Lavender Thyme Honey Syrup Recipe
by Hannah McClure I remember thinking I would never use all the honey harvested my first year keeping bees. Despite my baking and herbal medicine making, it looked like way more honey than I’d be able to use before the following year’s harvest. But much like all things in life, when bees give you honey, you make Lavender Thyme Honey Syrup … or something like that. We make do with what we have, and we make use of what we are given. For me, that meant finding fun new ways to enjoy our honey harvest.
This Lavender Thyme Honey Syrup is great in place of sweeteners in tea (hot or iced), coffee, hot cocoa, and even drizzled on fresh warm biscuits, scones, or pancakes. It is best kept in an airtight container in the fridge and used within two weeks.
You can use fresh or dried ingredients. Just be sure to use culinary herbs and not ornamental (as ornamental herbs can cause a bitter taste).
Remember, to keep honey’s natural benefits intact, never boil it.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon lavender
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey
Instructions
- In a small pot, bring only water to a boil.
- Once the water begins boiling, remove from heat and add in lavender and thyme.
- Stir to soak herbs well.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer herbs for five minutes.
- Remove pot from heat and stir in honey till dissolved. Cover with lid and let sit for 30 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, strain out herbs. Return honey syrup to an airtight jar/container and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Originally published in December2021/January2022 issue of Backyard Beekeeping and regularly vetted for accuracy.
