Honeysuckle Vodka: A Flower Liqueur
Love the scent of honeysuckle? Try foraging for these edible wildflowers and infuse them into a delicious flower liqueur-- honeysuckle vodka!
Servings: 16 1 oz shots
Calories: 93kcal
Ingredients
Initial Infusion:
- 2 cups honeysuckle flowers, stems + leaves removed From the Japanese honeysuckle plant
- 1 naval orange, organic and unwaxed preffered
- 2 cups unflavored vodka, 80 proof (avoid wheat-based vodka to stay gluten-free)
Simple Syrup: (Added After the Vodka Has Infused)
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
Equipment Needed:
- glass jar with lid (16oz mason jar ideal)
- chopstick or butter-knife to push down flowers
- mesh sieve
Instructions
Infusing Honeysuckle Vodka:
- Clean honeysuckle by dipping flowers in cool water and then laying out on a towel to dry.
- Once flowers have dried, place them in a glass jar, and gently push them down until their aren't large air bubbles-- DO NOT squash the flowers. Some extra space is fine.
- Wash orange in warm water, using a vegetable scrub brush if the orange is waxed. Remove the peel with a vegetable peeler, taking care to only get the orange zest and not the white pith. Add the peel to the top of the jar, above the honeysuckle. Make sure to add the orange peel last-- it will serve as a weight and keep the honeysuckle submerged. (You can eat the orange-- you're not adding it to the jar.)
- Slowly pour the vodka into the jar, using a chopstick to gently push down the flowers and orange peel. Seal the jar with a lid, and set jar aside for 2-3 weeks. The jar doesn't have to be in the dark, but make sure it's out of direct sunlight.
- Once the vodka has finished infusing, pour it through a mesh sieve to remove the flowers and orange peel.
Sweetening Vodka:
- Add sugar and water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Stir to ensure all the sugar has been dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- Once the syrup has cooled, add half of the sugar simple syrup to the vodka. Taste, and see if you want it to be sweeter. Sweeten more if desired.
- Store the vodka out of direct sunlight in an airtight container, and drink it straight or in mixed drinks. Use within one year.
Notes
Yields about 2 cups of vodka.
Troubleshooting: Homemade liqueurs tend to be very shelf-stable because of the alcohol. To make your liqueur last as long as possible, keep it in an airtight container and try to use it within a year. However, if your infused vodka ever develops an odd flavor or scent, or if you see mold in it-- throw it out!
Nutrition
Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Sugar: 6g