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    Home » Recipes » Courses » Drinks

    Honeysuckle Tea

    Published: April 14, 2022 by Kari · Leave a Comment · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

    RECIPE ↓
    A pin image of a glass of honeysuckle sweet tea.
    A pin image of a glass of honeysuckle sweet tea.
    A pin image of a glass of honeysuckle sweet tea.
    A pin image of honeysuckle blossoms boiling in a pot.
    A pin image of a glass of honeysuckle sweet tea.

    Honeysuckle blossoms create such an amazing tea. Steeped in boiling water, the blossoms create an amazing floral tea that is naturally sweet and so delicious. When chilled, it is so refreshing.

    The idea to make Honeysuckle Tea was actually inspired by my husband. He loves going out into the yard to pick honeysuckle blossoms and suck the nectar out, so he asked what I thought about making something with them.

    Since I make chamomile tea from our own flowers, I figured it would be pretty easy to make honeysuckle tea!

    We first made Hot Honeysuckle Tea, then realized it is even more delicious when served chilled with Honeysuckle Simple Syrup added to it. The tea is so refreshing on a hot day - for us in the south, it is hot by the end of April when the bushes start blooming.

    I like to dehydrate the honeysuckle blossoms for use throughout the year to make tea.

    A hand holding a glass of honeysuckle sweet tea.
    Table of Contents
    • 🥘 Ingredient Notes
    • 🍽 Equipment Needed
    • 🥣 How to Make It
    • 🙋‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
    • Different Types of Honeysuckle (Found in the Southeast)
    • Here's What Japanese Honeysuckle Looks Like:
    • Here's what Amur Honeysuckle looks like:
    • 🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses
    • 🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating
    • ✏️ Helpful Tips
    • Other Spring/Summery Recipes
    • 📝 Recipe

    🥘 Ingredient Notes

    Honeysuckle blossoms in a gray bowl.
    • Ripe Honeysuckle Blossoms - Light yellow and not wilted are best.
    The stages of honeysuckle showing when to pick them.
    • Water - I use filtered tap water.
    • Sweetener if desired - I like to use Honeysuckle Simple Syrup, Honey, or regular simple syrup.

    🍽 Equipment Needed

    • A Fine Mesh Strainer
    • A Large Bowl
    • A Large Pot with a Lid

    🥣 How to Make It

    Honeysuckle tea is so easy to make and is so good. You first get to forage for all the honeysuckle blossoms, so head outside with some bowls and put the whole family to work!

    Once you have several bowls full, rinse the flowers with cold water in a large bowl gently. Swish them around in the water to get any dirt off, then strain.

    A gray bowl of honeysuckle blossoms and an empty red bowl.
    A red bowl of honeysuckle blossoms soaking in water.

    Prepare the blossoms by removing the green bulb part at the bottom of any of the flowers (if it is still there.) Do not pull out the stamen because that is where the sweetness is hiding.

    Now, let's prepare the tea. In a large pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Once the water is at a full boil, turn off the heat and add the flowers into the water. (Pictures 1 - 2)

    Stir the flowers gently and then place a lid on your pot and allow the flowers to steep for a minimum of one hour. I highly recommend 2 - 3 hours for a stronger flavor. (Picture 5)

    A collage of images showing how to make honeysuckle tea.

    The last step is to strain the honeysuckle flowers and debris out of the water. Drink immediately for warm or hot tea or allow it to cool and serve over ice for delicious and refreshing Honeysuckle Iced Tea. Add sweetener if desired.

    Click here for more honeysuckle uses!

    🙋‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

    How do you know when honeysuckle blossoms are ready to be picked?

    Honeysuckle blossoms should be a light orange/yellow color and not wilted. White blossoms are not ready and once they get shriveled, it is too late.
    The stages of honeysuckle showing when to pick them.

    What are the different types of honeysuckle?

    There are two kinds of honeysuckle that are prominent in the Southeast portion of the United States. These are the ones that I am most familiar with - Amur and Japanese. The Amur honeysuckle has much smaller flowers with sadly, less nectar - and they are a much more invasive weed - they spread like wildfire and take over everything. See below for a more comprehensive description of the differences between the two or this article has a lot of information about it as well.

    What does Honeysuckle Tea taste like?

    Honeysuckle tea is floral but fruity and is a little sweet - it is a perfectly refreshing spring/summer drink. It is definitely unusual, but it is so delicious. (Imagine the way honeysuckle smells but as tea!)

    What are the health benefits of honeysuckle?

    According to RX List, "Honeysuckle is used for digestive disorders including pain and swelling (inflammation) of the small intestine (enteritis) and dysentery; upper respiratory tract infections including colds, influenza, swine flu, and pneumonia; other viral and bacterial infections; swelling of the brain (encephalitis); fever; boils; and sores.

    Honeysuckle is also used for urinary disorders, headache, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer. Some people use it to promote sweating, as a laxative, to counteract poisoning, and for birth control.
    Honeysuckle is sometimes applied to the skin for inflammation and itching, and to kill germs."

    Different Types of Honeysuckle (Found in the Southeast)

    Japanese Honeysuckle is the best for dehydrating, making tea, and making simple syrup.

    Here's What Japanese Honeysuckle Looks Like:

    A bowl of Japanese honeysuckle flowers.
    A man in yellow pants and a gray sweater picking honeysuckle off a bush.
    A Japanese Honeysuckle bush.

    Amur Honeysuckle (pictured below) is more of an invasive weed that smells good but doesn't have as much sweet nectar. Amur Honeysuckle also blooms a few weeks before Japanese Honeysuckle, at least in Tennessee.

    Here's what Amur Honeysuckle looks like:

    A hand holding three honeysuckle flowers on a bush.
    A honeysuckle bush.
    A honeysuckle bush.
    A man in a red shirt picking honeysuckle flowers off a bush.
    Honeysuckle flowers on a bush.
    Honeysuckle blossoms on a bush.

    As you can see, the Amur Honeysuckle flowers are much smaller and it grows as more of a bush - whereas the Japanese Honeysuckle has larger, trumpeting flowers that while still kind of bushy - are more of a vine that climbs on other plants.

    🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses

    Honeysuckle tea can be served hot with a biscuit for breakfast, or it can be served chilled over ice, garnished with some fresh orange slices. We love it as a replacement for sweet tea or lemonade on a hot afternoon.

    A bottle of honeysuckle iced tea and a small glass next to it.
    Button linking to the Pinterest page for Southern Bytes.

    🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating

    Honeysuckle Tea can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container or jar, but it is best when served the day it is made.

    If you are making iced tea for guests, prepare it in the morning to allow the tea to cool, then serve it over ice.

    ✏️ Helpful Tips

    Use honeysuckle tea as the base for scones or cakes. It has a flowery taste that is not overpowering and pairs well with orange and lemon.
    If you are making honeysuckle iced tea to serve to guests, prepare it in the morning to allow the tea to cool, then serve it over ice.
    Add honey or simple syrup to make Honeysuckle Sweet Tea. We like to use Honeysuckle Simple Syrup (linked below in the recipe card.)

    Other Spring/Summery Recipes

    • Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders
    • Easy Southern Potato Salad
    • Crispy Fried Okra
    • Honeysuckle Simple Syrup

    Have You Tried This Recipe?
    Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!

    📝 Recipe

    A hand holding a glass of honeysuckle sweet tea.

    Honeysuckle Iced Tea

    5 from 2 votes
    Honeysuckle blossoms create such an amazing tea. Steeped in boiling water, the blossoms create a unique floral tea that is naturally sweet and so delicious. When chilled, it is so refreshing.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Steeping Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine Southern
    Servings 2 cups
    Calories 25

    Equipment

    • a medium/large pot
    • a strainer or colander
    • a large bowl

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 - 3 cups honeysuckle flowers The golden or yellow ones but not wilted. White aren't quite ready yet and wilted yellow don't have enough nectar left.
    • 2 cups water
    • sweetener to taste. I like to use Simple Syrup, Honey, or Honeysuckle Simple Syrup.

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse flowers with cold water in a large bowl. Swish them around to get dirt off, then strain.
      2 - 3 cups honeysuckle flowers
    • Remove the green bulb part at the bottom of any of the flowers if it is still there. Do not pull out the stamen.
      2 - 3 cups honeysuckle flowers
    • In a large pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Once the water is at a full boil, turn off the heat and add the flowers into the water.
      2 cups water, 2 - 3 cups honeysuckle flowers
    • Stir the flowers gently and then place a lid on your pot and allow the flowers to steep for at least ONE hour, but I highly recommend a few more for a stronger flavor.
    • Strain the honeysuckle flowers and debris out of the water to remove all of the flower petals and allow to cool.

    To Serve

    • Fill a large glass with ice and pour the honeysuckle tea over the ice. Sweeten with your favorite sweetener. (Simple Syrup, Honey, or Honeysuckle Simple Syrup.) Adjust taste by adding water if it is too strong. Enjoy!
      sweetener

    Notes

    Honeysuckle tea can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container or jar but is best when served the same day.
    Honeysuckle tea can also be frozen (once cooled to room temperature.)

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupCalories: 25kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 32mgPotassium: 285mgVitamin A: 3213IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 1mg

    Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.

    Keyword floral tea, honeysuckle iced tea, honeysuckle tea
    Tried this recipe?Mention @southernbytes or tag #southernbytes!
    « Jiffy Corn Pudding
    Honeysuckle Simple Syrup »

    About Kari

    I am a WordPress Developer, Food Blogger, and Health Coach. I love to cook and experiment with fun new recipes. I hope you enjoy!

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    Hi, I'm Kari!

    I am a WordPress developer, food blogger, and health coach. I love to cook and experiment with fun new recipes. I hope you enjoy!

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