Everybody has one of those sticky little plastic honey bear jars in the cupboard. But for cooking, baking, and drinks-making with deep deliciousness, it pays to always have a more serious and flavorful stash of honey in the pantry. Here are 15 honey recipes that are more than enough reasons why.
Honey Varieties
Vesna Jovanovic / EyeEm / Getty Images
Honey comes in a near-endless array of varieties besides clover and wildflower, and some of these recipes call for specific kinds (like orange blossom honey). They’ll all still be delicious with any old supermarket honey, but we really do recommend buying not only some more interesting types, but local honey too; not only will it taste more complex, it will benefit local agriculture and businesses (and some studies suggest it could help with allergies).
Genuine Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey, $18.99 from Amazon
This raw Australian honey has an incredibly complex flavor worlds away from the supermarket stuff.
Related Reading: What Is the Difference Between Raw Honey, Regular Honey, and Manuka Honey?
Bee Thankful
In the age of colony collapse, we can’t help but appreciate the sweet stuff even more. August 15, 2020 is National Honey Bee Day, so it’s a perfect time to remember our busy, buzzy little friends that produce the honey (and pollinate so many of our crops).
Chowhound’s Chile-Infused Hot Honey
In addition to local honey, consider buying some specialty honey that benefits bee-related organizations, like this Bee Cause Honey; 100 percent of the proceeds go towards a project that installs classroom observation hives in American schools, to help inspire the next generation to love and protect bees.
Honey Recipes
For Winnie the Pooh empathizers who can’t get enough of that golden, sticky goo, here are some of our favorite ways to use honey besides drizzling it straight on toast and yogurt and into tea.
1. Honey Butter
Chowhound
Unsalted butter, honey, and a bit of salt—these three ingredients can transform waffles, pancakes, biscuits, and even plain toast into something comforting and special. And depending on what kind of honey you use, the taste will change in delightful ways. Get our Honey Butter recipe. (Be sure to try it on cornbread, and on our Honey Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls. Or get extra and put some on our Peanut Butter Honey Banana Bread.)
2. Honey-Brined Turkey Breast
Chowhound
Orange blossom honey, orange zest and juice, and shallots, and fresh thyme make a memorable brine for roasted turkey breast, and make a whole chicken extra special. Get our Honey-Brined Turkey Breast recipe.
Dutch Gold Honey, $11.95 from Amazon
Don't expect a wallop of orange, just a subtle citrus flavor and light, sweet taste.
3. Honey Mustard Sauce
Chowhound
This simple, perfect blend of mustard powder, apple cider vinegar, honey, and a pinch of kosher salt is a natural with soft pretzels, and does wonders as a sandwich spread for ham or corned beef. Conversely, if you’re vegan or otherwise don’t eat honey, you can try an alternative like maple syrup in this recipe. Get our Honey Mustard Sauce recipe. (Or simply combine honey and grainy mustard with a pinch of thyme.)
4. Grilled Honey Dijon Chicken Breasts
Chowhound
Sweet honey and sharp Dijon make a great chicken marinade; garlic and olive oil lend support. These taste just as good cooked inside (in a skillet or in a baking pan) as they do outdoors, but we can’t deny the appeal of a little smoky char. Get our Grilled Honey Dijon Chicken recipe.
5. Honey Vinaigrette
Chowhound
We came up with this dressing of honey, white wine vinegar, and neutral-tasting grapeseed oil to toss a salad of bitter greens, but you could apply it to all kinds of salads. Get our Honey Vinaigrette recipe. (And try our Honey Poppyseed Dressing recipe too.)
Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Salad
6. Honey Nougat
David Lebovitz
This crisp, sophisticated confection by David Lebovitz has whole and sliced almonds, pistachios, orange peel, honey, orange flower water, and a bit of heavy cream. Get the Honey Nougat recipe.
7. Slow Cooker Honey Ginger Pork
Eva Kolenko
Honey, soy sauce, mirin, garlic, and ginger combine with pork and kale for a hearty, easy Crock-Pot dinner that sings with sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy flavors. Serve over simple soba noodles or rice. Get the Slow Cooker Honey Ginger Pork recipe.
8. Smoky BBQ Chicken Wings with Honey, Bourbon, and Molasses Sauce
Quentin Bacon
These grilled wings from Chris Santos have a flavor-packed dry rub you shouldn’t skip, but honestly, the sticky honey, bourbon, and molasses BBQ sauce does taste amazing on its own. And the best part? You start with a store-bought sauce and simply doctor it up with the extra ingredients. Get the Smoky Rubbed Chicken Wings with Honey, Bourbon, and Molasses BBQ Sauce recipe.
9. Toasted Sesame and Honey Gelato
Chowhound
This is a creamy gelato, where the deep, sophisticated taste of sesame seeds and toasted sesame oil plays off the rich, creamy flavor of sweet cream and honey. Get our Toasted Sesame and Honey Gelato recipe.
Related Reading: Unusual Ice Cream Flavors to Try This Summer | We Taste-Tested Whole Foods’ New Ice Cream Flavors
10. Ricotta and Honey Tart
Chowhound
Honey and lemon zest flavor this tart made with ricotta cheese. A crisp crust and crunchy almond topping sandwich the creamy filling. Get our Ricotta and Honey Tart recipe. (And try our sharper, saltier Greek Honey and Cheese Tart recipe too.)
11. Atholl Brose Cocktail
Chowhound
In Scotland, Atholl Brose is a traditional drink of Scotch whisky mixed with the liquid from soaking steel-cut oats, stirred with honey, and topped with lightly whipped cream. Bartender Erik Ellestad tried a bunch of different combinations of these ingredients before coming up with this delicious drink. Get our Atholl Brose Cocktail recipe. (Or try this Gold Rush Cocktail recipe that combines bourbon, lemon, and honey.)
12. Honey and Apricot Fruit Leather
Chowound
Drying apricots intensifies their sweet-tart flavors, and the addition of a little honey balances out the overall taste of this tasty DIY fruit leather, which is perfect for a back-to-school lunch box treat. Get our Honey and Apricot Fruit Leather recipe.
13. Apple Honey Upside Down Cakes
Chowhound
Honey-drenched baklava is one of the more famous honey desserts, but these mini upside down cakes are easier to make and just as sticky-delicious, with 1/4 cup of orange blossom honey in the caramel. They’re perfect for fall with their sweet apples and warm spices. Get our Apple Honey Upside Down Cake recipe.
14. Spiced Honey Cake with Caramelized Figs
Chowhound
For another autumnal treat, try pairing honey and figs with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves. The crisp-crusted, tender-crumbed cake contains a full 1 1/2 cups of honey, and the luscious caramelized fig topping brings in some honey liqueur for added warmth. Get our Spiced Honey Fig Cake recipe.
15. Grilled Fig and Orange Blossom Sundae
Chowhound
Still too hot to bake just yet? Honey-brushed figs caramelize on the grill for an easy but impressive ice cream topping, with more of the honey and orange blossom water syrup drizzled over top, along with a sprinkle of pistachios. Get our Grilled Fig and Orange Blossom Sundae recipe.
Related Video: This Honey Chili Chicken Is Spicy & Sweet
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