Honey syrup is a fast and easy way to give your cocktail a little more flavor and sweetness. It takes less than 10 minutes to easily change the flavor profile of any cocktail recipe!

It adds so many complex flavors to any cocktail. Take, for example, a Whiskey Sour (non-egg white version); whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Now replace the simple syrup with honey syrup, and you have a completely different drink. Yes, it’s just honey and water.

Different honey options
Different Honey Options

You can even use this liquid honey on other things besides cocktails. Great in lemonade, pancakes, salad dressings, and many different food options.

Honey Syrup Recipe

How to Make Honey Syrup

Recipe by Carl Busch
0.0 from 0 votes
Course: BeverageCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

16

Servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

5

minutes
Calories

40

kcal
Total time

10

minutes

This is an easy way to make a 2:1 honey syrup

Cocktail Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

  • 200 grams 200 grams Honey

  • 100 grams 100 grams Water

Directions

  • Measure out honey on a scale.Step 1 measure honey
  • Measure out hot, almost boiling water and add it to the honey.Step 2 pour in hot water
  • Stir until the water is completely incorporated. About 3 - 5 minutes.Step 3 stir water and honey together
  • Pour into a container that can be air tight. I like to use Crew Supply bottles but mason jars or something else can work.Step 4 pour into food safe container
  • Store in fridge when ready to use.

Notes

  • This will make about 8 oz of Rich Honey Syrup

Why Do I Have To Make a Honey Syrup?

You don’t want to use honey right out of the container in your cocktails. The viscosity is a thicker texture that will freeze and not incorporate into your drink.

Adding warm water to your honey will make it into a syrup that can easily be mixed and shaken into cocktails.

What is the Best Ratio for Honey Syrup?

There are two ratios that people use, 3:1 and 2:1.

If you want a sweeter and a thicker viscosity, then you will want to use a 3:1 ratio for your honey syrup.

If you want less sweet and thinner syrup, then a 2:1 ratio will be what you want to use.

I don’t think you need to have both on hand to make cocktails that call for honey syrup. You will have to make small adjustments for your taste.

What kind of honey is the best to use?

Raw honey will be the best honey choice for your syrup recipe. You don’t want unnecessary ingredients in your honey to throw off flavors that are no longer organic.

In America, honey makers can have up to 51% of added ingredients without putting them on the label. That seems no longer like honey, right?

Local beekeeper honey
Local Beekeeper Honey

Make sure the honey you are buying is 100% raw, natural honey. Grocery stores usually have local honey from your area, or local farmers’ markets will carry it. Doing this helps local businesses and ensures you have the best product possible. 

Using a local beekeeper, you get some great local pollen from your area that gives your honey unique flavors.  It also can help with allergies to anyone in that environment. 

What is the best way to store my honey syrup?

You want to make sure you use an airtight container. There are many options out there. We like to use Crew Supply Bottles. However, you can use a mason jar or any other airtight container you have.

Honey syrup in a crew supply bottle
Honey Syrup in a Crew Supply Bottle

You also want to keep it stored in a fridge when you aren’t using it. This will ensure you get the most out of your honey simple syrup.

Your syrup will last at least one month following these steps.

Taste Test Three Different Honey Syrups

We compare two local honey options versus a generic store brand. We sample each one and then make a honey syrup with each.

I make three Disgruntled Bee cocktails and see if Riley can taste test the different types of honey in each cocktail.

Cocktails Using This Honey Syrup Recipe

  1. Disgruntled Bee

  2. Gold Rush

  3. Bee’s Knees