Honey Syrup

Honey adds the most delicious flavor to drinks, from coffee to cocktails. However, it doesn’t dilute well in cold beverages, so making Honey Syrup that’s sweet as, well, honey is to make.

About this Honey Syrup recipe

Honey is one of the best sweeteners out there, for so many reasons: It’s perfectly sweet. It takes on the flavors of local flora. It’s natural. It’s easy to find locally so you can support local beekeepers. It has health benefits. It can keep for decades if stored properly.

But it has one flaw. A big one. Have you ever tried to mix honey in a cold drink like a grapefruit Brown Derby or a Gold Rush cocktail? It’s an absolute mess. When the honey hits an ice cube, it seizes up and becomes almost solid like candy and it is so hard to mix. Been there — trust me!

Honey will dilute, eventually… but with a lot of stirring or shaking. And as you do so, the ice melts and dilutes more. And then your cocktail won’t taste as intended.

The solution? This honey simple syrup recipe, also known as “runny honey.” It’s simple to make with honey and water, and it mixes in so seamlessly.

What is Honey Syrup?

Honey simple syrup is the solution to mixing honey into drinks. The trick to getting this essential ingredient to dilute in a cocktail — or any cold beverage, like lemonade — is to heat it up with hot water to make a honey syrup.

The honey simple syrup is then easier to mix in at cold temperatures. You can store it in your fridge to sweeten everything from iced tea to old-fashioned cocktails.

Honey works well in hot drinks, like lattes and tea, but it’s such a menace in cold drinks. (A menace not unlike its creators, the honeybees, if you ask me!) And you can use it in all kinds of ways, from drizzling it over pancakes and waffles to brushing it onto cake.

Ingredients

To make honey simple syrup, you only need two ingredients. But that means the quality is super important.

• Honey: You will want a good quality honey. Make sure it is 100% honey and not mixed with corn syrup or any other ingredient — you want real honey. My favorite honey always comes from my local farmers market, but you can always buy it at the store.
• Water: Tap water will work, but if you have filtered water or bottled water available, I recommend that instead for an even purer taste.

Best honey for drinks

Most types of honey will work well in a cocktail or drink, but it’s important to choose one that is 100% pure honey. Some brands may be mixed with corn syrup or other ingredients, so always check the label. I really like Nature Nate’s honey because it is raw and unfiltered.

Honey takes on the flavor of the flowers whose pollen the honeybees feast on. That’s why some honey is labeled wildflower honey ^*, clover honey ^* or orange blossom honey ^*. A citrus, floral flavor can be imbued upon the drinks its mixed with.

Its color can vary from type to type, too, ranging from light yellow to orange to brown, sometimes even purple, which can change the color of the drink slightly.

How to make Honey Syrup

Honey simple syrup can be made in a few simple steps:

I always heat up the water first while I measure the honey, then the honey will mix in faster. You can do equal parts honey and water, or do a little more honey than water.

Then add your honey. Use a spatula ^* to get every last drop out of your measuring cup. Or you can use one of these measuring cups for dry solids which takes care of this for you.

Then stir them together. The honey will take a bit to fully dissolve into the water. It will be done with the mixture is all one color and thickness.

Don’t let it come to a boil — you’re simply melting the honey down so it will mix with the water. (There’s no danger in letting it boil, but boiling will evaporate off some of your syrup and make it thicker, which we don’t really need to do. If thicker is what you desire, use less water.)

Substitutions & variations

You can infuse this natural sweetener with other natural ingredients to create new flavor combinations that will add complexity to your drinks. Here are a few ideas:

• fresh ginger root
• rosemary
• lavender flowers
• orange peel
• vanilla bean ^*

Storage tips

Store honey syrup in an airtight container, such as mason jars or glass bottles, in the fridge.

Although honey is shelf-stable, runny honey only lasts about 1 month. When you add water to honey, you are adding the possibility of bacteria. After a month, don’t take any chances and toss your honey simple syrup. Then make another batch!

favorite syrup storage

16-ounce mason jars

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swing top glass bottles

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syrup dispenser bottles

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Uses for Honey Syrup

There are tons of options for honey simple syrup. Use it in anything where honey sounds good.

• hot or iced tea
• hot or iced coffee
• cold brew coffee
• espresso drinks like lattes
• cocktails
• drizzled over ice cream

You can also use it in place of regular simple syrup — it will have a honey flavor but it will still be delicious! You can also use honey instead of sugar in other types of simple syrups, such as fig syrup or rose hip syrup.

FAQ

Drinks with Honey Syrup

There are so many ways to use honey simple syrup! It is really so versatile, and the uses are limitless. Leave a comment below — we’d love to hear how you use your runny honey!

Tea drinks: Mix it into tea to sweeten it. You can use it in hot tea or iced tea, or a drink like a London Fog.

Coffee drinks: Try it in a latte, hot or iced. It will stir in so easily into an iced drink. Infuse lavender flowers with the honey and use it in a lavender latte.

Lemonade: Honey and lemon juice are a delicious combination. Try it in this honey mango lemonade.

Cocktails: Honey goes with lots of spirits! You can also swap these for zero-proof spirits to make mocktails.

• Rum: Mix it into a classic mojito to sweeten it. The honey will taste so good with the herbs in this minty rum combo!
• Whiskey: This is a classic pairing. The sweetness of honey pairs well with oaky bourbons and ryes. Try it in a fruity whiskey smash, a smooth honey old fashioned or a botanical mint julep. A honey lemon whiskey sour is always welcome in the winter months!
• Gin: The Bee’s Knees cocktail is a classic, as it highlights the herbal flavors of gin and the florals in honey.

If you really love whiskey and honey together, you might consider making them into homemade honey whiskey.

More simple syrups

• Burnt Sugar Syrup
• Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
• Demerara Simple Syrup
• Sugar-Free Simple Syrup
• Homemade Chocolate Syrup