The loveliest gift I ever gifted was a selection of homemade infused honey in different flavors. I paired three jars together in a small wooden box. The honey flavors included hot chili honey, lemon lavender honey, and chai spice honey. The recipient LOVED it and texted me throughout the year, saying they were using the honey and that it made them think of me. How nice is that?
This past spring, I made lilac-infused honey with flowers from the lilac bush in my yard. The intention was to taste spring during the cold winter, which is genuinely a little sunshine.
To make infused honey, you need just a few ingredients.
First, of course, is the honey. I suggest purchasing honey in bulk if you plan to make multiple gifts. At my local Natural Grocers, I have found Local Clover Honey in 5 lb increments. Another great bulk purchase option is Azure Standard; they have several raw honey options. I found them during my dive into (suburban) homesteading.
The next ingredient needed is whatever you want to infuse into your honey. Honey is magical because it is a solvent to extract medicinal properties from herbs, flowers, or fruits.
The possibilities are endless here; you can customize this gift for the recipient.
Great options for infusion include :
Elderberries
Rose petals (organic only- not from store-bought roses, these are highly sprayed)
Lavender
Cinnamon sticks
Clove buds
Star Anise
Garlic
Thyme
Sage
Lemon balm
Chamomile
Chili peppers
Orange or lemon peel
Mountain Rose Herbs is a great herb supplier that can be counted on for quality. I have an affiliate link which you can find HERE. I earn a little bit of money if you shop from this link; this allows me to continue sharing fun ideas with you!
But there are some ingredients that I like to avoid.
I recommend avoiding juicy fruits; if you want to incorporate fruit, dehydrate it first. If the water content is too high, it can grow mold or bacteria. Honey is antimicrobial, which is why it can preserve the infused ingredients well and has a long shelf life. But if there is too much water content, things can get a little funky, so it is best to stick with fresh herbs that have a lower water content than, say, a blueberry (I’m speaking from experience here).
Fresh or dried herbs both work. With dried herbs like a cinnamon stick, a little heat will help with the extraction process, so keeping it on a windowsill in the sun is helpful. Dried herbs will take a little longer to infuse the flavor. Honey pulls moisture (one reason I love it so much for a face mask for congested skin). So keep this in mind. Fresh garlic, fresh sage, fresh lavender- these are all lovely as they have a minimal amount of water content.
I prefer to utilize organic ingredients. But do not use conventional flower petals from the grocery store. These are very highly sprayed.
The next step is to find a lovely jar.
Glass is best here.
Hobby stores often have a charming selection of glass. These Ball Canning Jars are a great option if you plan to make multiples on a budget. You can dress it up by cutting a square piece of cloth, tying it over the top with twine and a handwritten tag, or even a simple ribbon.
Finally, infuse your honey.
To do this, place the ingredients in your jar, and pour the honey over the top to fill the jar. A stainless steel food-safe cap is a great way to cover food items when using a ball canning jar. This prevents rusting- which is not as big of an issue with honey as it would be with vinegar, but it is always good to be safe.
The infusion will take anywhere from 4-6 weeks, and I have been known to let my honey sit for much longer than that. You can give your gift with the herbs in your jar. It looks nice this way. Just let the recipient know that they may want to strain it before using it (or not, they can also consume the herbs or put them in a tea if it is something like chamomile or lavender buds).
Directions:
- Fill your sterilized glass jar halfway full with the ingredients of your choice.
- Pour honey over until herbs are fully submerged. As the honey makes its way down to the bottom and fills the spaces between, you may need to add more to top it off. Check back over the next few days to top off if needed.
- Cap your honey and label it with the ingredients and date of infusion
- Set the jar on a sunny windowsill and turn it over once per day.
- The infusion will take anywhere from 4-6 weeks.
Once you have your gift ready to give, you may dress it up a little to make it visually appealing. Even a ribbon tied around the jar looks nice. In addition, hobby stores often have card stock tags you can write on to give instructions for when and how to use them.
I’m excited about what you decide to make. If you do this, post it on social media and tag me so I can see it!
*Note that this content does contain paid affiliate links for products that I use and love. If you take action after clicking these links, I earn a little money to purchase more herbs so that I can keep creating and sharing with you!
