Pine Needle Syrup

Pine syrup can be made in the wintertime from current year needles, but will have a slightly different taste than syrup made from spring cones and tips.  Syrup from needles can sometimes have a bolder taste, but still makes great syrup. Some people like to pre-boil the needles before simmering them in the syrup, but either way turns out good. You can skip that step and go straight to simmering them in the sugar water if you choose.

****Below is a pictorial of where to find the newest pine needles.

Pine Needle Syrup

Ann @ Live The Old Way

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Ingredients

  

• 1 cup raw cane sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup pine needles

Instructions

 

• Snip pine needles into approximately one inch pieces, measuring to get ½ cup of needles.  Be careful to not include the needle sheath (the brown tip at the end that holds the cluster of needles together).  Par-boil the needles by placing them in a pot of water and boiling them for approximately 3 minutes.  This will reduce the amount of harsher tasting resin.  Strain and discard the liquid, keeping the snipped needles.

  Combine par-boiled needles with the 1 cup of water and 1 cup of cane sugar. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.  Turn off heat and let cool.  Repeat simmer and cool process twice more.  Each time syrup will get a little thicker, but never as thick as Muglio syrup made from Spring cones/tips.  Strain needles and store syrup in the refrigerator.

  How to Use:

  Pour over pancakes like you would maple syrup

  Drizzle on soft cheeses and serve with crackers

  Use as a topping for ice cream

  Drizzle on whipped cream that tops a slice of apple pie

  Brush slices of baked ham with it prior to serving

  Dilute with water for tea (if you like sweet pine needle tea)

  Add full strength to Green or Black tea as flavoring/sweetener

  Make into Jelly