Last Updated on August 18, 2024 by Leah Hall
We had fun using this unique ingredient, Aronia Berries, in this syrup.
We grew up in the Midwest with relatives who loved to explore the many parks, country roads and outdoor spaces that are just minutes away. One of the earliest memories of outdoor adventures is of walking down a country road gathering wild fruit. These were wild plums, mulberries and choke cherries to be used in homemade jams and occasionally some homemade hootch! Try our Watermelon Syrup, too!
The jams made from our wild fruits were delicious and were what both of us grew up eating on our PB&J’s until we went to college. These jams were delicious, a wonderful combination of tart and sweet, and those flavors have stuck with us.
This post contains sponsored content brought to you by Whole Foods Market. We received products to promote and develop recipes with but all opinions presented here are 100% our own. For further information please see our Disclaimer page.
What is the Aronia Berry?
One of those flavors was the aronia berry, a small dark purple berry that grows wild in the woods all through the Midwest and is sometimes called the chokeberry. Originally cultivated as an ornamental plant, its berry tart and so astringent it wasn’t something that was considered overly palatable.
But when research found that the berries held more anti-oxidants than other superfoods, Aronia berries became the next big super fruit to hit the market.
Aronia Berries
We were approached by Whole Foods Market to come up with some recipes using local products for the upcoming summer months. One of the products they provided for us was Aronia berries from Sawmill Hollow Farms, the first aronia berry farm in America, which just happened to be located just across the Missouri River from us. Located in the Loess Hills of Iowa, Sawmill Hollow Farms was founded by the Pittz family in 1997 as a way to return to their family roots.
They started out farming the aronia berry as it was a crop that fit well with their hilly location and limited acreage. The Pittz family has been at the forefront of the movement to cultivate the these Aronia berries and make it accessible to small family farmers while making it a commercial success.
What to do with Aronia Berries?
We wanted to try to recreate that nostalgic flavor of those wild fruit jams, but in an aronia berry syrup. Also, we knew that the tart berries would need sugar to balance the tart astringent nature of the berries. So, we used some of Sawmill Hollow Farm’s whole Aronia Berries combined with sugar to make a sweet syrup. Then we still wanted the syrup to have just a hint of the “choke” so we used the Aronia Berry Juice Concentrate to bring a real depth of flavor to the syrup.
This syrup has a rich complex sweetness that is almost like a rich red wine, with a hint of dryness. It still has enough sweetness to balance the tart, too. The flavor has a real old fashioned flavor that is reminiscent of those old homemade jams. Also, it is perfect for using on dishes like pancakes, spread on toast or even better, on top of a rich vanilla ice cream! We hope you enjoy!
Aronia Berry Concentrate
If you don’t have access to this product that is available in some stores, you can make your own at home.
Take about 1/4 cup of Aronia berries and break them down (muddle them) in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook until the juices are released and then cook until slightly thicker. Strain out the pulp and seeds, this will be your concentrate for the syrup. Since you only need 1 Tablespoon for the syrup, you will have some more left over, and it can be frozen for future recipes if needed.
Can Simple Syrups go bad?
They can get moldy if they sit too long. We encourage you to store it in the fridge in a jar, but for no more than one to two weeks. We actually have a whole shelf of simple syrups in our fridge at any given time!
What Ingredients are Needed for the Aronia Berry Syrup?
- Aronia Berries
- Water
- Sugar
- Salt
Cheers!
Also, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and tag #gastronomcocktails so we can see all the wonderful recipes YOU recreate from this site!
You can also subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a delicious recipe again!
Like this recipe? Try these below, too!
Cranberry Sweet and Sour Cocktail
Other Aronia Berry Recipes
- Aronia Oatmeal Crumble Bars – Vibrant Plate
- Aronia Berry Moscow Mule Mocktails – Vegan Dollhouse
Aronia Berry Syrup
Chokeberry simple syrup, a sour and sweet syrup great for desserts or cocktails.
Ingredients
Aronia Berry Simple Syrup
- 1/2 cup Aronia berries
- 1 Tablespoon Aronia berry concentrate (more info in blog post)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- dash salt
Instructions
Heat all ingredients in a saucepan until boiling.
Lower heat to a simmer and reduce down until liquid has thickened and the Aronia berries have split.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
Store in fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
If you are making your own Aronia berry concentrate, there is more info for this recipe in the blog post itself, above.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 100Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 26.6gFiber: 0gSugar: 26.6gProtein: 0g
Interested in stocking your own home bar? Make sure to see our favorites at our Amazon Store!
If you liked this post, don’t forget to subscribe for new (and of course free) recipes by entering your email address on the side bar (and get all the recipes delivered to your inbox when we post), so you don’t miss out on a thing. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Gastronomblog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
amy
Sunday 3rd of September 2023
I planted an aronia bush for the antioxident factor from the berries and have been at a loss of what to do with all of them. The syrup came out GREAT! Thank you for such a tasty and easy recipe! We'll be adding it to waffles/pancakes, ice cream and sparkling water or to make cocktails. :D
The Noms
Monday 4th of September 2023
We LOVE to hear that! Cheers! Leah
Joyce Cook
Saturday 17th of September 2022
I have just juiced a bag of fresh aroma berries my daughter brought from Neb. I want to make some jelly with MCP pectin do you have a recipe? do I use apple juice with the aroma juice?
Paula
Friday 27th of January 2023
@Joyce Cook, I would look up chokeberry jam and compare, possibly use. Just saw this and thought I would comment. Hope yours turned out good.
The Noms
Saturday 17th of September 2022
Hi Joyce, unfortunately, I do not have a recipe for jelly. We just have the aronia berry simple syrup recipe.
Amy
Wednesday 14th of September 2022
Hi there! Thanks so much for this delicious looking+sounding recipe! Your recipe is using fresh berries, correct? Also, wondering if you've ever tried making the syrup with honey and if canning the syrup in a water bath would extend it's shelf life? I'm thinking these would be great solstice gifts. Thanks!
Amy
ForageKC
The Noms
Wednesday 14th of September 2022
Hey there! We used fresh berries, but frozen will work too. And we haven't done anything other than make it the way we have it in the recipe. We haven't tried to can either, so I cannot answer that, sorry! It's a lovely syrup, and good luck!
Meghan
Wednesday 25th of August 2021
I just found a whole bush of Aronia berries, and wanted to make something the simple syrup sounded fun but I don’t have the other syrup that they’re talking about and no way to get it. I wish they had had a alternative ingredient
The Noms
Wednesday 25th of August 2021
Hi Meghan, I think you are referring to the Aronia concentrate? It's just the juice of aronia berries cooked down a little. I will add a section in the blog post about this procedure for the ingredient, and I will email you as well. Thanks! Leah
Carol Havelka
Saturday 29th of August 2020
Am really excited about this recipe! Just harvested some aronia berries!How do you make the aronia berry concentrate for the syrup recipe?
The 'Noms.
Sunday 30th of August 2020
We bought ours and didn't make it, but I assume that you make juice, and then over heat boil it down to a reduction. At least that is what I would do. Good luck! Leah