Honey infusions take honey to new heights with the addition of health-promoting herbs. This spicy, sweet infusion can be added to your favorite tea, drizzled on gluten-free biscuits or added to oatmeal to reap the benefits. Below, I include recipes for both the sun and stovetop method.
Two Different Ways to Infuse Honey
There are different methods for infusing honey: Herbs can be added to a jar with honey and placed in a sunny spot for at least one week – this is the sun method and packs the most nutritional value since the delicate enzymes are left intact.
Honey can also be gently heated with herbs in a double boiler for 2-3 hours for stronger flavored herbs or 5-6 hours for mellow herbs – this is the stovetop method. This process lets you enjoy the honey the same day thanks to a method of low heat that warms the honey and herbs just enough to speed up infusion. For this particular recipe, the infusion is heated for 4 hours to achieve a spicy, anise sweetness from licorice and ginger.
What is Licorice Root?
Licorice root contains two compounds that both exhibit antiviral properties. These compounds may make licorice root useful at fighting multiple viruses. Licorice root may also play an important role in combating antibiotic resistant infections like staph and e-coli because of these antimicrobial compounds.
More of the many licorice root benefits:
- Helps soothe digestive upset and heartburn
- Ease symptoms of menopause
- Can help relieve cough
- Helps boost immunity with antioxidants
Ginger adds potent anti-inflammatory properties to this honey infusion which may help alleviate symptoms associated with inflammatory diseases like arthritis, diabetes, and certain cancers. Ginger is also useful for alleviating nausea.
Helpful Tips for Infusing Honey
- The key to infusing honey using heat is to allow the honey to become runny but not bubble in order to preserve its beneficial enzymes. You only want to keep the honey warm, not cook it.
- If using the stovetop method, add extra water to the pot every 30 minutes to an hour because it will evaporate.
Once you’ve made this honey infusion you can experiment with other dried herbs. The possibilities are endless and can be tailored to suit your preferences.
- Vanilla bean
- Lavender
- Citrus
- Rosemary
- Turmeric
- Elderberry
Double boiler (if using stovetop method)
Fine stainless steel mesh strainer
Sterilized 8-10 ounce glass jar
- 1 cup raw honey
- ¼ cup fresh sliced ginger
- ¼ cup dried licorice root, chopped
- Place ginger and licorice root in a sterilized glass jar, pour honey on top.
- Stir with a clean spoon to coat ginger and licorice root with honey. Seal jar tightly. Label with recipe name and date.
- Infuse herbs by placing jar in a sunny spot for a week, or 2-4 weeks for a stronger infusion.
- Strain honey with a fine mesh strainer. This can take a while for the herb-infused honey to drip out. I like to set up my strainer over a clean jar and do other things while it takes its sweet time.
- Seal jar and store in a cool, dry place (usually your cupboard or pantry works).
- Add 2 cups of water to the pot of a double-boiler and place a bowl on top. Pour honey into bowl and heat over very low heat. Add ginger and licorice root. Heat for 4 hours, adding extra water to pot as needed.
- Turn heat off and carefully pour honey through a fine mesh strainer into a sterile jar. Cool honey for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Seal jar and store in a cool, dry place.
More Honey Remedies
For more easy remedy ideas using the power of honey, try our recipes below:
- Fennel Honey Digestive Pastilles
- White Willow Bark Honey Paste
- Soothing Lemon Honey Cough Drops
- Immune-Boosting Winter Syrup (Oxymel)
Find more hormone-balancing recipes in Overcoming Estrogen Dominance
In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, my goal is to empower and give you the tools to take control of your hormones and health.
More than 70% of women experience estrogen dominance. The symptoms range from lumpy and fibrocystic breasts to thyroid nodules, hot flashes, fibroids, uterine polyps, painful, heavy or irregular periods to infertility and miscarriages, from mood swings to insomnia, weight gain to fatigue.
In Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, I give women a roadmap to reverse estrogen dominance using food, herbs, supplements and natural protocols to rebalance hormones. You’ll also find easy, hormone-balancing recipes that are free of gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, and nightshades. These recipes are highly anti-inflammatory, low in sugar, and made with powerful medicinal ingredients to help heal your body naturally.
To get your copy of Overcoming Estrogen Dominance, go here.
I’m excited to have found this program I was raised with natural herb for everything I’m a firm believer that natural is best
Thank you Mary Ellen! Enjoy!!
If we’re using one of the other suggested herbs (like rosemary) do we chop them up first? Or just stick the green “needles” in the honey intact?
Hi Joanna,
you’re welcome to chop them up some if you’d prefer it that way. Totally up to you on how you like to have your rosemary. 🙂
Healthy Regards,
HB Team
What about the blood pressure raising effects of licorice? How do you counteract that