Honeysuckle Simple Syrup & Great Ways to Use It

Make your drinks and food taste even better with honeysuckle simple syrup!

This sweet, floral syrup adds a special touch to all kinds of drinks. You can use it in cocktails, tea, coffee, and more. It’s not just for drinks either. It’s great for cooking too, and can add a unique flavor to many dishes.

The delicate sweetness and honeysuckle flavor will make your everyday meals and drinks something special. This sweet simple syrup is surprisingly versatile and can really elevate your cooking.

Why You’ll Love Honeysuckle Simple Syrup

It tastes amazing: The sweet, floral flavor of honeysuckle is unique and delicious. It adds a special something to whatever you put it in.
It’s super versatile: You can use it in tons of different ways. Drinks, desserts, even savory dishes can benefit from a little honeysuckle flavor.
It’s easy to use: Just a little bit can add a lot of flavor, so the bottle will last a while. It mixes easily into hot and cold drinks.
It makes things feel fancy: Adding honeysuckle syrup to your iced tea or cocktails makes them feel a little more special, even if they’re not.
It’s a fun way to experiment: You can try it in all sorts of different recipes and discover new flavor combinations. It can inspire some creative cooking.

What is Honeysuckle?

Honeysuckle is a type of flowering vine.

It’s known for its sweet-smelling flowers that often attract hummingbirds. The flowers can be white, yellow, pink, or even red, depending on the variety. Some types of honeysuckle produce berries, but not all of them are safe to eat. The kind used for flavoring, like in the simple syrup we talked about, is typically safe. Honeysuckle has a distinct sweet, floral scent and flavor that’s used in teas, desserts, and other foods. It’s a pretty common plant, and you might even see it growing wild in some areas.

Is honeysuckle syrup safe?

It is! The nectar and the petals are completely safe for consumption. However, do not use any of the berries found on a honeysuckle bush. They can cause illness.

Tips for Foraging

Avoid polluted areas like along road sides and sewers, known pesticide sprayed bushes. Do not trespass and be sure you have permission to remove the flowers.
Contrary to popular belief, there are 138 types of honeysuckle, which was named for it’s sweet nectar. You can use many different variations, the most commonly found is Lonicera japonica. Also known as Japanese Honeysuckle. It is the most invasive species in the US.

Ingredients

fresh honeysuckle flowers (Japanese honeysuckle)
water
sugar

Get the full ingredient list and full instructions in the printable recipe card below.

Who doesn’t remember a childhood filled with little honeysuckle blossoms in your own backyard. Licking the light sweet nectar from the base of the honeysuckle stem is a vivid childhood memory.

Handy tip: Prepare Ahead!

When you’re out foraging for flowers, look for very full honeysuckle vines and grab more than you think you will need. It is always better to have more, than less. Also be sure to investigate whether any pesticides were used and avoid any bushes that were sprayed.

Flavor Twists

add a few citrus peels like orange peel or lemon peel to the boiling water and allow ro simmer with the flowers.
add the honeysuckle simple syrup to cocktails like a moscow mule or mint julep for a fun twist.

tools you’ll need

These are the tools and supplies we used for this recipe. If you purchase anything using one of our links, we will make a small commission from Amazon.

Other Uses For Honeysuckle Simple Syrup

Once you whip up the Honeysuckle Syrup, you can actually use it in place of honey in many recipes.

Try this Honey Cake with the simple syrup!
Try this cocktail with the simple syrup! (replace the rhubarb simple syrup)

You will love using this recipe in dozens of recipes from drinks, to appetizers to desserts!

It goes great for so many things and helps preserve the sweet taste of a childhood summer!

Honeysuckle Recipes To Try

Honeysuckle Infusion Water
Honeysuckle Simple Syrup for Beverages
Honeysuckle Pancake/Ice Cream Syrup
Honeysuckle Jelly
Honeysuckle Iced Tea
Honeysuckle Ice Cream (in the freezer freezing right now)

Then take it a step beyond that, and we’ve made:

Honeysuckle Infused Juice with Honeysuckle Simple Syrup
Honeysuckle Infused Creamer for my coffee.
Honeysuckle Berry Vodka Spritzer
Old Fashioned Hot Milk Cake with Raspberries and Whipped Cream (instead of the honey, we used Honeysuckle Simple Syrup!)

If you’re looking for more simple syrup recipes, try these:

Storage Tips

At the end, you’re going to wind up with extra Honeysuckle Infusion Water. Simply store in a glass jar or container with an airtight lid. The water should be stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for about six days. Before using in any recipes, be sure to inspect the water for any spoilage.
The Honeysuckle Simple Syrup should also be stored in the refrigerator the same way, but can last longer – 1-2 weeks.
When you want to create more simple syrup, a good ratio is one cup of water (honeysuckle infusion water) to one cup of sugar. Put both in a small saucepan and heat to boiling. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Printable Recipe for Honeysuckle Simple Syrup