Honeys

Herbal honeys are a really fun and tasty way to enjoy the benefits of herbs. They’re especially nice for children over the age of one because of how sweet they are. Herbal honeys are made just the way you might imagine – by steeping your choice of herbs in raw honey. They are super forgiving, making them an awesome first herbal preparation if you are new to using herbs. As with a lot of the herbal preparations I make, I prefer the folk method for simplicity’s sake. Using herbs shouldn’t be complicated!

Both fresh and dried herbs can be used for herbal honeys. When using fresh herbs (which introduces water and raises the pH slightly), I like to make sure that the raw honey content is at least slightly higher than the amount of herbs. This should keep the pH low enough to avoid harmful pathogens. The naturally acidic nature of honey discourages pathogens from growing (botulism needs a pH higher than 4.6 and raw honey has an average pH of 3.9) but you can test the pH with strips to be sure. If it is inching upward, you can add a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar to bring the pH back down to a more acidic level.

Raw Honey as a Superfood

Raw honey offers a perfect source of fuel for our bodies and helps with the production of serotonin (our calming neurotransmitter) and therefore sleep. Its antioxidants block free radical damage and promote longevity and it’s also an excellent wound healer when applied to affected areas, offering relief of eczema and other skin irritations (it is naturally antimicrobial). It is anti-inflammatory, has anticancer properties and anti-diabetic properties, and is protective of the cardiovascular nervous, respiratory, and gastrointestinal system.

Raw honey is one of the most nourishing foods on the planet. The nutritional profile varies depending on the batch of honey, but it can contain:

• amino acid protein building blocks (particularly proline, but also phenylalanine, tyrosine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, alanine, glycine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, serine, and threonine),
• minerals (potassium, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, and selenium),
• vitamins (including B vitamins, Vit C, and possibly others),
• over 5000 enzymes to aid digestion and break down sugars (including amylase, invertase, and glucose oxidase)
• polyphenols & flavanoids that provide antioxidant properties.

Honey Sourcing

Honey is not only an ingredient for herbal honeys, but it’s also a popular sweetener for herbal teas. Sourcing your honey properly is very important though! Use raw honey whenever possible, as it is loaded with enzymes (which are destroyed in the pasteurization of grocery store honey products) and does not contain synthetic fillers. Buying local is good, although it may not always be your best choice, especially if you live near lots of conventional farmland that uses pesticide/herbicide sprays. My preferred source is Beekeeper’s Naturals, but local raw honey is always the better choice if your only other option is the grocery store varieties.

A couple notes – To reap all of the benefits, raw honey should not be heated to over 104 degrees and should be stored at 60-70 degrees. Also, raw honey should not be consumed by babies under one year old because of the botulism concerns.

How to Make an Herbal Honey

Herbal honeys are super easy to make!

• Fill a glass jar a little less than half full with fresh herbs (or one-quarter full with dried herbs)
• Cover the herbs with raw honey, filling the jar almost to the top (leave a bit of room for stirring)
• Stir the mixture, making sure to release air bubbles
• Cover with a plastic top (I like these leak-proof tops) and label
• Sit to steep in a cool, dark place for 1-4 weeks
• Stir the honey or flip the jar over every few days to re-coat the herbs that have moved to the top (place the jar on a plate just in case any of the honey seeps out – using leak-proof tops will help this)
• Once steeped, strain the herbs through cheesecloth (this takes quite a long time, so set the cheesecloth up in a strainer so you can leave it and walk away) OR alternatively leave the herbs in the honey to enjoy all together

Please see my Fermented Garlic Honey post for my favorite herbal honey, or grab a downloadable recipe here:

Herbal Electuaries

Another way to make a quick herbal honey is to mix powdered herbs (instead of dried) with raw honey (or another thick sweetener like maple syrup or molasses). The powdered herbs are not strained out, so this “herbal electuary” is ready to be consumed immediately. Often used to support immune, respiratory, or digestive concerns, an herbal electuary is an easy preparation that can often be made with ingredients from your spice cabinet. They can be taken by the spoonful as a daily tonic or to support acute issues (beginning of a cold, a sore throat, stomach upset, etc.). Herbal electuaries can also be used as a culinary condiment melted into tea, drizzled over food, or spread onto toast/crackers, etc.

My favorite herbal electuary recipe is actually one I found while Instagram scrolling! It’s an immune-boosting electuary that’s ready immediately and is very fast to put together. It can be a quick alternative to Fire Cider that still offers a good spicy kick but is also quite sweet. Here’s the recipe for you to prepare and enjoy:

Herbs for Herbal Honeys

There are endless herb combinations that can be used to make herbal honeys. Some herbs to consider are lavender, lemon balm, sage, violet, dandelion blossom, chamomile flower, peppermint, anise hyssop, ginger, thyme, garlic, elderberry, and elder flower. Here are a few specific ideas:

• Immune support: garlic (my favorite herbal honey to make!)
• Respiratory support: garlic, juniper berry, ginger, mullein
• Allergy support: nettle, goldenrod, elder flower, honeysuckle
• Cough support: violet, onion, garlic, thyme
• Sore throat support: marshmallow root, sage, violet
• Cold/flu support: garlic, elderberry, ginger
• Stress support: lavender, chamomile

Shelf Life

There is debate about the shelf life of herbal honey. Honey itself literally never goes bad, but introducing herbs to the honey decreases it’s shelf stability. If you want to play it super duper, extremely safe, plan for a shelf life of three to six months. But it is probably good for more like a year – just watch for mold.

References

Cianciosi, D., Forbes-Hernández, T. Y., Afrin, S., Gasparrini, M., Reboredo-Rodriguez, P., Manna, P. P., Zhang, J., Bravo Lamas, L., Martínez Flórez, S., Agudo Toyos, P., Quiles, J. L., Giampieri, F., & Battino, M. (2018). Phenolic Compounds in Honey and Their Associated Health Benefits: A Review. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 23(9), 2322. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23092322

Herbal Academy. (2018, January 25). Video: How to make an Herbal Honey. https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/herbal-honey-video/

Justis, A. (2015, April 30). Herbal honey recipes for kids. Herbal Academy. https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/herbal-honey-recipes-for-kids/

National Honey Board. (n.d.). pH and acids in honeys. Retrieved from https://www.bjcp.org/mead/ph_acid.pdf

Robinson, L. (2026, February 3). How to store herbal honey for maximum freshness and flavor. Best Honey and Herbs. https://besthoneyandherbs.com/blogs/the-honey-journal/how-to-store-herbal-honey-for-maximum-freshness-and-flavor