If you're looking for homemade syrups using REAL ingredients, I'm your girl. With over a decade of experience making homemade simple syrups, I've learned how to create some pretty perfect flavor pairings. This Lavender Honey Simple Syrup recipe combines the delicate and perfumed profile of lavender with the sweet taste of honey.
This recipe was inspired by my other herb-infused and honey-infused simple syrups, like my Rosemary Simple Syrup and my Lemon Honey Simple Syrup. It's the perfect sweetener to use in recipes like a Lavender Bee's Knees cocktail, Honey Lavender Lattes, or a Lavender Soda!
🥣 recipe
Lavender Honey Simple Syrup
Equipment
- 1 1.5-quart saucepan non-reactive, such as stainless steel or enameled cast iron
- 1 measuring glass
- 1 kitchen scale optional, but useful for keeping things from being sticky!
- 1 spatula or spoon silicone
- 1 airtight storage container
- 1 pairing knife for cutting lemon
- 1 cutting board for cutting lemon
Ingredients
- 6 g culinary grade dried lavender 3 TBSP
- 250 g mild honey such as clover, ¾ cup
- 340 g filtered water 1.5 cups
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Add 340g of water (1.5 cups) to a small 1.5 quart saucepan and heat it over medium heat.
- Add in 250 g honey (¾ cup), and stir it until it dissolves.
- Add 6 g dried lavender buds (3 TBSP) to the saucepan and remove the pan from heat.
- Let the syrup cool for up to 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to meld together.
- Add in 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice now if you're using it.
- Strain the lavender out of the syrup using a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth overtop of a measuring glass.
- Pour your finished syrup into an airtight container for storage.
- Store in the fridge for up to two weeks, or freeze for longer-term storage.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
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💕 why you'll love this honey lavender simple syrup recipe:
🌷 delicate floral flavor - dried lavender buds infuse the syrup with delightful floral notes and delicate floral taste, making the perfect springtime beverages.
🍯 sweet as honey - honey is perfect for making this simple syrups out of, because it’s sweet almost floral flavor plays up the lavender taste!
⏱️ quick & easy - this is an easy recipe to whip up in under an hour! It's also a great recipe to make with kids in the kitchen. Once you make this you can enjoy the taste of lavender in anything from your iced tea to your lemonade all week long!
🛒 ingredients
- mild-flavored honey - you’ll need a mild-tasting honey like clover honey or orange blossom honey. You can, of course, use your favorite honey if you have one. Keep in mind that strongly flavored honey can overpower the lavender flavor, so choose a mild kind of honey to keep the flavor focused on the lavender.
- culinary grade lavender - the kind of lavender you use matters! be sure to choose culinary-grade dried lavender to be sure that it is food-safe. I love using this brand of dried lavender flowers.
- filtered water - use pure filtered water in this recipe to make sure the floral flavor is front and center!
- fresh lemon juice - while optional, adding lemon juice is a great way to brighten the flavor of the syrup, while also balancing the sweetness and floral tones of honey and lavender.
🍳 instructions
1: Add the water to a small 1.5 quart saucepan and heat it over medium heat.
2: Add in the honey, and stir it until it dissolved.
3: Add the dried lavender buds to the saucepan then remove the pan from heat.
4: Let the syrup infuse and cool for up to 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to meld together. Add the lemon juice now if you're using it.
5: Strain the lavender out of the syrup using a fine mesh sieve overtop of a measuring glass.
6: Pour your finished syrup into an airtight container for storage.
Hint: Do not allow your syrup to boil once you add in the lavender. This could lead to a bitter flavor in your finished syrup!
💡tips and tricks for getting it right
🍽️ serving tips
How and When to Serve Your Lavender Honey Simple Syrup:
While you will see a LOT of bloggers out there telling you that you can use simple syrups on food, it’s actually best to use these syrups in beverages. This lavender syrup is very thin in consistency, so they are intended to sweeten hot or cold drinks, or keep baked goods moist. They are not the best for using on pancakes and french toast because they get absorbed very quickly instead of coating the top of foods like thicker syrup does.
Cocktails:
One of the best ways to use simple syrups is in your favorite cocktail recipes! Use this flavored syrup in place of regular simple syrup to make a whole new recipe.
- Lavender Gimlet - using vodka or gin + this syrup creates a fun and floral take on a classic gimlet.
- Lavender Gin & Tonic - elevate a regular gin and tonic, while playing up the herbaceous notes of your favorite gin!
- Lavender Martini - impress your guests with a springtime twist on a cocktail hour classic by using this floral simple syrup.
Mocktails:
- Lavender Mint Lemonade - mixing lavender and mint creates a fun and festive drink anyone can enjoy!
- Lavender Honey Soda - sodas are one of the easiest drinks to make with simple syrup. Just add sparkling water and you’ve got your own homemade honey lavender soda!
- Lavender Honey Latte - simple syrups 🤝 coffee. This syrup is perfect in all your morning coffee beverages. Who needs a barista?!
Cooking, Baking, and Gifting:
- Use this syrup to add a unique flavor to your homemade ice cream or sorbet.
- Incorporate it into your favorite baking recipes, like lavender-infused cakes or cookies.
- This syrup also makes a thoughtful and flavorful gift. Package it in a decorative bottle and share it with friends and family.
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
Even though making syrups is indeed simple, some things can go wrong. Try these troubleshooting tips if your lavender syrup doesn't taste quite right.
- too thin - If the syrup is too thin, you can simmer it for a bit longer to reduce and thicken it.
- too thick - If the syrup is too thick, you can add a small amount of water and gently heat it to achieve the desired consistency.
- bitter - add a small pinch of salt if your syrup is too bitter. You can also add more honey to balance out the flavor.
🔆 top tip
Start with using less lavender if you’re not sure you like the flavor.
Too much lavender can impart a soapy taste in food, so instead of adding more, infuse it for a little longer to get a stronger flavor.
Taste your syrup several times during the infusion process to make sure you like the strength of the flavor.
♻️ substitutions & variations
♻️ variations
Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- sugar: you can use regular granulated cane sugar instead of honey, but your syrup will taste purely of lavender. You can also use a darker sugar like demerara sugar, brown sugar, or even coconut sugar. The final color will be darker, and the flavor will be more caramelized.
- maple syrup or agave - you can use another sweetener like maple sugar or agave instead of honey.
🎛️ variations
Feeling like a rebel?! 😈 Feel free to stray from the recipe card using these variations, or leave me a comment with your own!
- herbs - experiment with different herbs such as rosemary, thyme, mint or ginger for an herbal twist, replacing or complementing the lavender to create unique flavor profiles.
- berries - introduce a burst of berry flavor by adding a handful of fresh or frozen berries during the simmering process; think raspberries, blackberries, or even strawberries for a fruity twist.
- vanilla - vanilla adds a bit of depth and warmth to this syrup, and it’s also the perfect way to add that flavor to your drinks!
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🧰 tools needed
- small saucepan - my go-to pan for making simple syrups is a 1.5-quart saucepan from All-Clad. It has a heavy base for even heating and it is made of non-reactive metal.
- airtight storage container - I love storing my simple syrups in these OXO squeeze bottles, because they can even be stored in the freezer! If you want to gift small bottles of your own syrups, I love using these glass bottles from Bormioli Rocco.
- heat-safe glass measuring cups - if you don’t have a kitchen scale, you’ll likely need some measuring cups. I love this Anchor Hocking glass measuring cup set because they can tolerate the quick temperature changes that happen when I’m making simple syrups. I also love this set of measuring cups from King Arthur Baking because they are sturdy, nest well, and include any size you’ll ever need!
- spoon or spatula - I love using GIR co silicone utensils in the kitchen. They are great because they don’t absorb flavors, which is important when working with potent flavors like peppermint.
- kitchen scale - in baking and pastry school, I learned the importance of measuring your ingredients. Since then, I’ve used this OXO kitchen scale every time I cook in the kitchen! Measuring by weight is much more precise than measuring by volume, which is important in ensuring consistent results.
🫙 how to store your simple syrup
Store the Honey Lavender Simple Syrup in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to two weeks. You can also freeze your simple syrup if you want to store it for longer.
Make sure to shake or stir the syrup before each use to redistribute the flavors.
💬 q+a
Can I use fresh lavender instead of dried lavender buds?
You can use fresh lavender, but be sure you are using a variety that is safe to consume. There are hundreds of varieties of lavender, and not all of them are safe to eat. This is why it's best to use dried culinary lavender.
Why is my lavender simple syrup bitter?
If your lavender simple syrup is bitter, it's likely due to cooking the lavender at too high of a heat. To avoid bitterness, do not boil the lavender and instead allow it to infuse the flavor slowly.
How long does honey lavender simple syrup last?
This syrup will last for up to two weeks when stored in the fridge, or up to three months when stored in the freezer.
🧯food safety & other information
Food safety is an important ingredient in any recipe for success! Here are some tips to keep you safe in the kitchen!
- While you can allow this syrup to sit at room temperature, don’t leave it out for longer than 4 hours at a time. This helps to inhibit bacteria growth that can happen from the sugars in the syrup. Read more about the temperature danger zone here.
- Use sterilized containers whenever possible. You can sterilize your containers by boiling them briefly, running them through your dishwasher with the sterilize feature activated, or pouring boiling water into the containers.
- While you may be able to use your simple syrup longer than 2 weeks in the fridge, if you see any sort of cloudiness or dark spots in the syrup, throw it out. This is mold growth and is not a recipe for fun.
- Never leave simmering syrup unattended on the stove.
- Avoid feeding honey it to children under the age of 1.
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