How to Make a Black Walnut Tincture

Name: How to Make a Black Walnut Tincture
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 2 cups
Ingredients: 11-12 Fresh black walnuts with green hull; 2 cups 80-100 proof vodka (or apple cider vinegar or food grade vegetable glycerin)

Today on the blog, I’ll show you the quick and easy way to make a black walnut tincture along with useful ways to use it!

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We have a big ole black walnut tree in our backyard. We were so excited when we first moved to our home. I couldn’t wait to harvest all the walnuts! I did a little research on how and when to harvest them and the kids and I picked loads and loads of black walnuts. Somehow, I totally missed the important fact that when working with black walnuts, it’s a very good idea to wear gloves

….and old clothes

…and old shoes.

Little did we know back then that black walnut contains juglone and tannins, which are natural dyes. When you remove the green hull, the juice will stain anything and everything it comes in contact with! Our hands were stained a dark yellow for weeks (yes, weeks!) and since we were stepping on dropped walnuts, so were our shoes and the hems of our pants. Of course, as small children do, my kids were constantly trying to wipe “the dirt” off on their clothes!

Fast forward several years, we’ve learned our lesson and we harvest black walnut every year without incident! Black walnut has become a staple in my apothecary and we use it for all sorts of things (read on.) We even healed my daughter’s cavities with it!

Uses and Benefits of Black Walnut

Black walnut has a long history in herbal medicine (the hulls specifically.) It is most commonly known for being a main ingredient (along with wormwood and cloves) as a natural parasite treatment. It is anti-fungal and antiviral. It also relieves inflammation and irritation.

Used Externally:

treats athlete’s foot, ringworm and other fungal infections of the skin

treats acne, eczema, psoriasis, warts, cold sores and herpes

used as a natural hair dye

Used Internally:

soothes upset stomachs and relieves both constipation and diarrhea

treats candida overgrowth

has certain anti-cancer properties

rids the body of parasites and intestinal worms

gargling with black walnut extract can sooth sore throats

may restore tooth enamel, heal cavities and relieve tooth pain and sensitivity

may help relieve excess sweating

Black walnut should not be used during pregnancy.

**If you’d rather purchase black walnut tincture than make it yourself, I recommend this brand.

What is a Tincture?

A tincture is a concentrated liquid extract of herbs. It is one of the most popular ways to take herbal medicines internally. Tinctures are typically made with alcohol but can also be made with apple cider vinegar or food grade vegetable glycerin.

Tinctures made with alcohol typically last for many years, whereas those made with glycerin or apple cider vinegar will not last as long. Glycerin tinctures will typically last 2-3 years, whereas tinctures made with apple cider vinegar will last at least a year, probably more according to Rosemary Gladstar. Tinctures made with glycerin and apple cider vinegar are also not as a strong as those made with alcohol. Tinctures are typically consumed by the dropper-full in a small glass of water.

Harvesting Black Walnuts

For your tincture, you want to harvest your black walnuts directly from the tree when they are green and slightly soft. For those in the northeast, that’s usually mid to late August through early September.

How To Make a Black Walnut Tincture

You’ll need:

1 quart wide mouth jar with lid ** See recipe notes.
1 pint or regular quart jar with lid for storing your completed tincture
Tincture bottle with dropper
Approximately 8-12 fresh black walnuts with green hulls
Approximately 2 cups 80-100 proof vodka, apple cider vinegar or food grade vegetable glycerin

Instructions:

Place your black walnuts (whole) in a wide mouth glass jar. ** See recipe notes in case you missed WHY we are not chopping our black walnuts!
Pour enough vodka (or apple cider vinegar or glycerin) over the black walnuts to completely cover them by 2-3 inches then seal your jar with a tight fitting lid.
Let the black walnuts soak in a warm spot, out of direct sunlight for 4-6 weeks. Shake your jar often, every day if possible.
After 4-6 weeks, strain the black walnuts from the liquid. Discard the black walnuts. Fill a small tincture bottle (with a dropper) for daily use and pour the remaining tincture in a clean glass jar. Label and date your tincture. Store in a cool, dark place.

Note from Jen:

Apple cider vinegar will cause your metal caps to rust. If using apple cider vinegar in your tincture, use either a plastic lid or place a piece of plastic wrap between the jar and the metal lid.

Typically, we chop herbs to be put in a tincture; however, black walnuts contain juglone and tannins, which once you remove the hull, will stain everything it comes in contact with. So… we will be leaving our black walnuts whole for our tincture.

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know by leaving a comment below or sharing a comment or picture on my Facebook Page or on Instagram .

I love hearing your feedback!

Are you hungry for more home remedies? You might enjoy the FREE E-BOOK, “Three Home Remedies You Can Make in an Afternoon” and some of these popular posts:

How to Make an All Purpose Salve with Plantain Herb

How to Make Fire Cider

How to Make Sage Honey ( For Sore Throat & Coughs)

Healing Herbal Teas for When You are Sick

How to Make Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar

How to Make Echinacea Tincture & Throat Spray

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How to Make a Black Walnut Tincture

Course

Home Remedies

Prep Time

5 minutes

Passive Time

4-6 weeks

Servings

cups

Ingredients

11-12 Fresh black walnuts with green hull
2 cups 80-100 proof vodka or apple cider vinegar or food grade vegetable glycerin

Course

Home Remedies

Prep Time

5 minutes

Passive Time

4-6 weeks

Servings

cups

Ingredients

11-12 Fresh black walnuts with green hull
2 cups 80-100 proof vodka or apple cider vinegar or food grade vegetable glycerin

Instructions

Place your black walnuts (whole) in a wide mouth glass jar. ** See recipe notes
Pour enough vodka (or apple cider vinegar or glycerine) over the black walnuts to completely cover them by 2-3 inches then seal your jar with tight fitting lid.
Let the black walnuts soak in a warm spot, out of direct sunlight for 4-6 weeks. Shake your jar often, every day if possible.
After 4-6 weeks, strain the black walnuts from the liquid. Discard the black walnuts. Fill a small tincture bottle (with a dropper) for daily use and pour the remaining tincture in a clean glass jar. Label and date your tincture. Store in a cool, dark area.

Recipe Notes

Apple cider vinegar will cause your metal caps to rust. If using apple cider vinegar in your tincture, use either a plastic lid or place a piece of plastic wrap between the jar and the metal lid.

Typically, we chop herbs to be put in a tincture; however, black walnuts contain juglone and tannins, which once you remove the hull, will stain everything it comes in contact with. So, we will be leaving our black walnuts whole for our tincture.

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39 Comments

Reply Carol at This sound good, but how much do you use, and how often---did you wash the walnuts before putting into the jar? Any specifics for how much to use for different "maladies"?
- Reply Jen at Hi Carol. Yes, I do recommend washing the black walnuts prior to making your tincture. A good reference for dosage and usage of various herbs is Practical Herbalism by Philip Fritchey. He recommends 15-20 drops 3-4 times a day. My two daughters have been taking a dropperful once a day to health their teeth.
Reply Melanie Griffin at I wonder why and how you harvest directly from the tree? Do you have to? We have a gigantic black walnut tree. I loved it before we moved in, then the hail storm of walnuts happened, lol. I didn't know there was any use, besides eating and I don't like the taste. How exactly do you get to the limbs? Ours is very, very tall. Can I just pick up freshly dropped ones?
- Reply Jen at Yes, picking from a large black walnut tree can be a challenge! We have a few lower limbs that only my hubby can reach. He'll shake the limbs and then we'll retrieve the black walnuts that fall. You could use freshly dropped ones but they need to be green with no obvious bug holes.
  - Reply Edythe Monroe at You could probably use an apple picker if you have one.
    - Reply Jen at Great idea!
Reply Lena at Hi Jen, it was so helpful to find this information on your page! I enjoyed reading this black walnut hull tincture and am consider in making one! I even have trees planted on my property for this! I hope you won't mind if I included your post into my page about sanguinarian-mouth-wash that kills and prevents teeth from plaque and tartar and makes your gums healthy at https://stayhealthynotes.com/2017/01/24/sanguinarian-mouth-wash/ Again thank you so much for sharing this great tincture with the world!
- Reply Jen at I am so glad you found the post helpful, Lena! I don't mind at all if you share this post.
Reply Vanessa Alim at I want to make black walnut tincture , but all I have is the Black Walnut Hull Powder. Is that just as good?
- Reply Jen at Hi Vanessa, powders are much more concentrated and I don't make tinctures using them. There are other options for your powdered black walnut thought. If you are using it for dental care and to prevent cavities, you could brush your teeth with the powder or add it to your toothpaste. You could also make your own capsules using the black walnut powder you have.
Reply renee at hi Jen, I made some black walnut tincture 1 1/2 years ago, still in my cellar, but I never strained out the nuts. with this virus going around I am wanting to use it but not sure if I should since the nuts have been in there so long. It was made with vodka, so I am pretty sure it should be ok to use but just want a second opinion. thanks
- Reply Jen at Hi Renee, as long as all the nuts were fully submerged in the alcohol and there is no visible mold on the top of the tincture, I think it should be fine too.
Reply Jakob at Hi Jen, Just to be sure I understand it correct - i can make the tincure with pure apple cider vinegar? I am very sensitive to alcohol and sugar in any forms, glycerol included.
- Reply Jen at That's right, Jakob. You can make a tincture using apple cider vinegar. Be sure to read my tips in the recipe if you make it.
  - Reply Jakob at Super - thanks!
    - Reply Paul Rolfe at Hello Jen, I have some black walnuts that were gathered for me. Some are still green but soft. Will these still work or should I just use them to make some ink and try again next year?
      - Jen at Yes, I would still use them as long as they are green.
- Reply Holly at What's the dosage, and if we do chop them for our tincture recipe I it still ok? Besides the staining.
  - Reply Jen at A standard dosage is 1 dropperful for an adult. Yes, chopping the black walnut hulls for your tincture is perfectly fine!
Reply Monica at Do you know if the tincture is less concentrated or less effective since you don’t chop them? I love the idea of not cutting them, but all other recipes I’ve seen say to cut them up and I figure there must be a reason they make it harder. :P
- Reply Jen at Yes, I believe it would be less concentrated than if you chopped up the hulls. That doesn't necessarily mean it's less effective in your body. I have found this concentration to be effective for both me and my family using a standard dose of 1 dropperful 2-3 times a day (or less depending on the day!) You could always try making a small batch of one or both and see which one you find most effective in your body.
Reply Janet Finley Huffman at Did I miss how much wormwood and cloves?
- Reply Jen at The recipe I've included here is just the black walnut tincture. To make a formula that includes wormwood and cloves, I'd recommend making three separate tinctures of each of the herbs and then combining them into a separate small bottle. You have some flexibility and you can experiment a bit but just keep in mind that wormwood and cloves will be used in much smaller amount in your formula. For example: Black walnut will be the main herb (70-80%) and woodworm (10-25%) and cloves (5-10%).
Reply Marcia C. Long at Can this method of not removing the hulls, be used to make black walnut bitters?
- Reply Jen at Absolutely, Marcia. :)
Reply Marcia C. Long at Your tincture method would be so much easier and uses double the volume of liquid than my bitter recipe. I may just try making the bitters using the tinture method and increasing the other ingredients (called for to make a bitters) to keep the ratio right.
Reply Kathleen Kroese at I purchased 5lbs of black walnut in their green shells , they are not all green, some have black spots. Can they still be used if I cut the black spots off can I still use them ? Let me know pls.
- Reply Jen at I try to use only green husks but I think if there weren't too many black spots then you could use them.
Reply Rhonda at Do you put the drops of tincture straight in your mouth or do you put it in water and drink it that way?
- Reply Jen at You can put it in a small amount of water.
Reply Beth at Hi Jen When the tincture of walnuts and alcohol is done, how much do I need to strain it to separate it from the hulls? Thru a coffee filter or just thru a regular strainer?
- Reply Jen at I usually strain the alcohol through a coffee filter to catch any little bits. It just makes for a nicer tincture, especially if you plan on sharing it.
Reply mark herbert at Black Walnut tincture invigorates the Thyroid gland. Highly recommend. Good Health!
Reply Kim at Just found this page. Do you wash the green walnuts before adding to the jar ?
- Reply Jen at Yes, I do usually wash them.
Reply Handtalker at Live in Arkansas and we have american walnut trees. They are different tasting than English walnuts, but you think same benefits you're making in this tincture? Both types have same benefits?
- Reply Jen at I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that tree. You might have some luck searching the Latin name of the tree for herbal uses.
Reply Carl Fankhauser at Today I harvested many walnuts from my Black Walnut tree here in SW Kansas. The solid green walnuts, I could dent with my thumb nail, while most, I could easily dent with my thumb. When I removed some of the husk, I found the typical Walnut Husk Fly larvae attacking within the husk. Consequently, if I were to use those walnuts with the relative tight, green husk, could I be assured these larvae are non-existent and not affect won't the tincture? I'm rather reluctant to ingest the tincture, knowing there's the possibility of "drunken larvae" residue within it!
- Reply Jen at I can't say that I blame you one bit, Carl. I'm honestly not sure but in my experience, I have only found pests as the green husk starts to get soft. You could try checking other black walnut trees. Another option would be messier-- you could to work with the softer green husks (wearing gloves) and check each one for larvae.

How to Make a Black Walnut Tincture

….and old clothes

…and old shoes.

Fast forward several years, we’ve learned our lesson and we harvest black walnut every year without incident! Black walnut has become a staple in my apothecary and we use it for all sorts of things (read on.) We even healed my daughter’s cavities with it!

Uses and Benefits of Black Walnut

Black walnut has a long history in herbal medicine (the hulls specifically.) It is most commonly known for being a main ingredient (along with wormwood and cloves) as a natural parasite treatment. It is anti-fungal and antiviral. It also relieves inflammation and irritation.

Used Externally:

treats athlete’s foot, ringworm and other fungal infections of the skin

treats acne, eczema, psoriasis, warts, cold sores and herpes

used as a natural hair dye

Used Internally:

soothes upset stomachs and relieves both constipation and diarrhea

treats candida overgrowth

has certain anti-cancer properties

rids the body of parasites and intestinal worms

gargling with black walnut extract can sooth sore throats

may restore tooth enamel, heal cavities and relieve tooth pain and sensitivity

may help relieve excess sweating

Black walnut should not be used during pregnancy.

**If you’d rather purchase black walnut tincture than make it yourself, I recommend this brand.

What is a Tincture?

A tincture is a concentrated liquid extract of herbs. It is one of the most popular ways to take herbal medicines internally. Tinctures are typically made with alcohol but can also be made with apple cider vinegar or food grade vegetable glycerin.

Harvesting Black Walnuts

For your tincture, you want to harvest your black walnuts directly from the tree when they are green and slightly soft. For those in the northeast, that’s usually mid to late August through early September.

How To Make a Black Walnut Tincture

You’ll need:

1 quart wide mouth jar with lid ** See recipe notes.

1 pint or regular quart jar with lid for storing your completed tincture

Approximately 8-12 fresh black walnuts with green hulls

Approximately 2 cups 80-100 proof vodka, apple cider vinegar or food grade vegetable glycerin

Instructions:

Place your black walnuts (whole) in a wide mouth glass jar. ** See recipe notes in case you missed WHY we are not chopping our black walnuts!

Pour enough vodka (or apple cider vinegar or glycerin) over the black walnuts to completely cover them by 2-3 inches then seal your jar with a tight fitting lid.

Let the black walnuts soak in a warm spot, out of direct sunlight for 4-6 weeks. Shake your jar often, every day if possible.

After 4-6 weeks, strain the black walnuts from the liquid. Discard the black walnuts. Fill a small tincture bottle (with a dropper) for daily use and pour the remaining tincture in a clean glass jar. Label and date your tincture. Store in a cool, dark place.

Note from Jen:

Apple cider vinegar will cause your metal caps to rust. If using apple cider vinegar in your tincture, use either a plastic lid or place a piece of plastic wrap between the jar and the metal lid.

Typically, we chop herbs to be put in a tincture; however, black walnuts contain juglone and tannins, which once you remove the hull, will stain everything it comes in contact with. So… we will be leaving our black walnuts whole for our tincture.

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know by leaving a comment below or sharing a comment or picture on my Facebook Page or on Instagram .

I love hearing your feedback!

Are you hungry for more home remedies? You might enjoy the FREE E-BOOK, “Three Home Remedies You Can Make in an Afternoon” and some of these popular posts:

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