Some flavor combinations feel like they were always meant to find each other. Lavender and honey are exactly that. The gentle floral of culinary lavender and the buttery sweetness of a good raw honey don't just complement each other — they bring out something in both that neither could manage alone. This honey lavender ice cream leans into that pairing with one very specific honey: our Ukrainian Sunflower Honey. Its mild, lightly buttery character is a natural backdrop for lavender — present enough to add depth, gentle enough to let the florals shine.
Why Sunflower Honey Works So Well Here
Most honey lavender ice cream recipes call for a generic mild honey, and there’s a good reason for that — you don’t want something bold, like buckwheat, competing with the lavender. Ukrainian Sunflower Honey hits exactly the right note. It’s minimally filtered, raw, and has a clean, slightly floral sweetness that reads almost buttery on the palate. That mild, round quality means it blends seamlessly into the custard base without muddying the lavender.
Sunflower honey is also known for its natural tendency to crystallize — which is actually a sign of quality and authenticity in a raw honey. For this recipe, measure it out while it’s still in liquid form (gently warming the jar in a bowl of warm water helps if yours has set). Want to learn more about what makes sunflower honey so special? Check out our guide: What Is Sunflower Honey?
What You’ll Need
This is a custard-based ice cream, which means egg yolks, dairy, and a bit of patience on the stovetop. The result is silky, scoopable, and deeply flavorful in a way that no-churn versions just can’t match. You’ll also need an ice cream maker — the churning is what gives this its creamy, airy texture.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup Bee Inspired Ukrainian Sunflower Honey
- 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender
- 4 large egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Makes approximately 1 quart (about 6–8 servings).
A note on lavender: Use culinary-grade dried lavender, not decorative or scented lavender. The amount above gives a noticeable but not overwhelming floral flavor. If you prefer something more subtle, start with 1½ tablespoons and taste after steeping.
How to Make Honey Lavender Ice Cream
Step 1: Steep the Lavender
Combine the heavy cream and whole milk in a medium saucepan. Add the dried lavender and place the pan over medium heat. Warm the mixture until it just begins to steam — you’ll see small wisps rising from the surface. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let the lavender steep for 25–30 minutes. The longer it steeps, the more pronounced the floral flavor will be. Taste it around the 20-minute mark to find your preference.
Step 2: Strain and Sweeten
Pour the steeped mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or large measuring cup, pressing gently on the lavender to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the solids. Return the strained cream to the saucepan and add the sunflower honey and salt. Warm over low heat, stirring, just until the honey is fully dissolved. Remove from heat.
Step 3: Temper the Egg Yolks
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth and slightly lightened in color, about one minute. Slowly ladle about ½ cup of the warm cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly — this is tempering, and it prevents the eggs from scrambling. Once combined, pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the cream, whisking as you go.
Step 4: Cook the Custard
Return the saucepan to medium-low heat. Stir the custard constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan. Cook until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon and holds a line when you drag your finger across it — this usually takes 8–10 minutes. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Step 5: Chill the Custard
Pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl (this catches any stray cooked egg bits and gives you an ultra-smooth base). Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The custard must be fully cold before churning.
Step 6: Churn and Freeze
Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions — typically 20–25 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container, pressing plastic wrap against the surface before sealing. Freeze for at least 2 hours for a firmer, scoopable texture.
Step 7: Serve
Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping — this makes it much easier to work with. A drizzle of extra sunflower honey over the top right before serving adds a gorgeous finishing touch and deepens the honey flavor in each bite. A few dried lavender buds make a beautiful, optional garnish.
Tips for the Best Results
Don’t rush the chilling step. Warm custard going into an ice cream maker produces icy, grainy results. Give it the full 4 hours minimum — overnight is even better.
Taste your lavender early. Every batch of dried culinary lavender varies in potency. Start tasting the steeped cream around 20 minutes and pull it when it smells like a lavender field, not a soap shop.
Use the highest-fat dairy you can find. Fat is what gives homemade ice cream its smooth, creamy scoop. Whole milk and heavy cream are non-negotiable here.
Sunflower honey crystallizes? No problem. Set the jar in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10–15 minutes and stir gently. It will return to a pourable consistency without any heat damage to the honey.
Serving Ideas and Pairings
This honey lavender ice cream is stunning on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with other flavors, too. A slice of our Lemon Lavender Honey Cake alongside a scoop makes for a showstopping dessert plate. Or try it as a sophisticated float with sparkling lemonade for a summer party treat. The floral notes also play beautifully with fresh stone fruit — peaches, especially. Speaking of peaches, if you’re looking for another sunflower honey recipe that leans into that stone-fruit sweetness, our Honey Peach Smoothie is a warm-weather favorite.
Make It Your Own
Add lemon zest. A teaspoon of fresh lemon zest stirred into the custard before chilling brightens the whole flavor profile beautifully.
Swirl in more honey. After churning, fold in an extra tablespoon or two of sunflower honey before the final freeze. It creates pockets of intense honey flavor throughout.
Try a honey roasted topping. Once this recipe’s companion page is live, our Honey Roasted Sunflower Seeds will make an incredible crunchy topping for this ice cream — the toasty, honeyed crunch against the cold, floral cream is genuinely wonderful.
About Our Ukrainian Sunflower Honey
Our Ukrainian Sunflower Honey is sourced from the sunflower fields of Ukraine — one of the world’s most significant sunflower-growing regions. It’s raw and minimally filtered, meaning it retains its natural character: that mild, lightly floral sweetness that makes it such a versatile kitchen ingredient. Curious about where sunflower honey comes from and how bees collect it? Our post on whether bees like sunflowers covers the whole story.
Honey Lavender Ice Cream FAQs
Can I make this without an ice cream maker?
You can, though the texture won’t be quite as smooth. Pour the chilled custard into a shallow, freezer-safe container and freeze. Every 30–45 minutes for the first 3–4 hours, stir vigorously with a fork or hand mixer to break up ice crystals. The result will be closer to a semifreddo in texture — still delicious, just a bit icier.
Can I use fresh lavender instead of dried?
Yes. Use about 3 tablespoons of fresh lavender buds (flowers only, stems removed) in place of the 2 tablespoons of dried. Fresh lavender has a higher moisture content, so you’ll use a bit more by volume. Taste at 15 minutes, as fresh lavender can steep faster.
How long does this ice cream keep?
Stored in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed against the surface, it keeps well in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. After that, ice crystals can start to form on the surface, though the flavor stays good for longer.
Can I substitute a different honey?
You can, though we’d recommend staying with a mild, light-colored honey so it doesn’t overpower the lavender. Our Sunflower Honey is ideal — its buttery, lightly floral character genuinely elevates this recipe beyond what a generic grocery-store honey achieves. Learn more about what makes it special here.
Is culinary lavender the same as regular lavender?
Not exactly. Culinary lavender is typically Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) grown specifically for food use, without pesticides, and often dried at lower temperatures to preserve flavor. Decorative or craft lavender may be treated with chemicals not meant for consumption. Always look for “culinary grade” or “food safe” on the label.
