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.
Table of Contents
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- Ripe Honeysuckle Blossoms – Light yellow and not wilted are best.
- 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.
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)
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.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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!)
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:
Amur Honeysuckle (pictured below) is 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:
As you can see, the Amur Honeysuckle flowers are much smaller and it grows as more of a bush that smothers other plants – whereas the Japanese Honeysuckle has larger, trumpeting flowers that while still kind of bushy – are more of a vine that climbs on other plants.
They are both quite invasive and destructive to native plants though – so make lots of tea!
🍳 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.
🥫 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
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
Honeysuckle Iced Tea
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
Special Equipment Needeed
- a medium/large pot
- a strainer or colander
- a large bowl
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
