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A close up of a dropper full of black walnut husk tincture. In the background is an amber glass bottle with more tincture. There are dried black walnut husks in front of the bottle
Nico

How To Make A Black Walnut Tincture (Simple Recipe)

Black walnut husks have powerful antifungal and antiparasitic properties that can help treat a range of issues. Learn how to make a black walnut tincture using only two ingredients with this simple recipe.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 56 days
Total Time 56 days 10 minutes
Servings: 1 bottle
Course: Tinctures
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Fresh or dried black walnut hulls - You can also use whole fresh black walnuts without removing the husks. - here's a source for black walnut hulls
  • 2 cups 80-proof or above unflavoured alcohol or 40% alcohol – If you want to avoid alcohol, you can swap out the alcohol for store-bought apple cider vinegar or food-grade glycerin. If you’re using fresh black walnuts, consider using a high-proof alcohol, which will be more effective at preventing spoilage from the water content in the plant.

Equipment

  • An airtight container with a tight-fitting lid – I use a glass mason jar with parchment paper between the metal lid and tincture or extraction to prevent the alcohol from corroding the metal. – I use these glass mason jars
  • Small amber glass bottles with dropper tops - here's the ones I use
  • A fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth - I like this unbleached cheesecloth
  • A small funnel
  • Optional - a sharp knife for chopping up fresh black walnuts

Method
 

  1. If you’re using fresh black walnut husks, wear gloves and use a sharp knife to safely remove the nut from the hulls. Cut the fulls in quarters and add them to a sterilised jar. You want the jar to be ¾ of the way full. If you want to avoid the mess, you can also simply add the entire walnut to your glass jar. Fill the jar nearly full if you are doing this.
  2. If you’re using dried black walnut husks, fill the jar about ½ of the way full to leave room for them to absorb the alcohol.
  3. Cover the hulls in alcohol until everything is completely submerged. You can top up the alcohol level after a day or so as the plant material absorbs some of it.
  4. Add a lid and shake the jar to coat everything in alcohol. 
  5. Label and date the jar and leave it sit in a cool (room temperature is fine), dark place for 6-8 weeks. 
  6. Use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to strain off the tincture. NOTE - this tincture will stain your cheesecloth when you strain it off.
  7. Add the tincture to an amber dropper bottle to make it easy to consume.
  8. Label and date the tincture, and it’s ready to use!

Notes

For this tincture, make sure to use supplies that you don’t mind getting permanently stained.

How much black walnut tincture to take?

Black walnut tincture can be hard on your system if taken for an extended period of time or in large doses. You can start by taking a small amount and work your way up. It’s recommended that you take 30-60 drops 2-3 times a day in a little water on an empty stomach.

How long does black walnut tincture last?

Like many homemade alcohol-based herbal tinctures, this tincture has a long shelf life if stored away from direct sunlight. I like to use the tincture within 1-2 years.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!