Honey Mint Simple Syrup

Using simple syrup is great way to add a smooth touch of sweetness to your favorite drinks, boozy or not. While it may be tempting to grab a bottle of pre-made simple syrup from the store, resist the urge! Just like the name suggests, whipping up a batch of the sweet syrup at home is super simple. 

Simple syrup is typically a blend of equal parts sugar and water, heated together until the sugar dissolves and you're left with a silky sweet liquid. The concoction is great way to add a touch of sweetness to your favorite drinks without the crunchy bits of sugar floating around at the bottom of your glass.

This time, instead of sugar, we're using a tasty local honey and a handful of fresh mint leaves to create a uniquely sweet honey mint simple syrup. This syrup couldn't have been simpler to make (you see what I did there??) and is the perfect way to use up any fresh herbs you have that are on the verge of spoiling. We happened to have a big bunch of mint that was looking a little wilty, but you could try this with basil, rosemary, lavender or your favorite fragrant herbs. Don't let those good herbs go bad!  

Most simple syrups call for equal parts sugar (honey, in this case) & water, but since we're adding in the flavor of fresh mint leaves, I like a 2:1 water to honey ratio. We'll be using 1 cup of water, ½ cup of honey and ½ cup of packed down mint leaves. The sweet flavor is still prominent, but you're not using quite as much precious honey! 

In a small saucepan, heat honey & water on low, stirring occasionally until the honey has fully dissolved. Stir in the fresh mint leaves, turn off the heat and put the lid on. Let the mint leaves steep in the honey syrup for anywhere from 5-30 minutes. The longer it sits, the more minty it'll be. Strain the liquid into a mason jar and it's ready to go! Keep the syrup tightly sealed in the refrigerator and use it up within a couple of weeks!

This honey syrup makes a great addition to a big glass of iced tea, water & lemon, or your favorite boozy cocktail! A hefty splash will add the perfect minty sweetness to your summertime sips. You can even use honey syrup in frozen treats, like these Strawberry Honey Lime Popsicles! 

Thanks for Chewsing!