How to make Honey Simple Syrup

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Honey Simple Syrup is a delicious and floral take on classic simple syrup. Using honey instead of granulated sugar, this honey simple syrup recipe is easy to make and the perfect sweetener for drinks and more!

A jar of honey simple syrup on marble next to a geometric blue towel and flowers

Making simple syrup is one of those wonderful, easy things to keep in your fridge to sweeten almost anything.

Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener that involves sugar and water. It’s mostly used in drinks, however, you can use this simple syrup to brush on a cake or to sweeten a fruit salad, too!

This simple syrup recipe swaps traditional sugar with honey!

It also uses the same honey to water ratio: 1:1.

So you might be wondering—why are we diluting the honey with water if we could just add it to our recipe?

Because oftentimes, especially when we’re working with cold ingredients, the honey seizes up and won’t mix in as nicely or easily, yielding a less than ideal result.

Enter: honey simple syrup.

Why I love this recipe:

Honey simple syrup adds natural sweetness to any dish or drink. It’s sometimes referred as “runny honey,” which makes sense since it, you know, is a little runnier than regular honey.

Truth be told, it makes sweetening something cold with honey actually doable. (As opposed to a mess, as explained above.)

Honey has such floral and earthy notes. The natural sweetness it brings to the table is unmatched, and we love it in Honey Lemonade, Raspberry Moscow Mule or even a Summer Fruit Salad.

Other syrup recipes to try: How to make Homemade Strawberry Syrup | How to Make Simple Syrup | Lavender Simple Syrup

Want to add this to a drink? Head on over to my Drink Recipe Index for some ideas!

Honey and water with a saucepan, flowers and a blue geometric towel on marble

What you’ll need to make this recipe:

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Let’s talk ingredients!

In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

Here’s what you need:

Honey—you want to use a high-quality, great tasting honey in this recipe. Since we only need two ingredients, it’s going to shine. I love to purchase honey from the local farmer’s market because it’s produced nearby.
Water—if you drink your tap water, just use that! You don’t need fancy water to make honey simple syrup.

Please note that your simple syrup will taste strongly of the honey you add to this, and the honey is flavored by the wildflowers it’s made with.

The color of the honey will also greatly affect the color of the simple syrup.

Collage showing before and after of making honey simple syrup

How to make Honey Simple Syrup

In a saucepan—I tend to use a 2.5 quart one because that’s my favorite, and it allows me some wiggle room if I want to make a bigger batch—combine the honey and water. Swirl them together or stir with a wooden spoon.

Place the saucepan on the stovetop, and heat the ingredients over medium heat. You want to heat the simple syrup just until the honey melted into the water. You do not want to boil it, so keep your eyes peeled. This should take less than 5 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, and let cool to room temperature.

When the homemade honey syrup has cooled, pour it into a mason jar, and screw on the lid. Store in the refrigerator for a month.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

As someone who adores serving a fun drink at a gathering in her home, y’all know I keep simple syrup for cocktails in my fridge at basically all times. (In fact, I currently have a few jars of mint simple syrup, as well as the classic, just hanging out for our next cocktail.)

If you’re planning on hosting friends or having a happy hour, I highly suggest making some homemade simple syrup to accompany your drinks!

Here are a few tips and tricks to make it as easy as possible:

Decide your drink first, and figure out how much honey simple syrup you might need. (Since this recipe is easily doubled or tripled, you should be able to do that with ease.)
Make a batch of honey simple syrup for cocktails 1-2 days in advance. Let it chill in the fridge.
Before friends arrive, get out the ingredients for your drinks. Decide whether you’ll mix the drinks for your friends or let them play bartender! Both ways are fun!

A jar of honey syrup on marble next to a blue geometric towel

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use honey to make simple syrup?

Yes! I love using honey to make homemade simple syrup because it gives different flavors than traditional sugar.

Is honey the same as simple syrup?

No. Honey is not the same thing as simple syrup and should not be used in place of it.

How long does honey simple syrup last?

This honey simple syrup recipe will keep for a month in the refrigerator in a mason jar.

A jar of honey syrup on marble next to a geometric blue towel and flowers with the text how to make honey simple syrup

Quick tips for honey simple syrup

Double or triple the recipe for a party! Since simple syrup with honey keeps in the fridge for a month, having a little extra shouldn’t hurt!
Make it in advance. This way, you can serve it nice and cold from the fridge.
Store it in a mason jar in the fridge for up to a month.

Ways to use honey syrup:

Here are a few of our favorite recipes to add this syrup to:

Iced tea (or hot tea)
Old Fashioned Lemonade or Honey Lemonade
Lattes and other coffee drinks
Baked goods

2(ish) cups

Honey Simple Syrup

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 6 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup honey (350g)
1 cup water

Instructions

Combine the honey and water in a saucepan. Swirl them together or stir with a wooden spoon.
Heat the ingredients over medium heat on the stovetop. You want to it until the honey has melted into the water. You do not want to boil it, so keep your eyes peeled. This should take less than 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat, and let it cool.
When the homemade honey syrup has come to room temperature, pour it into a mason jar, and screw on the lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.