Honey Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe

Make your own homemade honey lavender syrup and add it to your fancy coffee shop drinks! I like making simple syrups because it captures the flavor of fruits and herbs: lavender? Rosemary? Earl grey tea leaves? The possibilities are endless.

Simple syrup is a sweetener that's used in cocktails and other recipes. It combines sugar and water in equal parts and then heated until the sugar dissolves.

Here are some examples of what to flavor the simple syrup with:

• Herbs and Spices: such as rosemary, basil cinnamon and more
• Plants: including this lemony sour grass syrup
• Fruit: whether it's strawberry syrup made with strawberries fermented in honey or rhubarb syrup. You can use the whole fruit or citrus zest or peels (like lemon or grapefruit)
• Flowers: like in this violet simple syrup

Lavender is edible. The lavender flavor can be described as very floral but really adds \dimension to drinks and dishes! It works well in sweet and savory dishes—it can be used in baked goods, syrups, cocktails, marinades, and sauces.

This lavender syrup recipe only needs a few simple ingredients.

• Locally grown or culinary lavender: Whether snipping some from your herb garden or at your local farmer's market, lavender has several culinary purposes if you know you can use it. Culinary-grade lavender can be found at specialty stores, but just make sure it's okay to use in the kitchen wherever you get it.
• Honey: I used raw honey in this syrup, but since we are looking to use the flavor of honey only feel free to use what you have on hand! I'd recommend using wildflower honey, as the floral notes will compliment the lavender.
• Water:

For this simple lavender syrup, you'll need ¼ cup of freshly-picked lavender buds, one cup of water, ½ cup of white sugar, and ½ cup of honey

The first step is deciding the lavender's ratio to sugar and water. I use two cups of sugar for every cup of water, but you can adjust this depending on personal preference.

The next step is to bloom your lavender in hot water. Bring a small amount (about ¼ cup) of water to a boil and add about one tablespoon of dried lavender buds.

Let the dried avender buds steep for overnight before straining the buds with a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. You may want to strain several times if you have some stubborn bits left behind by your first go around!

Once strained, combine your liquid with equal parts sugar and honey and allow it to cool completely before transferring it into an airtight container (like a glass jar).

• You'll be surprised to see that the color of the syrup is not purple! Don't be alarmed and feel free to put a drop or two of purple food coloring if you'd like a purple hue.
• I tend to let my lavender buds infuse in the hot water for as long as possible, sometimes even overnight. Since they are not continuously boiling the chances of the flavor is going better or minimal.

While lavender sometimes gets a bad rap you might be surprised how light and delicate this syrup is! You can use it and drinks baking or more, here are some suggestions to get you started:

Add 2-3 tablespoons of simple syrup (to taste) in a collins glass filled with ice, then top off with some seltzer. Garnish with fresh lavender blossoms or sprigs of mint if desired! Finally, add about a ¼ teaspoon of vodka or gin for an even more flavorful drink!

Lemonade is one of my go-to summer drinks, and adding this syrup adds a lovely floral flavor. In addition, this classic drink is updated with lavender syrup instead of plain sugar or honey. Mix together equal parts lemon juice and water with ⅓ cup lavender simple syrup to create this refreshing beverage.

Brewed coffee doesn't get much better than this! First, brew some coffee as usual, then add one tablespoon of lavender simple syrup per 8 ounces of hot coffee.

There are lots of ways you can use the lavender simple syrup for coffee, including steaming some of the syrup in your milk or adding it into your morning cold brew. Treat yourself and change up your morning routine!

Once made, start your lavender simple syrup in the fridge, and use it within a couple of weeks. While we do have honey as a preservative, nasty bacteria can come from anywhere and it's best to play it safe! If you happen to see any signs of mold, it's best to toss it! You're a syrup-making pro, and can whip up another batch with no problem.

if you enjoyed this honey lavender recipe, feel free to check out some of these other recipes for delicious summer recipes for preserved, grown, and foraged foods!

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Jalapeño Simple Syrup

How to make simple syrup for cocktails

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