How to make Honey Simple Syrup – a great healthy swap for regular simple syrup- and an easy way to revive overly thick or older honey and keep it loose and liquid so it’s easy to pour and mix into vinaigrettes, marinades and cocktails!
The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind. ―
I wanted to share an easy catering tip I’ve been using for years, but hadn’t ever thought to share, because well, it’s just so darn so simple!
You know how sometimes when you buy honey, after a while it just gets thick and hard and almost impossible to stir into cold things like vinaigrettes, drinks and marinades? Annoying, right?
Honey Simple Syrup
What I do to solve this problem is mix honey with warm water and store it in a squeeze bottle or mason jar.
The honey is instantly transformed into loose and liquidy, Honey Simple Syrup, which lasts for weeks! I keep it right above my stove next to the salt and have for years, called it “liquid honey” in my mind.
Use the honey simple syrup as a sugar substitute in vinaigrettes, marinades, stir fry sauce, sauces, or in cocktails, just like you would a simple syrup. Because the honey is diluted, you may need to adjust your measurements, perhaps adding a bit more than what is called for.
I usually sweeten to taste.
How to make Honey Simple Syrup
The ratio is really forgiving, but I generally do 2 parts honey to 1 part warm water.
You can also do 1 to 1 for an even more liquid solution (equivalent to simple syrup called for in cocktails). And I’ll mix it up right in the container.
So for example, in this squeeze bottle in the photo above, I added the warm water first, then the honey, and put the lid on (covering up the opening with my finger), and just shook it up. You can adjust the thickness right in the bottle. I like mine about the same consistency of maple syrup.
How to infuse honey simple syrup?
Infuse the warm water with herbs, flowers, or spices if you like. Warm the water, add fresh sage leaves, rosemary, lavender, rose petals, bay leaves, or orange zest. You could even let this sit overnight. Then add this to the honey.
So much fun here friends!
How long does Honey Simple Syrup Last?
It lasts for weeks or months! I store it on my stove next to the salt. And interestingly, because honey has natural antibacterial properties, I’ve actually never seen mold form on this (like you would typically see with maple syrup). After time, the flavor of the honey actually seems to become even more complex and flavorful, perhaps fermenting a bit.
You can even revive old, very thick hard honey this way. If your honey is pasteurized, feel free to use really hot water. You can mix both the honey and water in a small pot over low heat, stirring until combined.
If your honey is raw, try to keep the water under 110 F to preserve all the healthy bacteria – the temperature of bathwater.
Ways to use Simple Honey Syrup
- In this London fog latterecipe or masala chai
- In cold drinks like the switchel drink
- In cocktails like this Old Fashioned Cocktail,
- In marinades
- In vinaigrettes
Enjoy the Honey Simple Syrup ( Aka Liquid Honey) and let us know what you think in the comments below.
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Honey Simple Syrup (aka Liquid Honey)
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 ½ cups
- Category: sauces, condiments,
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: northwest
Description
Honey Simple Syrup – an easy way to loosen honey that has become hardened, and liquidity it so it’s easy to pour and mix into vinaigrettes, marinades and drinks!
Instructions
Place warm water and honey in a clean squeeze bottle and covering the opening with your finger, give a good shake.
If your honey is very hard and/ or thick, mix with the water, in a small pot on the stove, over very low heat, stirring until combined. Cool and pour into a squeeze bottle.
Notes
Because of honey‘s natural antibacterial properties, this should keep indefinitely – either on the counter or in the fridge.
If using raw honey, do no heat water over 110 F to ensure you don’t hurt the healthy bacteria.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 32
- Sugar: 8.7 g
- Sodium: 0.7 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.7 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Thank you! This is very helpful.
I’ve been looking for a non sugar based syrup to sweeten my coffee and replace my torani salted caramel syrup. I’m going to try this recipe and play around with adding a little salt and perhaps some sort of herb to enhance the flavor. Thanks!
Oh yes Sarah, great ideas!
So easy…off to make a cocktail!
Nice Lauren!
This is too much water for the of honey. Need to be at least 2.5 honey to 1 part water or it will go bad and best to keep in the fridge. You won’t necessarily taste it when it goes bad but it will surely make you sick if it goes bad.
Hey Carol- you should always do what you are most comfortable with. That said, I have done the 1 to 1 ratio for the past 20 years, it does not go bad or make anyone sick- and I always use raw honey. Perhaps that is the difference. Adding water to honey will start the fermentation process- fermented honey- is actually really good for you! Full of probiotics. Also there is tons of research on the antibacterial properties of honey, just go to Pub Med. 😉
Could I use this to keep my cakes moist?
Hey Sylvia, do you mean drizzle it over the top? If so yes, that would probably work great!
best reicipe ever
Thanks, glad you enjoyed this!
I thought you had to boil the water to mix with honey to make a simple honey syrup for cocktails. Does mixing with the warm water that you use cause the mixture to separate?
Hi Linda! No need to boil- just warm and mix to combine, especially if you are using raw honey-overheating will destroy its many health benefits. It will not separate. And as a side note, even with regular simple syrup makde with sugar and water- no need to boil. Again, just heat enough for the sugar to dissolve. 🙂
Can’t wait to try this! I am using extremely raw honey, I hope it works!
I use raw honey all the time and it works great here. Keep the temp of warm water below 110F.
Can I add xanthan gum to make it a thicker consistency and sticky?
Hey Vana- I would just add more honey. You can adjust the honey-water ratio to get the consistency you like.
Thank you Sylvia for your recipe!
Wondering if I could add lemon juice somehow? Thinking this might be a good way to get my toddler to take honey for her cough or sore throat. She doesn’t like the creamed raw honey and she doesn’t like warm beverages.
I haven’t tried- but what about mixing it with water and lemon juice, or just fresh orange juice?
Thanks, Catherine! You are totally right and I will update this. Thanks for your feedback.
Terrific method for easy use of honey. Thank you.
Thanks Patricia!
I’ve been looking absolutely everywhere for a recipe to add a flavor to honey and liquify it. I made sort of a very concentrated tea with roses and added that liquid to the honey to get the rose smell and flavor with the honey. Very nice!
I love that idea Hailey!
What a clever idea! Now I can put that hardened honey bottle I have in my pantry to good use again. Thank you!
yes! Exactly Batoul!
With honey not really having an expiration date, why would liquid honey expire?
You are right- with honey‘s natural anti-bacterial properties, it should not! It actually can ferment this way, making it even more nutritious!
I have seen honey mixed with water mold if it’s very old. So now I only use distilled water.
It will ferment if left out for a long period. Bees cap honey at 18% water content. If you water it down, it will either ferment or get moldy.
Hi Sheena- yes, my has been fermenting and I’ve really enjoyed it this way. For some reason, not seeing any mold here, not even once?
i love this why i do tihs
I’m currently making some cold brew hibiscus tea and wanted to be able to put honey in it while it’s iced so I’m excited to try it tomorrow
This is perfect for things like that!!! sounds refreshing.
Love this for cocktails, and hadn’t thought to use it for salad dressings. Thank you! The crystalized honey can be quite a treat, actually, so I have nothing against that. But this is a wonderful way to use natural honey.
I love it a lot
I just did this with my “Hot Honey” that I had the hardest time drizzling over foods. Excellent idea!
Thank you! Why didn’t I ever think to do this!