Making Infused Herbal Honey

The Sassy Llama Way

Herbal infused honey is magically delicious. It is quite easy to make, though a messy job. One well worth it, though!

I find it worthwhile to buy a half-gallon or more of honey. One can often save some money by purchasing bulk, plus it allows one to really get into the experimentation with different herbs.

For this writing, I am speaking of herbs mostly for joy of taste and pleasure. There are lots of ways that herbal honey can be worked with in medicinal ways. Stay tuned for more on that in another blog!

How might one enjoy herbal infused honey, one wonders? Allow me to share a few tasty ways!

*Sweeten your cuppa with a spoonful – imagine a piping hot black tea with a pop of chocolate mint honey or a lovely cup of catnip tea with a bit of lavender honey to wind down for bed.

*Add a bit of sweetness with potent flavor while cooking a savory dish, like stir fry – garlic or turmeric honey really adds depth in an unexpected way.

*Drizzle over a Breakfast Salad – the joy here is unparalleled as all the flavors come together with the zing of ginger honey with each bite.

*In baking recipes, picture this – cornbread with a hint of sage! Banana bread with the fresh taste of birch bark honey!

*Drizzle over ice cream – think the sharp taste of rosemary on a scoop of the best vanilla ice cream or lilac over a little dish of creamy coconut ice cream.

*Drizzle over bacon-wrapped dates – these tasty little treats are delicious; pull from the oven and drizzle juniper berry honey over them just before serving. Prepare to be blown away!

*Dipping sauce for homemade chicken strips – like to dunk those babies before you munch? Try that with any of these honeys, honestly.

*Oven-roasted veggies like brussel sprouts, carrots, parsnip – the sky is the limit on this. Just drizzle over them at any point during the preparation.

*Caramelized onions – as the onion cooks down, add a tablespoon or two to the mixture. I am thinking that garlic honey would be awfully tasty here.

Any edible flower, leaf or root will work. Be creative! Fresh herbs are best for making herbal honey, though it is fun to also work with dried spices, barks and roots. Find listed below a few examples of our favorite herbs, along with how to prepare them for infusing into honey.

Find the Sassy Llama recipe on Making Herbal Infused Honey here!

Lilac – harvest fresh, fragrant blooms. Place in colander and rinse with clean water. Allow to lie on tea towels overnight to dry slightly. Infused honey is the perfect way to capture the fleeting joy of this short-lived flower.

Lavender – harvest flowers. Spread on tea towels overnight to dry slightly.

Garlic or Onion – peel garlic cloves and slice longways, making little chips. Slice onion thinly. These both can go straight into honey without letting sit overnight. For these two herbs, no need to strain after infusion.

Turmeric or Ginger – peel roots, slice thin and dice into small bits. These both can go straight into honey without letting sit overnight. Ginger, in particular, will make the honey very runny naturally. For these two herbs, no need to strain after infusion. Ginger is so spicy; the honey really moderates the spice and it is my favorite infused honey.

Basil, catnip, mint, lemon balm, thyme, sage, rosemary – harvest leaf and flower. Place in colander and rinse with clean water. Allow to lie on tea towels overnight to dry slightly.

Hawthorn Berry – harvest in early fall. Wash in soapy water, add to colander and rinse well. Allow to lie on tea towels overnight to dry slightly. Such a sweet and lovely flavor.

Rose petals – harvest early in its bloom, even as a bud. Place in colander and rinse with clean water. Allow to lie on tea towels overnight to dry slightly.

Calendula – harvest fresh blooms. Place in colander and rinse with clean water. Allow to lie on tea towels overnight to dry slightly.

Chamomile – this one is a little tricky as the bloom is so delicate. Harvest the flowers and allow to lie on tea towels overnight to dry slightly. Do not wash these blooms – just be sure to harvest in an area without chemicals.

Juniper Berry – harvest berries when they are dark blue. They may have a whitish/grey bloom on them – that’s okay! Wash in soapy water, add to colander and rinse well. Allow to lie on tea towels overnight to dry slightly.

High-quality organic dried spices, roots or barks like cinnamon chips, birch bark or dandelion root can be purchased and are ready to be infused straight away.

Enjoy!!