Skip to content
Want to know which foods pair perfectly with honey? In this honey pairing guide, you’ll learn how to enhance dishes from sweet to savory. Discover the top 10 pairings like cheese, fruit, teas, and more.
You can make delicious honey glaze for any kind of meat. Our Wildflower Honey works amazing with Honey-Glazed Chicken.
Sweet and savory tips on pairing honey
-
Pairing honey with different foods balances flavors for the best experience — think sweet, savory, and everything in between.
-
Cheese and honey are a classic combo, with milder cheeses pairing well with lighter honey and more pungent cheeses with bolder flavors.
-
Honey isn’t just for sweets; it can enhance savory dishes, marinades, and dressings, adding depth and a unique flavor profile to your meals.
Looking for different ways to eat figs? We have tons of fig recipes with honey for you to try.
The Art of Pairing Honey
Pairing honey with different foods is an art form, much like pairing wine with a fine meal. It starts with understanding basic flavor profiles such as sweet, sour, salty, bitter, herbal, and floral. Each honey varietal offers a distinct flavor profile, enriching the pairing experience. Aromas also enhance compatibility; foods with similar aromatic compounds often complement each other.
Balancing flavors is key. Pairing a strong, spicy honey with a delicate cheese would result in the honey overpowering the cheese. Aim for a harmonious blend where each ingredient enhances the other, yielding complex and pleasing flavors. Try small portions to discover the best combinations without wasting ingredients.
Honey enhances a variety of foods, from cheeses and nuts to fruits and baked goods. With some creativity, delightful pairings can be uncovered, making the most of honey’s natural sweetness in your culinary adventures as a honey connoisseur.
The sweet and light taste of our Blueberry Blossom Honey compliments a variety of cheeses
Cheese and Honey: A Match Made in Heaven
Cheese and honey form a perfect culinary match, elevating flavors and textures with an irresistible balance. Popular cheese varieties that pair well with honey include Brie, blue cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, goat cheese, and softer cheeses like ricotta and cream cheese. The natural sweetness of honey contrasts beautifully with the savory notes of these cheeses, making it a perfect match.
When pairing cheese with honey, start with lighter flavors and gradually move to darker, more robust ones. This ensures the delicate flavors aren’t overshadowed. For example, a mild, creamy Brie pairs wonderfully with light, floral honey, while a strong blue cheese can handle a more intense, spicy honey.
Adding nuts can create exciting pairings. Think roasted nuts with honey over a slice of goat cheese—a symphony of textures and flavors that leaves you craving more. So, next time you’re putting together a cheese board, don’t forget to add honey for that extra touch of magic.
To easily incorporate honey pairings into your everyday life, you must check out our 11 Best Snacks with Honey
Nuts & Honey: Crunchy Meets Sweet
Nuts and honey create a sweet, satisfying snack. The crunchiness of nuts paired with the smooth sweetness of honey makes for a delightful treat. Roasted almonds and walnuts are particularly popular choices. You can even bake them with a drizzle of honey to enhance their flavors further.
Adding a spice blend to honey-coated nuts creates a satisfying, sweet, and savory snack. The spices, whether a bit of cinnamon or a hint of cayenne, blend beautifully with the honey. This spicy nut mix enhances cheese boards, adding texture and flavor.
Nuts and honey are a common pairing in various recipes, from granola bars to gourmet salads. The versatility of nuts and honey allows you to get creative, trying different varietals to find your perfect match. So, grab some nuts and a little honey next time you’re looking for a delicious and healthy snack.
Fruit and Honey: A Sweet Symphony
Fruits and honey offer a delightful balance of sweetness and acidity. Due to their varying acidity levels, fruits like strawberries, blueberries, apples, pears, and citrus harmonize well with honey. Slice a crisp apple and drizzle honey on top for a sweet snack full of fiber and nostalgia.
Citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons add a refreshing acidity that complements honey’s sweetness. Bake apples filled with honey, butter, and dried berries, topped with a cinnamon stick, for a simple yet elegant dessert. Serve it with heavy cream for a truly indulgent sweet treat.
A favorite combination is figs with cheese and honey. Top a crostini with fresh figs, goat cheese, and a drizzle of our Spring honey for a sophisticated appetizer. The possibilities are endless, so don’t be afraid to get creative and explore new fruit and honey pairings.
Our extensive tea collection contains flavors and blends for every occasion
Tea and Honey: A Warm Embrace
Adding honey to tea offers a comforting experience, elevating the unique flavors of your favorite tea. For instance, our Good Night Tea, including chamomile, is best complemented by mild honey varieties like Alfalfa or Blueberry honey. The mild sweetness enhances the tea’s soothing properties, perfect for a relaxing evening.
Milder green teas pair well with floral honey like Spring Honey or Sweet Clover, highlighting their delicate flavors. Orange blossom honey emphasizes its citrus notes for robust teas like Earl Grey, infused with bergamot oil. Our Raven Tea, predominantly Earl Grey, pairs beautifully with this varietal.
Seasonal pairings add a festive touch to tea time. For fall, try our Cider and Spice Flavored Tea blend with Cranberry honey for a cozy experience. Whether summer or winter, a perfect honey and tea pairing suits every season and mood.
If you're new to baking with honey, try out our Healthy Coffee Cake recipe!
Coffee and Honey: A Natural Sweetener
Honey as a coffee sweetener enhances its rich flavor profile and offers health benefits. With a lower glycemic index than refined sugars, honey may lead to lower blood sugar spikes and is a healthier alternative to artificial sweeteners.
Try adding Coffee Honey to your morning brew. This honey variety complements the bold flavors of coffee, adding natural sweetness without overpowering the taste. Add honey to hot coffee, as it doesn’t dissolve easily in cold liquids.
Whether you prefer a strong espresso or a smooth latte, honey can enhance your coffee experience. Next time, consider adding honey instead of sugar. It’s a simple change that can make a world of difference in both flavor and health benefits.
Root Vegetables and Honey: Earthy and Sweet
Honey adds balanced sweetness to roasted root vegetables. Picture the golden color and slight crunch of honey mustard roasted carrots, parsnips, or sweet potatoes made with raw honey. Root vegetables like parsnips, celery root, and rutabaga pair well with honey, creating a delicious, earthy side dish. A touch of honey elevates everyday vegetables, making them more appealing, especially to kids. Honey-glazed carrots, for example, offer a sweet and savory flavor that’s hard to resist.
For a delightful twist, try coating your root veggies with honey and your favorite spice blend before roasting. This enhances the flavor and makes the dish more visually appealing. Whether serving them as a side dish or a main course, honey-glazed root vegetables will surely be a hit at your table.
Honey Butter: A Delightful Spread
Honey butter is a simple, delightful spread that can elevate any meal. Combining honey and soft butter creates a creamy, sweet treat loved by all ages. Let honey butter sit at room temperature for a few hours, then whip it with honey. It’s incredibly simple to make, though it seems labor-intensive.
This delicious spread can be used on Southern cornbread, biscuits, popovers, crusty toast, bagels, and croissants. The natural sweetness of honey butter enhances the flavor of baked goods, making them even more irresistible. Add cocoa, pumpkin spice, or dried berries to your honey butter for a seasonal twist.
Honey butter makes a fantastic gift. Package it in a cute jar for a homemade treat that’s sure to impress. Whether enjoying it at home or sharing it with friends, honey butter is a delightful addition to any meal.
Honey in Baked Goods
Baking with honey adds unique flavor and texture to desserts. Muffins, cookies, and similar baked goods benefit from honey’s natural sweetness. Honey is a humectant, retaining moisture in baked items like cakes and cookies, resulting in a softer texture. This keeps baked treats fresher for longer.
Different honey types influence the flavor profile of baked goods. For example, Spring, Blueberry, or Bamboo honey each bring unique tastes, with Bamboo honey offering a more pronounced flavor. When substituting honey for sugar in recipes, reduce the overall liquid content to maintain consistency. With its higher sweetness level, honey can be used in smaller quantities than sugar, often requiring a 25% reduction.
Baked goods with honey tend to brown faster, so lower the baking temperature by 5-10°C to prevent overbaking. With these tips, you can create delicious, flavorful, and moist baked treats. Next time you are in the kitchen, try swapping sugar with honey in your baking recipes.
Savory Dishes Enhanced by Honey
Honey isn’t just for sweet treats; it also enhances the flavor of savory dishes. Honey in one-pot dishes, casseroles, chili, sauces, and dressings provides a depth of flavor that other sweeteners may lack. Honey in marinades tenderizes the meat and adds distinct flavor during cooking, like the unique caramelized taste in barbecue sauce.
Pair honey and soy sauce for a delicious fish glaze. Add sea salt, black pepper, and Dijon mustard for a flavorful glaze perfect for any fish dish. Lemon, salt, pepper, olive oil, and spicy mustard pair beautifully with honey to create tangy and sweet dressings.
Honey creates a brown, crispy coating on whole roasted chicken, making it a dinner table showstopper. Combining honey with herbs like rosemary and sage enhances the taste of roasted vegetables. Honey’s versatility in savory dishes is remarkable, offering endless culinary possibilities.
From cheese to root vegetables, honey’s natural sweetness can elevate various foods, creating delightful and complex flavor combinations.
The possibilities are endless, whether you’re exploring new pairings with cheese, nuts, or fruits or enhancing your tea and coffee with a touch of honey. Honey can even transform savory dishes and baked goods, adding a unique and delicious twist.
Experimenting with different honey varietals and pairings can open up a world of culinary delights. Don’t be afraid to get creative and try new combinations; you never know what delicious discovery awaits. The key is to balance flavors and let the natural sweetness of honey shine through.
Honey is a versatile and delightful ingredient that can enhance any meal. So grab a jar of your favorite honey and start experimenting. Your taste buds will thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some good cheese and honey pairings?
Brie pairs awesome with light floral honey; blue cheese is great with spicy honey. Don't forget goat cheese with roasted almonds and honey for a delicious combo!
Can I use honey in coffee?
Honey is great in coffee! Just remember to add it to hot coffee for better mixing.
How do I make honey butter?
Making honey butter is super easy—just mix softened butter with honey until smooth. If you’re feeling adventurous, add some fun flavors like cocoa or pumpkin spice!
What fruits pair well with honey?
Fruits like strawberries, blueberries, apples, pears, and citrus fruits are perfect with honey, creating a tasty mix of sweet and tangy flavors. Give them a try for a delicious treat!
How can I use honey in savory dishes?
Honey can totally amp up savory dishes by being used in casseroles, sauces, and dressings. It adds a sweet twist and a nice caramelized touch, especially in barbecue sauces and on roasted meats!
