Once you know how to make lilac infused honey you'll have an all natural way to add the health benefits beauty of lilac blossoms into your day with ease! Make it to enjoy in some tea with our Lilac shortbread cookies.
This DIY lilac infused honey is a gorgeous edible and waste-free gift and perfect for your lilac and honey-loving friends. Honey is a liquid treasure trove of flavors and colors. It has been found that honey bees make honey from flowers near their hives, like orange trees or wildflowers in nature- which gives it's honey a different flavors, and that distinctive and their unique taste! In this post, I'll share all about making your own flower infused honey.
ingredients:
- fresh organic lilac
- honey that is still runny, not yet crystallized
tools:
- scissors for trimming lilac
- an 8 oz mason jar
- spray bottle for gently cleaning flowers
reasons to make diy lilac honey
- Honey and lilac blooms are delicious
- It's simple to make
- It makes a beautiful, thoughtful gift. Mother's day is the perfect opportunity to gift some flower infused honey
- Lilac season is very fleeting, and infusing their flowers in honey preserves their beautiful flavor
- It makes a lovely addition to herbal teas or your baked goods, like these lilac scones or lilac shortbread.
Lilacs are my favorite flowers. I don't know if nature has given us any greater gift that fresh lilac flowers at the end of a long, dreary winter. When the lilac bushes bloom you simply can't help but be reminded that these delicate flowers and the feeling of early spring make us want to take advantage of full bloom lilac.
safety tips:
You want to be using lilacs grown organically outdoors. Read my post on the best edible flowers to grow in your garden. The ones sold in your grocery store are not grown for human consumption and can make you very ill. Read all about Where to buy or find edible flowers for cookies and cakes to learn about best practices for sourcing flowers you'll use in food.
have edible flowers? these resources may be useful to you:
- Ways to use edible flowers
- Popular edible flowers chart and their meaning - printable chart
- How to store and preserve edible flowers
- Edible flowers to grow in your garden
- Where to buy or find edible flowers for cookies and cakes
How to infuse honey
fast infused honey:
There are fast infusions, which include heating your honey and ingredients on low heat so that the honey takes on the flavor quickly. You can see an example of this in my garlic hot honey recipe. In this honey recipe, we use a slow infusion - and let the ingredients sit at room temperature for a long time. Slow methods are a great way to achieve stronger flavors and a little zen.
slow infused honey:
Infusing honey the slow way is also the easy way. One of the easiest recipes on the blog. And once you know how, the possibilities are endless. Simply choose your ingredients to place in a clean jar then cover it with your favorite local raw honey. It can sit and infuse from overnight - up to six weeks for more intense flavor. The honey mixture will infuse and take on new flavors, and the health benefits of the unique ingredients you choose. The flavor ideas are endless, and when gifted in a pretty mason jar? So thoughtful. You can also use different plants to celebrate the season. In the winter I love to make my winter spiced infused honey.
how to make this recipe:
The process is simple.
- Pick your lilacs and remove the lilac flowers from the stem. Very gently check and clean the petals for bugs and dirt.
- Place your lilac flowers in an 8 oz mason jar. Cover flowers completely with raw, local honey. Be careful to ensure the honey is covering all of the plant material to prevent mold.
- Let flowers and herbs sit and infuse for 4-6 weeks in an airtight container. You can absolutely infuse for less time, this is just recommended for the best flavor and benefits.
- Strain your flowers and herbs from the honey and use however you'd like!
ways to use this honey:
You can use lilac honey any where that you would use honey. Herbal tea, cocktails, our infamous homemade honey spoons, simple syrup, ice cream - like this lavender honey ice cream sundae, salad dressings. Even in skincare and beauty.
pick your honey
You always want to choose raw, local honey for the best health benefits. And different honeys will have different flavors based on what the honey bee pollinated it with.
Frequently asked questions
How can I ensure my lilac is organic?
If it's grown on your property and hasn't been sprayed with pesticides, it's safe to use. Avoid lilac that you're uncertain about, or purchased from the grocery store.
How long will my lilac honey last?
Honey doesn't expire, but infused honey will last for one year in your pantry if stored in an airtight container and if flowers have been strained from it after your infusion.
Does lilac honey taste good?
Floral flavors are an acquired taste, however next to lilac - I find them absolutely delicious when combined with sweetness, like honey. They are naturally a little bitter and very floral, which is why the honey really balances the flavor. It's very fragrant with light citrus notes, making this a beautiful addition to herbal teas or your sweetener for lemonade.
the recipe
Lilac flower infused honey
Once you know how to make lilac flower infused honey you'll have an all natural way to add the health benefits beauty of lilac blossoms into your day with ease!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups fresh lilac flowers - about 3 bunches of flowers, but this is completely up to you!
- 1 cup of raw local honey, still runny
Instructions
Pick your lilacs and remove the lilac flowers from the stem. Very gently check and clean the petals for bugs and dirt.
Place your lilac flowers in an 8 oz mason jar. Cover flowers completely with raw, local honey. Be careful to ensure the honey is covering all of the plant material to prevent mold.
Let flowers and herbs sit and infuse for 4-6 weeks in an airtight container. You can absolutely infuse for less time, this is just recommended for the best flavor and benefits.
Strain your flowers and herbs from the honey and use however you'd like!
Notes
The flowers will emerge to the top of the jar, so flip and shake the jar occasionally to ensure they remain covered, or add more honey if needed.
This honey will last up to one year if properly sealed.
Use it anywhere you would use honey: baked goods, herbal tea, cocktails.
Vintage edible flower botanical prints wall art
Free downloadable vintage botanical edible flowers for gorgeous wall art or scrap booking: lilac, rose, lavender, chamomile, and jasmine
Love lilacs as much as we do? Download these gorgeous vintage edible flower botanical prints for your wall for free!
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