Make homemade Honey Whiskey that tastes even better than store-bought. Sip it on the rocks or use it to make hot toddies and other whiskey cocktails.
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About this homemade Honey Whiskey recipe
I love sweater weather and all the things it brings with it all the best things: fall leaves, cozy scarves, warm drinks… It’s just the best.
Whether it’s a warm spiced lattes, a cup of tea or a hot toddy before bed, it’s always so nice to snuggle up with something warm. We can add warm honey whiskey to that list, too. The aroma of the golden honey paired with the whiskey is the perfect combination when I feel under the weather.
There are a number of honey whiskey brands on the liquor store shelves these days, from Jack Daniels to Jim Beam to Wild Turkey. But why settle for the store-bought stuff? Homemade honey whiskey is so easy to make, much cheaper and easier to customize. It’s one less thing to measure out when it’s time for a hot toddy or a honey lemon whiskey sour.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Make it yours. You can use your favorite whiskey and your favorite honey. (Local is best!)
- It’s versatile. Sip it on the rocks or use it to mix in cocktails like hot toddies or mint juleps.
- Make as much or as little as you need. This recipe is perfect for adding to just one or two cocktails without having to buy a whole bottle!
Best ingredients
You need a good quality honey for honey whiskey! I recommend local honey, but store-bought is fine too. Just make sure it’s 100% honey and there’s no corn syrup or additives. I usually use wildflower honey * or orange blossom honey *.
If yours begun to solidify or form crystals, you can follow this guide to decrystallizing honey. It’s totally fine to use!
For the whiskey part, I typically use bourbon, but you have options when it comes to the type of whiskey you use. (You can’t call it honey bourbon though, because to be called bourbon, it can’t have any added flavors or coloring.)
Irish, rye, Scotch and Tennessee whiskey will all work well. It’s also fine to try this technique with rum or brandy. If you’re unsure how a certain combination would taste, try mixing ½ ounce of the spirit with ½ ounce of honey in a shot glass, just to taste it!
Instructions
The process for making the best-ever homemade honey whiskey is easy. It takes less than five minutes on the stove.
- First, you’ll make “runny honey” AKA “honey syrup,” essentially a simple syrup that uses honey, rather than sugar, for the sweetening agent. Warm water and honey over low heat to medium heat in a saucepan. No need to simmer!
- Then combine the honey mixture with your choice of whiskey in a jar. Cover it and give it a good shake.
- Let it cool down — it tastes even better with a night of rest.
- Keep it stored in an airtight, food-safe container. (I store mine in a mason jar, but you can use a bottle or anything with a good seal.)
And voilà! You’re all set with homemade honey whiskey (that is cheaper than just buying expensive honey whiskey at the liquor store, I might add).
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Serving suggestions
You can use honey whiskey in any whiskey cocktail. If you want simple, it’s great added to lemonade, ginger ale or ginger beer. Feeling fancy? Try it in a honey old-fashioned or a honey mint julep.
Enjoy it warm after a comforting meal of chicken noodle soup when you’re feeling under the weather. It’s like a premixed hot toddy — all you need is a squeeze of lemon or orange!
Of course, you can also enjoy it in a hot toddy, a warm cocktail made of liquor — usually whiskey, bourbon, brandy or scotch — a bit of water, honey, citrus and maybe some herbs and spices. It’s a great choice for warming up in the winter months! Try this rum hot toddy or a mint hot toddy for something a little more non-traditional. (I recommend an insulated mug that keeps your drink warm longer.)
FAQ
Use more or less honey with your whiskey. I recommend making a small sample first using ½ ounces, then add more or less whiskey as needed, then multiply the ratio.
Alcohol and honey (which is basically sugar) are both preservatives, so this should keep at room temperature indefinitely. Ideally, enjoy it within 3 months of making it, or store it in the fridge, or just make a new batch every time you need it.
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Homemade Honey Whiskey
ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup honey
- 1 ½ cups bourbon whiskey
instructions
- In a medium saucepan, heat the water over medium heat. Before it comes to a boil, stir in the honey until evenly distributed. Let cool completely.½ cup water, ½ cup honey
- Add whiskey to an airtight container. Stir in the honey syrup to taste. (You may not need all of the honey syrup.) Seal tightly.1 ½ cups bourbon whiskey
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Cyd Scarpella says
How do you keep the honey from separating sits for a while? I store it in a bottle at room temp. Your recipe is AMAZING and I love it. Thank you! Cyd S
Susannah says
Hey Cyd! I would give it a shake and see if that doesn’t help it mix back together. If not, you could warm it (but don’t boil it or you’ll lose the alcohol content) and that should help remix the honey. Hope this helps and glad you love it! // susannah
Dylan Moran says
This is definitely an interest, renewing making my own honey whiskey tea, for a new addition to the whiskey drinks
Susannah says
It’s definitely delicious! Hope you enjoy it, Dylan.
Robert ziegler says
So tell me , since a cup is 8oz, with this recipe how did you get 20oz into a pint jar which is only 16 oz?
Susannah says
Hey Robert, You can use as much or as little of the honey syrup as you like. I suggest tasting it with a spoon to make sure it tastes as you like. If you use it all, you are correct that you will likely need to use a bigger jar or bottle. Hope that helps!
Deb Lee says
Hi Susannah. I just love the content you are putting out. I think I’ve found culinary gems and cocktail gold.
So I have a question. Would it be possible to add lemon to this recipe? I was thinking maybe replace 1/2 of the water with fresh lemon juice and remove the pitch from the peel and add it to the final product.
Susannah says
Hi Deb! Thank you so much for the kind words! This totally made my day.
Yes, absolutely — you can add lemon juice to this honey whiskey recipe! Swapping out half the water for fresh lemon juice will give it a bright, citrusy kick. Using the lemon peel (with the pith removed) will add some lovely aromatic oils without the bitterness. Just keep in mind that because lemon juice is perishable, the shelf life of your infused whiskey will be much shorter. I’d recommend storing it in the fridge and using it within about 1 to 2 weeks to keep it fresh. If you’re not going to use it up quickly, you could also mix small batches as needed.
Deb Lee says
5 stars