With just three ingredients, the perfectly honey-sweet Bee’s Knees cocktail is just that — the bee’s knees. Made with honey, lemon and gin, this classic libation is a great example of natural flavors working together to make a delicious drink, just like honeybees in a hive.

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About this Bee’s Knees Cocktail recipe
One of the things I love most about cocktails is how simple it is to combine flavors and create something better than the sum of its parts.
Sweet-tart with botanical undertones, the classic Bee’s Knees cocktail is one of those drinks. Because of its simple recipe, each of the three ingredients used is as important as the last.
The drink starts with a honey syrup — hence the name of the drink — and combines it with herbaceous gin and sour lemon. Shaken together, they balance each other out, creating a drink buzzing with flavor.
I suppose that’s how this cocktail got its name. The phrase “the bee’s knees“ is an old timey saying meaning that something is awesome and this simple yet succulent cocktail is exactly that — the bee’s knees.
More classic gin recipes: Classic Martini • Gin & Tonic • Ramos Gin Fizz • Pink Lady

Why you’ll love this recipe
The classy Bee’s Knees cocktail is one you are going to fall in love with, even if you aren’t a gin lover.
- With just three ingredients, this is a quick and easy cocktail to put together.
- It’s a classic recipe every home bartender should know.
- Sweet, tart and herbal, its flavors are harmoniously balanced.
- Order one for happy hour or make it for a dinner party at home.
What is a Bee’s Knees cocktail?
The Bee’s Knees cocktail is a Prohibition-era cocktail made with gin, honey and lemon juice. It’s one of the IBA official cocktails.
The drink was first published in 1929 in a French cocktail book, Cocktails de Paris, and was credited to the head bartender at the Hôtel Ritz Paris Frank Meier.

Tools & glassware
To make this drink at home, you will need:
- Cocktail shaker, for preparing the drink
- Hawthorne strainer or fine-mesh sieve, for removing bits of mint and citrus pulp
- Coupe glass, for serving
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to grab at the grocery store to make this recipe:
- Gin: London Dry gin works well for its crisp and botanical notes, which complement the fresh flavor of the mint. I used Hendrick’s Gin here — I love its botanical flavor for herbal-forward drinks like the Southside and the Bee’s Knees.
- Lemon juice: Fresh juice is the best and most flavorful, but if you don’t have the time, you can use the bottled concentrate. Just know it’s a bit more cloying and sour than fresh juice, so you may need to adjust the sweetness.
- honey syrup: You can make honey syrup by combining honey with warm water. The reason you don’t use just plain honey is that it can seize up when it meets ice. Diluting it with warm water makes it easier to use. Opt for a local wildflower or clover honey.

Best gin for a Bee’s Knees cocktail
Most bartenders use a London Dry gin, but you can use your favorite gin here. My go-to is Hendrick’s gin, especially for floral and botanical drinks like the Bee’s Knees drink. Other popular choices are Tanqueray and Beefeater. You could also try it with purple gin like Empress Gin to make a pretty pink cocktail.
Garnishes
The drink is usually garnished with a piece of lemon zest or a lemon twist. Orange zest can be used, too. You can add also add some fresh herbs (I used thyme) which enhance the gin’s herbal flavors.
- basil
- thyme
- mint
- rosemary

Substitutions & variations
There are a few ways you can make this cocktail your own!
- Vodka Bee’s Knees cocktail: Feel free to swap the gin for vodka. They are very similar, but gin has more of an herbaceous flavor. With vodka, the flavor will be a bit cleaner. To each their own!
- The Business cocktail: If you use lime juice instead of lemon, you can call this cocktail “The Business.” It’s also essentially a honey gimlet.
- Bee Sting cocktail: Use a spicy hot honey to make your Bee’s Knees cocktail and give it a little bit of a sting.
- Non-alcoholic Bee’s Knees cocktail: Use a gin-esque zero-proof spirit such as Ritual gin alternative or Seedlip Garden 108.
Instructions
Ready to make the Bee’s Knees cocktail? It’s super simple! Here’s what you need to do:
Prepare ingredients: Start by juicing a lemon for fresh lemon juice. Make the honey syrup by mixing equal parts honey and hot water until fully combined. Let it cool before using.



Mix the cocktail: Pour gin, honey syrup and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.


Shake it up: Add ice to the shaker, then shake vigorously for about 15 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels cold.
Strain and serve: Strain the mixture into a chilled coupe glass. A strainer (or Boston shaker with a built-in strainer) helps to keep the ice out of your drink.


Garnish: Finish off by garnishing with a sprig of fresh thyme and a twist of lemon zest. Simply twist the lemon zest over the drink to release its oils before placing it in the glass. If you want to perch it on the rim, fold it in half and cut a small slit in the fold for the rim of the glass.
Leftover honey syrup? Try it in a Penicillin Cocktail with Scotch or a Honey Mint Julep with whiskey.

Tips & tricks
Here are some tips and tricks for making this recipe:
- Use a quality, local honey if you can. Commercial honey just isn’t as nice! Local honey has a unique flavor, known as “terroir” that comes from the local flora in your area. It can have different colors and — the best part – it supports local bee farmers and helps pollination and plant growth.
- Don’t skip making the honey syrup. Pure honey can seize when it meets ice, making it hard to mix. Slightly watering the honey down with warm water makes it easier to mix.
- Shake well. Do so for about 15 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels cold. Since there’s no ice in the drink, you want the liquid as cold as possible without being diluted too much.
- Don’t forget the garnish! Twisting a piece of lemon zest over top of the glass releases fragrant essential oils. Fresh herbs also add aromas that enhance every sip.
Food pairings
The Bee’s Knees is a delicious drink and goes well with anything honey or lemon. Honey is like liquid gold and is an ingredient worth celebrating!
- Appetizers: Honey & bacon baked brie is perfect for a sweet-and-salty appetizer.
- Main dish: Cook up some honey butter shrimp and grits for brunch or hot honey chicken sandwiches for lunch or dinner.
- Dessert: Follow up dinner with honey pistachio shortbread or some sweet lemon bars.

FAQ
The Bee’s Knees cocktail contains gin, usually London Dry gin, as well as honey syrup and fresh lemon juice.
Absolutely. You can substitute the gin for a non-alcoholic zero-proof spirit such as Ritual gin alternative or Seedlip Garden 108.
More honey drink recipes
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Bee’s Knees Cocktail
ingredients
- 2 ounces gin London Dry
- 1 ounce honey syrup see note
- 1 ounce lemon juice freshly-squeezed
- 1 piece lemon zest
- 1 sprig thyme
instructions
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine gin, honey syrup and lemon juice.
- Shake well and strain into a coupe glass.
- Garnish with a sprig of thyme and a twist of lemon zest.
notes
Variations
- Vodka Bee’s Knees cocktail: Feel free to swap the gin for vodka. They are very similar, but gin has more of an herbaceous flavor. With vodka, the flavor will be a bit cleaner. To each their own!
- The Business cocktail: If you use lime juice instead of lemon, you can call this cocktail “The Business.” It’s also essentially a honey gimlet.
- Bee Sting cocktail: Use hot honey to make your Bee’s Knees cocktail to give it a little bit of a spicy sting.
- Non-alcoholic Bee’s Knees cocktail: Use a gin-like zero-proof spirit such as Ritual gin alternative or Seedlip Garden 108.
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