Bee’s Knees Cocktail

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.

A clear cocktail in a coupe glass garnished with a lemon twist and a sprig of thyme, with a sliced lemon and a textured glass in the background.

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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 MartiniGin & TonicRamos Gin FizzPink Lady

A top view of a light yellow cocktail garnished with a lemon peel and green herb sprig. Surrounding are a glass of honey, a sliced lemon, a whole lemon, and green herb sprigs on a white surface.

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.

A clear cocktail in a glass with gold rim, garnished with a lemon peel and a sprig of thyme. A halved lemon and thyme sprigs are also visible.

Tools & glassware

To make this drink at home, you will need:

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.
Two cocktail glasses filled with a light yellow drink, garnished with lemon twist and herb sprig, surrounded by a halved lemon, honey jar, and herbs on a white surface.

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
Two coupe glasses filled with a light yellow beverage, garnished with a sprig of thyme and a lemon peel. A jar of honey and a lemon slice are visible in the background.

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.

A hand pours a light yellow liquid from a small gold container into a clear glass with gold polka dots.
A hand pours a creamy liquid from a small container into a tall, transparent glass with gold polka dots.
A hand pouring a clear liquid from a small metal cup into a tall glass with gold polka dots, containing ice and a yellowish beverage.

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

A hand is holding a gold cocktail shaker filled with a yellowish liquid. The shaker has a polka dot design.
Hand straining a light-colored cocktail into a gold-rimmed coupe glass using a gold strainer.

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.

A hand holds a twist of lemon over a coupe glass filled with a light yellow cocktail. The rim of the glass is gold.
A hand garnishing a cocktail with a small sprig of thyme, next to another identical cocktail. Both drinks are pale yellow and served in gold-rimmed glasses, each with a lemon twist.

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.

A cocktail garnished with lemon peel and a sprig of thyme in a glass with a gold rim. Additional garnishes and a glass with a reddish liquid are in the background.

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!

A cocktail glass filled with a light yellow drink, garnished with a lemon twist and a sprig of thyme. It's set next to another similar drink and a glass with a honeycomb pattern containing amber liquid.

FAQ

What is in a Bee’s Knees cocktail?

The Bee’s Knees cocktail contains gin, usually London Dry gin, as well as honey syrup and fresh lemon juice.

Can I make a non-alcoholic Bee’s Knees cocktail?

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

— Did you make this recipe? —

Please leave a ★★★★★ review or comment below.

A cocktail garnished with lemon peel and a sprig of thyme in a glass with a gold rim. Additional garnishes and a glass with a reddish liquid are in the background.

Bee’s Knees Cocktail

Yield: 1 drink
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Sweet like honey, the Bee’s Knees Cocktail is a classic libation with sophistication and elegance. Use fresh lime juice, local honey and a quality gin to get the most flavor from every sip.
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ingredients

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

Honey syrup: To make honey syrup, combine equal parts of hot water and honey. The warmest water from your tap should be warm enough, but you can warm the water in the microwave or on the stove, too. I like to do this in a measuring cup. 

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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nutrition information

Yield: 1 drink

amount per serving:

Serving: 4ounces Calories: 217kcal Carbohydrates: 24g Protein: 0.3g Fat: 0.1g Saturated Fat: 0.01g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g Sodium: 18mg Potassium: 64mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 22g Vitamin A: 52IU Vitamin C: 20mg Calcium: 17mg Iron: 1mg
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