How to Make Pine Syrup at Home (Step by Step Guide With Pictures)

Homemade pine syrup is a great natural supplement that promotes overall good health and disease prevention. It’s also a simple, easy way to flavor cocktails, teas, and savory dishes, especially during the winter months. It will bring a unique lemony herbaceous component to any application. All pine needles are edible, so gather some clean branches and in just a few simple steps and only three ingredients, fresh pine syrup will be ready to enjoy!

How to Make Pine Syrup at Home in Under 40 Minutes

1. The first step is to flavor the water that will be used to make the syrup. To do this, roughly chop a few small branches (about a handful) of pine needles to a more manageable size, and place in a sealable container.
2. Next, bring one cup of water to a boil, and pour over the pine needles. Seal the container and allow the needles to steep for at least 30 minutes, and no longer than twenty four hours.
3. Once done steeping, strain out the pine needles from the water and discard them. Place the water in a small sauce pot along with one cup of sugar. Stir with a whisk or spoon while bringing mixture to a simmer. Once it has reached a simmer, allow to cook for about one minute.
4. Lastly, allow for syrup to cool before refrigerating. May be stored for about one month.

How to Fully Benefit From Your Homemade Pine Syrup

In addition to flavoring and sweetening drinks, homemade pine syrup may have a wide array of health benefits. Primarily, it was dissolved in tea and used as an anti-inflammatory and a way to help decrease high blood pressure. Later on, it was found that it may be helpful as a remedy for relieving some symptoms of respiratory illnesses. Specifically, it can be taken to help ease the cough from bronchitis and asthma, as well as the common cold and flu. Vapors from boiling the buds can be used for clearing up nasal congestion, lessening a cold, and clearing skin.

Related: Making Raw Apple Cider Vinegar at Home

The syrup is also a good source of calcium, and one teaspoon per day has been shown to improve bone health and prevent osteoporosis. It also contains a high amount of vitamin C and A, which will help strengthen the immune system and may prevent illnesses.

Additionally, homemade pine syrup may also stimulate digestion. When applied directly to the skin it may reduce muscle soreness and nerve pain. While pine remains to be a safe, natural way to potentially improve overall health, it is important to keep in mind that these health improvements are still being studied and may not work the same for everyone.

Other ways to incorporate the nutrition from pine syrup is through cooking. From a culinary standpoint, it adds an interesting minty and fresh tasting twist to sauces, roasts, marinades, stews, breads and broths. It would pair well with chicken, beef, or fish.

Using the syrup as a sweetener in cocktails and other beverages is another great use—it would add an interesting spin on lemonades, iced teas, mojitos, mint juleps, or an old fashioned. It can even be added simply to morning hot coffee or tea as a vehicle for a great daily supplement. Young needles tend to work best for cooking—they are lighter in color, softer, and have a milder flavor.

Making pine syrup at home is an easy process that yields a very useful ingredient. Whether it is simply a way to put a Christmas tree to good use, take a supplement, help make a cold more manageable, flavor the perfect soup, or make a comforting tea in the winter, pine syrup is an excellent way to incorporate both good flavor and good health into a daily routine.

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