Spruce Tip Syrup Recipe - How to Make Fir or Spruce Syrup | Hank Shaw (2024)

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4.46 from 11 votes

By Hank Shaw

May 28, 2021 | Updated May 28, 2022

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Ever eat a tree? I know, I sound like Euell Gibbons. But really, you can eat the fresh growing tips of spruce or fir trees in any number of ways. My favorite is a simple spruce tip syrup.

Spruce Tip Syrup Recipe - How to Make Fir or Spruce Syrup | Hank Shaw (2)

Spruce tip syrup smells like a pine forest, tastes a little citrusy — moreso if you add lemon juice — and adds a wonderful woodsy note to glazed pheasant, grouse or chicken.

It is also wonderful in a co*cktail with gin, vodka or other clear spirits, or with seltzer water for a non alcoholic drink. I like to add a little lime juice to brighten things up.

To gather spruce or fir tree tips, look in springtime for the light-colored ends of the trees: These are the new growth shoots from the tree. Older shoots get too resinous and can be astringent.

Work your way around the tree and pick from scattered places so you don’t damage the tree — and never pick the top of a young tree, or you can possibly stunt its future growth.

If you are not familiar with the differences between pines, spruce and fir trees, here is a great tutorial.

Spruce Tip Syrup Recipe - How to Make Fir or Spruce Syrup | Hank Shaw (3)

(If you are looking for another cool project to make with spruce tips, try my spruce tip beer. It’s definitely a project, but it’s really good!)

There are two ways to make spruce tip syrup: The first is to make a simple syrup, then pour that over a bunch of fir or spruce tips, let it steep a while, then strain and store. This is the easy, quick way.

The second takes a while, but results in a more intense syrup. With this method, you layer spruce tips in with sugar tightly in a Mason jar, close the lid and sit this in a dark place, sometimes for more than a month. The moisture in the spruce tips will melt the sugar and create an intensely sprucy (or piney) syrup.

You’ll need to strain that one, too. The yield is small, but the flavor is large.

Some people make spruce tip syrup (either method) with brown sugar, and that’s OK, but I don’t like the dark syrup that results. It’s just personal preference.

Once made, spruce tip syrup should be kept in the fridge, where it should last about 4 months or more. It does not freeze well.

4.46 from 11 votes

Spruce Tip Syrup

Note that most conifers can be used here: spruce, fir, pine, redwood. Flavor is very variable from tree to tree and species to species. Be very careful not to pick from the yew, which is a common landscaping plant in the US. It is highly toxic.

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Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Servings: 20 servings

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups fir or spruce tips, chopped
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

  • Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a lidded pot, stirring to make sure all the sugar is absorbed.

  • When it hits a boil, turn off the heat. Stir in the spruce tips, cover the pot and leave to cool. The longer you steep the syrup, the stronger spruce flavor you’ll get. I let it steep overnight.

  • Strain the syrup through cheesecloth, add lemon juice (if using) to taste and bottle.

Notes

This recipe makes about 1 pint.

Nutrition

Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 79IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
American Recipes, Foraging, How-To (DIY stuff), Recipe

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Read More About Me

Spruce Tip Syrup Recipe - How to Make Fir or Spruce Syrup | Hank Shaw (2024)

FAQs

Spruce Tip Syrup Recipe - How to Make Fir or Spruce Syrup | Hank Shaw? ›

Think of them as an herb you would use raw. When I cook with spruce tips, I usually add them raw to salads or sprinkle over vegetable dishes. If I use spruce tips in desserts, they will typically be pureed or in an infusion, and always strained if possible since leftover particles can get bitter.

How do you prepare spruce? ›

Think of them as an herb you would use raw. When I cook with spruce tips, I usually add them raw to salads or sprinkle over vegetable dishes. If I use spruce tips in desserts, they will typically be pureed or in an infusion, and always strained if possible since leftover particles can get bitter.

What does spruce tip syrup taste like? ›

The syrup smells like a pine forest, tastes a little citrusy — moreso if you add lemon juice — and adds a wonderful woodsy note to glazed pheasant, grouse or chicken. Spruce tip syrup is even better mixed with ice cold water, carbonated or no, and a hint of lime or lemon juice.

How do you make spruce tip oil? ›

Pour the olive oil over the tips, stir and place in the oven to bake for a minimum of 4 hrs. 7. Once oil has finished baking and has cooled to room temperature, strain the mixture through a fine mesh cheesecloth to remove the tips. Store in a dark air tight container in a cool, dry and place.

How long do you boil spruce tips? ›

More Fun With Spruce Tips:

Add spruce tips to salt to make spruce salt. Add spruce tips to honey for an amazing flavor combination. Boil spruce tips in water for 15 minutes (approximately 4 oz of spruce in 3 cups of water) to make a wonderful essence that can be used in making bread or other baking recipes.

What are the ingredients in spruce? ›

Our ingredients: Natural flavourings; Citric Acid; Malic Acid; Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid); Natural Sweetener: Stevia; Natural Colour: Beetroot Extract, Safflower Extract; Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide); Vitamin B5 (Calcium D-Pantothenate); Zinc; Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine HCl); Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Mononitrate); Vitamin D2 ( ...

Do you need to water spruce tips? ›

Water Your Finished Spruce Tip Pot

Place your pot where you want it and water to moisten the soil until it freezes. Fresh evergreens will continue to take up water like a fresh Christmas tree. Watering your pot will keep it fresh all season.

Are spruce tips safe to eat? ›

Spruce tree needles are very short and attached individually. There are different types of spruce trees, and all spruce tips are edible.

What are the benefits of spruce tip syrup? ›

They are full of vitamin C for immune system strengthening, vitamin A for healthy organ function, magnesium and potassium, and have always been used by indigenous tribes for coughs, colds and sore throats. It's easily as good as any cough tincture from the pharmacy!!

Can I freeze spruce tips? ›

Two of the best ways to freeze spruce tips is to bag them up in plastic freezer baggies or to vacuum seal them and then freeze. Spruce tips can last up to one year. Today, I'm making spruce tip/carrot/zucchini/ bread with spruce tip cream cheese frosting. All you need is your favroite zucchini carrot bread recipe.

What is the difference between pine tips and spruce tips? ›

This is an easy tip to remember: on pine trees, needles are attached and attached to the branches in clusters; on spruce trees, needles are attached individually. A longleaf pine – which you can tell is a pine because its needles are attached in bundles.

Are spruce tips good for you? ›

Spruce tips are the new growth of the trees each year and are most notably antiseptic, antimicrobial and an incredible source of vitamin C. After a long winter, they offer an immune boost and a fresh, lemony flavor that wakes you up from your hibernation slumber.

Why are the tips of my spruce needles turning brown? ›

If this is what you're seeing, your blue spruce tree is likely suffering from needle cast disease. Once these needles turn brown, yellow, or red, they will likely begin to shed. Many homeowners that are experiencing needle cast will often describe their blue spruce as looking burned.

What does boiling spruce do? ›

Boughs collected from the white spruce can be boiled to purify our indoor air and clean the surfaces in our homes. Collect white spruce branches following traditional protocols.

Can you eat any part of a spruce tree? ›

Spruce trees also provide foraging opportunity all year round. The needles are edible and most commonly used to make a hot tea, which is steeped (not boiled) to retain its nutritional quality. All parts of the tree are non-toxic.

How do you process spruce gum? ›

After harvesting the spruce gum, you will then add it to a pot and bring it to a boil. It can take up to an hour to boil the spruce gum enough to become more liquidy. You may add water to make it less syrup-like. Once the gum is boiled, you can strain it to remove any excess bark, and let it cool.

Can you eat spruce tips raw? ›

While all spruce tips are edible, I find blue spruce to be the most intense flavor. Spruce tips can be enjoyed raw, cooked into any dish and used as you might rosemary because their flavor profile is similar. I think that this flavor would pair well with white gamey meat and chicken.

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