Classics syrup
Honey Syrup
Honey loosened with warm water so it mixes into cold drinks instead of seizing.
- 4 min total
- 1½ cups360 ml
- Keeps 2 weeks
Photo: Unsplash · Unsplash License
Quick answer
Honey syrup is equal parts honey and warm water stirred together until smooth, with no boiling needed. Use it measure-for-measure in place of simple syrup, and keep it refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Straight honey turns to a stubborn lump the moment it hits ice. Thinned with warm water, it pours, shakes and dissolves like simple syrup while keeping its floral flavor.
Equal volumes of honey and water land at roughly the same sweetness as 1:1 simple syrup, so you can swap it straight into any recipe. For classic Gold Rush body, use the richer 3:1 version below.
Tastesfloralroundhoneyed
The recipe
Honey Syrup
Ingredients for 1½ cups360 ml
You’ll need: honey, small saucepan, glass jar, squeeze bottle, jigger, shakerhoney, small saucepan, glass jar, squeeze bottle, jigger, shaker
Method
-
Warm the water
Heat the water in a small saucepan (or kettle) until steaming but not boiling, about 60°C/140°F, then take it off the heat.
¾ cup180 ml water
-
Stir in the honey
Add the honey and stir until no ribbons remain on the bottom, about 30 seconds. Keeping it off the heat preserves the honey's aroma.
¾ cup255 g honey
-
Cool and bottle
Let it cool, then pour into a clean jar or squeeze bottle and refrigerate.
Storage. Keeps about 2 weeks in the fridge; the rich 3:1 version lasts closer to a month. Honey contains natural yeasts, so make small batches and discard if it fizzes, smells boozy or turns cloudy.
Per 1 tbsp (15 ml): about 34 kcal, 8.7 g sugar (estimate).
How to use it
Bee's Knees
¾ oz (22 ml) with 2 oz (60 ml) gin and ¾ oz (22 ml) lemon. Shake and serve up.
Full recipe and historyGold Rush
¾ oz (22 ml) of 3:1 rich honey syrup, or 1 oz (30 ml) of this 1:1, with 2 oz (60 ml) bourbon and ¾ oz (22 ml) lemon. Shake, serve over a big cube.
Full recipe and historyPenicillin
¾ oz (22 ml) honey-ginger syrup with 2 oz (60 ml) blended Scotch and ¾ oz (22 ml) lemon; float ¼ oz (7 ml) smoky Islay Scotch on top.
Full recipe and historyHot Toddy
¾ oz (22 ml) with 1½ oz (45 ml) whiskey, ½ oz (15 ml) lemon and 4 oz (120 ml) hot water.
Full recipe and historyIced tea & lemonade
2 tbsp (30 ml) per 12 oz glass. It stirs straight in, unlike cold honey.
Classic drinks with Honey syrup
SoursHoney
Bee's Knees
Frank Meier, Paris, 1929
SoursHoney
Brown Derby
London/Hollywood, 1930
SoursHoney
Gold Rush
T.J. Siegal, Milk & Honey, New York, 2000
Hot drinksHoney
Hot Toddy
Scotland, 18th century
TikiHoney
Missionary's Downfall
Donn Beach, Don the Beachcomber, Hollywood, 1937
TikiHoney
Navy Grog
Donn Beach, Don the Beachcomber, Hollywood, 1941
Gear for this recipe
Mixology & Craft 16-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set
Shaker, double jigger, bar spoon, tongs and more in one stainless kit: everything needed to put your syrups to work.
Best for Starting a home bar
OXO Good Grips Chef's Squeeze Bottles (12 oz + 16 oz)
Best for Sauces, drizzles and latte art
Wintersmiths Phantom Clear Ice Maker
Best for Showpiece cocktails
Tovolo King Cube Silicone Ice Molds (2-pack)
Best for Stirred drinks and iced coffee
More gear for this recipe (4)
Ball Regular Mouth 16 oz Pint Mason Jars (12-pack)
Best for Big batches and everyday storage
OXO SteeL Angled Measuring Jigger
Best for Measuring syrup into drinks
Nature Nate's 100% Pure Raw & Unfiltered Honey
Best for Honey syrup
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 1.5 qt Stainless Saucepan with Lid
Best for Every stovetop syrup
Tips for the best batch
- Don't boil it. High heat flattens honey's floral aromas, and warm water is all you need.
- If your honey has crystallized, stand the jar in hot tap water for 10 minutes before measuring.
- Honey choice changes the drink: orange blossom is bright, clover is neutral, buckwheat is dark and malty. Raw honey adds flavor but shortens shelf life.
- Coat the measuring cup with a drop of oil first and every bit of honey slides out.
Variations
Rich honey syrup (3:1)
3 parts honey to 1 part warm water by weight. Thicker and longer-lasting, and the original spec for a Gold Rush.
Honey-ginger syrup
Stir 2 tbsp fresh ginger juice (grate and squeeze a thumb of ginger) into the 1:1 syrup for a Penicillin. Use within 1 week.
Spiced honey
Steep a cinnamon stick and 3 cloves in the warm water for 10 minutes before adding the honey. Great in hot toddies.
Questions people ask
What is the ratio for honey syrup?
1:1 honey to water by volume is the everyday version and matches simple syrup's sweetness. 3:1 honey to water by weight is the richer bar spec used in a Gold Rush.
Can I use honey syrup instead of simple syrup?
Yes. A 1:1 honey syrup swaps measure-for-measure for simple syrup; it just adds floral honey flavor.
Why not just use straight honey in cocktails?
Honey is too thick to dissolve in cold liquid. It seizes on the ice and sinks. Thinning it with warm water first lets it mix evenly.
How long does honey syrup last?
About 2 weeks in the fridge for 1:1, up to a month for 3:1. Discard it if it bubbles, smells fermented or turns cloudy.
Does heating honey ruin it?
Boiling dulls its aroma, which is why we stir honey into warm (not boiling) water off the heat.