Homemade Honey Whiskey

Make Homemade Honey Whiskey liqueur 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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Homemade honey whiskey recipe

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? This homemade honey whiskey is so easy to make.

You will love it because:

• You can use your favorite whiskey.
• You can use your favorite honey. (Local is best!)
• 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!

The cold weather is here, and I couldn’t be more excited. It brings with it all the best things: snow, warm scarves, spiced lattes! It’s just the best. 

And along with all of that good stuff, cold weather also brings the worst thing: colds.

Whenever I’m sick, I am all about the at-home remedies.

Whether it’s a warm 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.

Honey whiskey for hot toddies

I can definitely relate this back to my childhood.

Whenever I had a cold as kid, my mom used to serve me a very strict menu of saltine crackers, 
chicken noodle soup and some kind of Jell-O. Before bed, she would often make me a weak hot toddy.

She called it her ‘homemade cough syrup’ and it consisted of equal parts lemon juice, honey and whiskey.

Usually, just a tablespoon of each was perfect for sipping on before falling asleep, to stave off the inevitable nighttime coughs.

To this day, I’ll still make myself something similar when I’m sick.

Maybe it’s just the nostalgia giving me a placebo effect, but it always seems to help a little!

Nowadays I’m into making my own homemade honey whiskey to keep on hand.

It means one less thing to measure out when it’s time for a hot toddy or a honey lemon whiskey Sour, but it’s also great in all kinds of cocktails.

How to make honey whiskey

The process is easy. It takes less than five minutes on the stove.

1. First, you’ll make “runny honey,” which is a simple syrup that uses honey, rather than sugar, for the sweetening agent.
2. Then combine the honey mixture with your choice of whiskey.
3. Let it cool down, then store it 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).

What kind of whiskey should you use to make homemade honey whiskey?

Whatever spirit you have on hand is fine! I typically use bourbon, but you have options when it comes to the type of whiskey you use:

• bourbon
• Irish whiskey
• Japanese whiskey
• rye whiskey
• scotch
• brandy

All of them would all be fantastic for this honey whiskey liqueur.

If you’re unsure how a certain combination would taste, try mixing 1/2 ounce of the spirit with 1/2 ounce of honey just to see.

What kind of honey should you use to make homemade honey whiskey?

The best homemade remedies usually recommend local honey, but storebought 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, but for some extra flavor, I think it would be amazing to try bourbon barrel-aged honey. I know that would add some complexity and depth to your homemade honey whiskey.

If yours has little crystals in it, you can follow this guide to decrystallizing honey. It’s totally fine to use!

What can you make with homemade honey whiskey?

All kinds of things! You can make a hot toddy, or use it in lieu of regular whiskey or bourbon in all kinds of recipes.

If you want simple, it’s great with lemonade, ginger ale or ginger beer.

Feeling fancy? Try it in a honey old-fashioned or a classic mint julep.

If you have Irish whiskey, you can make this Irish whiskey honey mint julep (and skip the added honey, since the honey will be added already.)

What’s a hot toddy?

A hot toddy is 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 served hot, preferably in an insulated mug that keeps your drink warm longer, and is a great choice for warming up in the winter months.

Try this clementine hot toddy or a pear hot toddy for something a little more non-traditional.

Cheers!