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Here’s how to make simple syrup with honey! Honey syrup is a naturally sweet alternative for drinks, and a special ingredient in a few classic cocktails.
Here’s a tasty way to make simple syrup: with honey! Honey syrup is a naturally sweet way to sweeten drinks and cocktails. You can use it in place of simple syrup, which is made with refined sugar.
In addition, honey syrup is a special ingredient in a few well-known cocktails! It adds a depth and nuance to the flavor of a drink, whereas simple syrup has a more straightforward flavor. Even better: it takes just 5 minutes to whip up at home.
Tips on making honey syrup
Honey syrup is just like simple syrup, but using honey instead of sugar. To make it, simply combine equal parts honey and water and heat until combined. Here are a few things to note about the process (or jump to the recipe):
- Heat but don’t simmer or boil! Warm equal parts honey and water over medium heat just until the honey dissolves. Don’t bring it to a simmer or boil: all you want is to dissolve.
- Store in a mason jar. Throw it in a mason jar and it’s easy to use in your cocktail repertoire.
- Lasts up to 1 month refrigerated. This recipe makes 16 tablespoons: enough for lots of drinks! Refrigerate for a month; it will likely last longer.
Why isn’t it honey colored? Honey varies in color, so the color of the syrup can vary from light yellow to dark brown. For these photos, we used a dark color so the color of the syrup is brown.
Use it as a substitute for simple syrup
You can use this honey syrup as a 1:1 simple syrup substitute in all of our cocktail recipes! The flavor of honey won’t overwhelm most drinks. The honey works as a sweetener, it doesn’t necessarily make things taste like honey. The flavor has more depth than simple syrup, so you’ll taste subtle notes that add complexity to the drink.
Cocktails that use honey syrup
The best way to use honey syrup (in our opinion!) is in the classic cocktails that call for it! Here are a few famous honey cocktails to get you started:
- Gold Rush, a honey-based version of a whiskey sour.
- Bees Knees, a 1920’s gin cocktail featuring lemon and honey.
- Penicillin, a unique cocktail that swirls Scotch with lemon and honey.
- Brown Derby, a 1930’s cocktail starring bourbon, grapefruit and honey.
Buy local honey if you can find it!
Use local honey if you can find it! It has unique flavor and supports local businesses. Since local honey contains a blend of local pollen, it can also strengthen your immune system and reduce pollen allergy symptoms. Look for it at your local farmers market. Local honey is often sold in larger grocery stores.
Dietary notes
This honey syrup recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, naturally sweet, and has no refined sugar.
Honey Simple Syrup
Here’s how to make simple syrup with honey! Honey syrup is a naturally sweet alternative for drinks, and a special ingredient in a few classic cocktails.
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 3 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Essentials
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Add the honey and water to saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Stir until the honey is dissolved (don’t bring to simmer!), about 1 to 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature before using. Keeps in the refrigerator for 1 month.
More cocktails to try!
There are so many timeless classic cocktails. Here are some favorites that would work well using honey syrup:
- The Mojito is perfectly balanced with lime, rum and fresh mint!
- A classic Daiquiri recipe is made with rum, lime juice, and sweetener.
- The Gin Fizz is sweet, tangy, and has a frothy egg white foam topping.
- A Tom Collins is bubbly, sweet tart, and just plain fun.
- The Gin Gimlet is a classic cocktail made of lime juice and gin.
The honey syrup looks darker than the typical golden honey that most places carry, did you use a darker honey from a specific source like buckwheat or chestnut?
Just curious since you said you got yours locally.
No — the color didn’t look quite this dark in person.
Can ya do the honey and water syrup in microwave?
Yes
Have you ever used golden syrup?
No, sorry!