Honey Old Fashioned
This Honey Old Fashioned doesn’t require making a syrup on the stove, and it’s easy to make a big batch for a party. All the bourbon fans in your life will be asking for a second round.
This Honey Old Fashioned Will Be Your New Favorite Cocktail
The classic Old Fashioned is basically the grandparent of all cocktails. It’s simple, reliable, and always knows how to have a good time without making a fuss about it. If drinks were people, this one would be the friend who’s effortlessly cool without even trying.
Traditionally, it’s just whiskey, sugar, bitters, and a twist of citrus. This drink is easy enough that you can whip it up at home, but upscale enough that you still feel a little fancy drinking it out at the bar.
We’ve always loved how an Old Fashioned can adapt to whoever’s making it. Bourbon or rye? Demerara sugar cube or syrup? Cherry or no cherry? It’s the choose-your-own-adventure of cocktails.
In this version, we use honey syrup instead of sugar or simple syrup.
Nothing beats taking sips of Honey Old Fashioned Cocktails with friends (pretending we’re characters from Mad Men), or at Kentucky Derby watch party. Cheers to a drink that never goes out of style!
Why You’ll Love This Old Fashioned With Honey
- This simple and delicious cocktail only takes a couple of minutes to prepare.
- You can easily fancy this up by using a cool ice cube mold.
- An Old Fashioned is easy to batch. You can make an entire pitcher of this to serve at a party.
Honey Old Fashioned Recipe Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.
- honey – mixed 2:1 honey to warm water, allowing the honey to be mixed well into the cocktail.
- Angostura bitters – adds depth to the final drink. Just a few dashes will do! Orange bitters are also great here if you have those instead.
- bourbon – use your favorite. We used Jim Beam for this Old Fashioned with honey, but we also love whiskey cocktails with Bulleit, Maker’s Mark, and Buffalo Trace.
- orange peel – optional, but adds great flavor and citrus notes to this honey Old Fashioned recipe.
A Note On Honey Syrup for Cocktails
Unlike traditional simple syrup, this honey syrup is not heated on the stove (so, you don’t need to plan ahead at all to make this cocktail)!
The honey is mixed in a ratio of 2:1, honey to warm water. Honey already contains water, so we use this ratio instead of 1:1 (which is traditional for sugar syrup), so you can still taste the honey.
You can use straight honey, but it will not mix and disperse into the cocktail as easily as the syrup, so it’s best to take an extra minute to mix the honey with the warm water.
How To Make An Old Fashioned Without Simple Syrup
1. MAKE THE SYRUP. Add honey and warm water to a shot glass or ramekin and stir until fully dissolved.
2. MIX COCKTAIL. Add the honey mixture, bitters and bourbon to a rocks glass and stir until well combined.
3. ADD ICE. Add a large ice cube to the glass and swirl with a spoon to chill and dilute slightly.
Honey Old Fashioned Home Chef Tips
- Having a party? Make an Old Fashioned flight by using different bourbons!
- This Old Fashioned with honey can easily be batched to be pitcher-sized and serve a crowd. See instructions in the recipe card notes.
- For a smokier version of this Old Fashioned recipe with honey, try a peated bourbon or lightly torch an orange peel for garnish.
- Feel free to garnish with a few maraschino cherries, or an upscale cocktail cherry like Luxardo, if you want.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we'll send it to your inbox.
What Kind Of Honey Is Best For A Honey Old Fashioned?
The best type of honey is the type you have on hand! It’s hard to go wrong here, but here are some tips:
- Clover honey is the type most commonly found in grocery stores, and has a mild taste and sweetness that won’t overpower the flavor of the bourbon.
- Orange blossom honey is light and bright, and another overall great choice.
- Wildflower honey is floral and slightly fruity, and will add a bit of complexity without taking over the drink.
- Buckwheat honey is dark, earthy and almost molasses-like. It’s pretty intense, so this is best paired with smoky rye whiskey.
More Foxes Love Lemons Favorites
Honey Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 2 ounces bourbon
- Large ice cube
- Orange peel optional garnish
Instructions
- Add honey and one teaspoon warm water to shot glass or ramekin and stir until fully dissolved.
- Add honey mixture, bitters and bourbon to a rocks glass and stir until well combined.
- Add a large ice cube and stir for 15 seconds to chill and dilute slightly.
- Garnish with an orange peel and serve right away.
Notes
How To Make 8 Servings
- 5 tablespoons honey + 2-1/2 tablespoons warm water
- 16 dashes Angostura bitters
- 2 cups bourbon
As many Old Fashions I have made I never once thought about using honey, I will be trying in about five minutes……lol
Enjoy, Jerry! Cheers!
If I could have one right now, that would be GREAT! LOL!
I wish I could teleport you one!
Well, you know how much I love cocktails. I love the addition of honey. Pinned.
Thanks Jennie! We were on the same wavelength this month – I think you posted that Apple Jack cocktail the day before I was set to photograph this! haha.
I feel so behind. I’ve never watched Mad Med and I had not heard of Mitten Crate…or if I did I forgot!! Love this!
Thanks for stopping by, Sheila. Mitten Crate is definitely a lot of fun!
I love Mad Men and well you know I love a good old fashioned! Using honey sounds really interesting, looks like I better bust out the Bulleit and give this a go!
I mean, any excuse to bust out the Bulleit is good for me 🙂
Did you make your own orange bitters? My husband and his buddy are getting their master’s degrees in may, so we are having a party, and we want to pretend to be fancy people who drink fancy drinks like this amazing one.
Hi Hannah! I do NOT make my own bitters. Sounds like it could be a fun project, but this bottle of Angostura orange bitters will probably last me the rest of my life. Congrats to your husband and his friend! A Master’s degree is a huge accomplishment, definitely deserving of a party with fancy drinks 🙂
Gosh…I am so behind on Mad Men! I’m looking forward to the summer, so that I can rewatch the entire series. I don’t have the time right now. I love the idea of a honey old fashioned. Need this in my life.
I re-watched the whole series over Christmas break, and loved every minute of it. There’s so much that happened that I had kind of forgotten about. It’s such a complicated, wonderful show!