. They need more time and heat to release their oils with medicinal properties.

Elderflowers, linden, and thyme on the other hand are heat sensitive thus we will use the cold method of maceration to release their properties.

old fashioned cough syrup ingredients

Linden tree blossoms

Known also as lime (UK) or basswood (USA)linden is famous for its tea which is made of linden blossoms. 

Its blossoms start to bloom in early summer with a typical honey scent that attracts bees. It grows in clusters of little flowerets with propellers that take away the seeds after pollination. 

Once the first blossoms appear I choose a sunny day, preferably in the morning to pluck a few for use throughout the year. For this old fashioned cough syrup recipe, I harvest both the flower as well as the small leaf (propeller) that is in the cluster. 

And because pollen is a carrier of taste and fragrance I never wash the blossoms I just observe them for bugs or dirt that I remove mechanically before bringing them home

benefits of linden flower

Linden tree contains powerful antioxidants that block the inflammatory processes and may fight inflammation.(2)

Moreover, linden infusion contains mucus that coats the throat with a thin layer to soothe and moisturize it. It may also relieve a dry cough. 

Elderflower benefits

Their blossoms start to bloom in the late spring or early summer with large strongly scented creamy umbels of small flowers.

Elderflowers are herbs that I reached for when there are complaints of the flu with fever.

Rosalee de la Foret, a recognized herbalist speaks in her book, Alchemy of herbs about elderflowers as one of her favorite plants that she relies on all the time. Especially when somebody has a fever and feels hot, tense, and restless. Elderflowers promote sweating allowing the heat to escape.

Packed with Vitamin C, antioxidants, and flavonoids that can deactivate the viruses in our bodies. (1)

Elderflowers also ease respiratory conditions(2) 

Thyme for cough

Thyme has been used for centuries to treat bronchitis and cough.

It contains essential oils that may help alleviate a cough. Packed with vitamin C and A and minerals, thyme may boost the immune system and help fight the cold (1)

homemade cough syrup with honey and cinnamon

This homemade cough mixture is enhanced with cinnamon and raw honey.

Rich in antioxidants cinnamon relieves colds and soothes sore throat and boosts your immunity naturally. This homemade cough syrup with honey and cinnamon makes a great addition to your homemade apothecary.

I prefer to use raw honey in this homemade honey cough syrup as it hasn’t been heated to high temperatures and pasteurized as most of the honey is sold in supermarkets. So it keeps all the nutrients that are heat sensitive, like enzymes and antioxidants. That is why it is important to find a beekeeper in your neighborhood and treat him well :).

old fashioned cough syrup recipe

First step

Place the woody and solid dried herbal parts such as cinnamon, clove, and ginger into a small casserole. Pour over 1 cup of water, cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes. 

Second step

Put elderflowers, linden flowers, and thyme, into a large glass jar (1.5 l, 6 cups, or 48 oz) and pour over the mixture that has been boiled in a casserole with all the ingredients including the liquid over the herbs.

Third step

Peel off orange and lemon cut them into cubes and add them to the mixture.

Fourth step

Pour an additional 1 liter (4 cups or 32 oz) of pre-boiled water over the mixture. Cover the jar with a lid and let it macerate for 24 hours.

Fifth step

The next day strain the mixture through a piece of muslin cheesecloths into a sterilized pot and add raw honey and citric acid mix it well

Sixth step

Pour the sterilized bottle and label it well.

Keep refrigerated and use it within a couple of days. Add citric acid If you want to keep it for a longer time (up to 1 year) in a dark, cold place.

Other ways to ease cough naturally

Here are a few tips to naturally ease cough at home however always ask your practitioner to seek professional advice

1. Staying hydrated helps thin the mucus and makes coughs more efficient. Water is good as well as chicken soup 
2. suck on lozenges – they make the back of the throat less sensitive and decrease the cough reflex. These cough drops  coat your throat to prevent the itchy feeling.
3. drinking hot thyme tea with honey and lemon helps sooth your throat. Alternatively you can use these roasted herbal fruit teas with rose hips and thyme to boost your immunity. Linden tea or elderflower tea are also very effective. 
4. Sometimes a room that is too dry can irritate your throat. In which case use humidifiers to moisturize your room and help your cough.
5. a hot shower or bath might help you reduce secretions in the nose and will relieve your breathing.
6. This natural cough syrup from spruce tips works great too.