Lavender Infused Honey Recipe

This DIY lavender infused honey is so simple to make. You only need dried culinary lavender and honey to create a unique, sweet, floral flavor. This lavender honey recipe can be used in cooking, baking, drinks, and it makes a great gift too.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Lavender is such a beautiful flower, with a lovely calming scent, so why not bring that in to the kitchen. This is especially great if you are growing your own lavender at home. So fun to use things out of your garden that you might not normally use.

If you grow your own lavender, then check out my lavender plant growth stages post which talks about how to care for it throughout the seasons. Or, if you are just starting out, then check out my post about starting lavender seeds in paper towel.

Also, if you like the sound of this recipe, then you might also like my lavender simple syrup recipe.

When I first came across this infused lavender honey idea and thought well, you know what… I have dried lavender, and honey so why not give it a go.

I tried a couple different ways to make it and and now I can’t stop using it. I am excited to make some other herb infused honey flavors in the future as well.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

1. This recipe is so simple to make, especially if you do the raw honey method.
2. You will create a gourmet flavor that you wouldn’t normally find unless you go to a specialty shop.
3. This leads me to the next awesome thing about this recipe – you will save money by making it yourself.
4. It only requires two ingredients to make.
5. Lavender infused honey makes for an excellent gift idea. Thinks what cute party favors these would make. Who doesn’t love receiving a good homemade gift from the kitchen!
6. Great if you are looking for unique ways to use lavender from your garden. A lot of us grow this herb because it is beautiful, smells great, and attracts pollinators. But, I love expanding that and finding new ways to use it in the kitchen too.

Ingredients:

Dried Culinary Grade Lavender – If you are not growing your own, then you can easily find a good quality dried culinary lavender online like this English Lavender that is sold as bulk dried flowers. It is best to use dried herbs for infused honey rather than fresh as it is less likely to go bad. I think it is safer as there is less moisture which can lead to bacteria and cause fermentation or mold.

Honey – Any raw liquid honey from your local honey farmer or store will work. I would chose a lighter honey if possible as the fall darker honey may already have a stronger flavor from what the bees were foraging. The lighter honey will let the lavender scent and flavor shine.

How to Make LAvender Infused Honey

There are two ways to make this recipe. You can either let your honey and lavender steep for a couple weeks (raw honey method), or you can heat your honey and lavender on the stovetop for a more immediate result.

I prefer the raw method because I like having the added health benefits.

I also find it is less messy and I am not wasting as much honey because no honey gets stuck to the sides of the pot, or utensils that I am using. You just put the honey straight into your jar.

There is also less hands on time involved to make it. The only downside is it takes a couple weeks for this process to finish.

The steep method will be finished in a couple hours, as it extracts more from the lavender faster. If you are in a hurry and want to do the steep method the flavor is still great.

No matter which method you use to make this, you want about 1 part dried lavender to 4 parts honey. Keep reading to see how to make this simple, homemade lavender infused honey recipe.

Raw Honey Method:

Step 1: add lavender and honey to the jar

First, find a clean jar with a tight fitting lid. I chose to use a half-pint (250ml) canning jar.

I added about 1/4 cup of dried lavender to the bottom of the jar. Then I filled it up the rest of the way with honey. Just to the rings of the jar (which is about 1 cup of honey).

If your honey has crystalized and wont pour, then see the tips below.

Step 2: stir honey and lavender

Stir the honey so all the lavender is evenly coated. I used a chopstick for this step. After stirring, you may need to add some more honey. Just like when you are canning.

The level of honey will go down because air bubbles will be released and the lavender will absorb some honey too. Next, put the lid on your jar.

Flip the jar upside down and back a few times to really be sure that everything has mixed well.

Step 4: Infuse the honey for 2 weeks

Now this is the part where the waiting happens. But you don’t need to do much.

Sit your jar in the pantry out of direct sunlight for about 2 weeks so the flavor can infuse. The longer you leave it the stronger the lavender flavor you will get.

It is important to turn the jar over every day to make sure the lavender mixes well. Make this a part of your routine.

Flip the jar upside down on the counter for about 5 minutes, then set it upright in your pantry again.

If you are forgetful like me, then leave a note by your coffee pot or tea kettle so you remember each morning when you go to make your morning drink. Or, you could set reminders in your phone.

Step 5: Strain the honey

This part can take longer than expected especially if your home is on the cooler side or you are working with an extra thick honey.

Put the jar in a warm water bath. Not hot water, just warm for a couple minutes to let the honey warm up a little bit. This makes it easier to strain.

I just get a large mixing bowl and fill it with warm water from the tap, then I set my jar in the bowl.

Now strain the honey through a fine mesh sieve into a fresh clean jar. Since this can take a while, you may want to set it up and leave it for a bit so you are sure to get all the yummy honey in the jar.

See the tips below for an idea to use the left over honey and lavender buds.

Stovetop Method:

Step 1: Add lavender and honey to a pot

Add about 1/4 cup of dried lavender, and 1 cup of honey to a pot on the stovetop.

Step 2: Heat and stir honey on the stove

Turn your burner on low and start to warm up the honey as you stir it.

It will become more liquid as you go. Make sure to keep a close eye on it. You want it just about to boil but not actually (honey boils at a low temperature).

Tiny bubble will start to show throughout before it starts to boil. When you see this, then take it off the heat and let it cool down.

Do this a few different times throughout the day. For example, during breakfast, when you come home from work, and before bed.

Step 3: Strain the honey

That last time that you heat the honey is when you want to strain it and get it ready for storage. If the honey is warmer it will move through the strainer easier.

Find a clean glass jar with an airtight lid, and a small mesh sieve. Or you can try using a loose leaf tea strainer as well.

Strain your honey into the jar and then secure your lid. See the tips below to find out what you can do with the left over honey and lavender buds.

The Best Way to Store Lavender Honey

The best way to keep your infused lavender honey at its best is in the pantry. The three main things to remember are:

• Keep it in an airtight container
• away from direct sunlight
• at room temperature

Extra Tips:

1. If your honey has crystalized: just set the whole jar in a bowl of warm tap water, give it a stir occasionally, and it will be back to normal in no time.
2. You can use the lavender buds to make a tea afterwards. Just boil water and pour it over the lavender. You can put the lavender buds in a loose leaf tea strainer, or purchase an empty tea bag.

FAQ…

1. Can lavender honey go bad? (How long will it last?)

Honey is one of those products that will last forever. You just want to be sure to prepare and store it in the right way. Always use your eyes and nose to be sure – when in doubt, throw it out! It is more likely to go bad if you have used fresh flowers instead of dry.

That is why I recommend using dried lavender flowers for this recipe.

2. How long should you infuse honey for?

Generally you will infuse your honey for two weeks. You can infuse it for more or less time depending on the the end result you want. Less time, equals a less potent flavor, and more time equals a stronger flavor.

3. Is lavender honey good for you?

The good news is that lavender honey not only tastes great, but yes – it is good for you too! Especially if you are able to source good quality ingredients, like local raw honey, and organic culinary lavender buds.

If you want to read more, here are the health benefits of lavender, as well as the benefits of honey.

4. What to do with lavender infused honey?

You can do so much with lavender infused honey. I keep trying it in different things.

Like drinks, baking, recipes or this honey glazed lavender chicken, on yogurt, as part of your next charcuterie board (over some brie – yum), or honestly just on a piece of toast with some butter.

I also found this post listing seven appetizers using lavender honey. Lavender and honey flavor go with so much.

5. Does lavender honey taste like lavender?

Yes, lavender honey has a lavender taste. If you use a lighter honey and steep your lavender longer you will get a stronger flavor. If you steep it for less time, then the flavor will be more subtle.

If you are using a honey that is quite dark and already has a lot of flavor because of what the bees were foraging, then the lavender might be less noticeable.

6. Can you use fresh lavender for this recipe?

I recommend using dried lavender for this recipe, because there is less chance of things going wrong. Fresh lavender buds contain moisture and other potential microbes that can be introduced to your honey. This can lead to fermentation, and or mold.

Dried lavender is the safer option in my opinion.