Honey in hot drinks: how to use it in tea and milk without losing the flavour

With the first chilly evenings comes the habit of warming your hands around a mug. A lemon balm tea, a glass of warm milk, a ginger and lemon infusion. And almost every time the same question comes up at home: do I add the honey now, or wait a little? The answer is simple, but it makes a real difference to the flavour and to how much you get out of a good honey.

Why temperature matters

Honey is much more than sugar. It contains small amounts of enzymes, aromatic compounds and substances that come from the flowers the bees worked on. Many of these are sensitive to heat. When you stir a spoonful of honey into boiling water, part of the aroma is lost almost straight away and the taste turns flatter, closer to any ordinary sweetener.

You don’t need a thermometer in the kitchen. The rule of thumb is this: let the drink cool for two or three minutes after boiling. If you can take a small sip without burning yourself, it’s the right moment to add the honey. It dissolves well and keeps the character of the flower it came from.

Which honey goes with which drink

Every Portuguese honey has its own personality, and it’s worth playing with that rather than always reaching for the same jar.

• Green teas and floral infusions: call for a gentle honey that won’t mask the aroma. Rosemary Honey is a good choice, light and delicate.
• Black tea and spiced tea: can handle a darker honey. Heather Honey adds depth and a slightly resinous finish that works beautifully with cinnamon.
• Warm milk: the grandmothers’ classic. A wildflower honey such as Alentejo Honey or Serra da Lousã Honey always works.
• Ginger and lemon infusion: this is where Chestnut Honey surprises. It’s intense and a little bitter, and it balances the sharpness of the lemon.

If you’d like to get to know these varieties better, we have an article dedicated to chestnut honey and its uses in the kitchen.

Three simple drinks for autumn

Warm milk with honey and cinnamon

Heat a mug of milk (dairy or plant-based) without letting it boil. Add a pinch of cinnamon and stir. Once it’s at a pleasant temperature, add a teaspoon of honey. The perfect drink to end the day, with no fuss.

Lemon, ginger and honey tea

Simmer water with three or four slices of fresh ginger for five minutes. Turn off the heat, add the juice of half a lemon and wait a moment. Sweeten with a dark honey. Some people like to leave the lemon peel in the mug for extra fragrance.

Lemon balm infusion with rosemary honey

Lemon balm has a fresh, gentle aroma. Steep the leaves for about five minutes, strain and sweeten with a light honey. It’s delicate and ideal after dinner.

How much honey to put in your mug

Honey is sweeter than white sugar, so you usually need less. A level teaspoon is enough for most drinks. Start there and adjust to taste. Remember too that honey is still a calorie-rich food and belongs in a balanced diet, in moderation.

One important point: honey should not be given to babies under 12 months old. For older children, a warm drink with honey at teatime is a simple, comforting treat.

Small mistakes that spoil good honey

• Using a wet spoon: water getting into the jar can encourage fermentation. Always use a dry spoon.
• Keeping the jar next to the cooker: constant heat changes the flavour. A cool, dark cupboard is better.
• Heating honey in the microwave to make it runny: if your honey has crystallised, there are gentler ways to fix it. We cover this in another article on how to choose and store Portuguese honey.

One mug, a different honey every week

An idea that has gone down well with our customers: instead of always buying the same jar, try a different honey each time. After a month you’ll know which one you prefer in tea, which you keep for milk and which goes best with cheese. Small jars make it easy to take this tour of Portugal without filling up the cupboard.

In our shop you’ll find honeys from several regions of Portugal, dispatched within 24 hours, with free shipping across the European Union on orders over €50. And if you don’t have an account yet, signing up is free: in the Members Area you get 10% off your first order, exclusive articles and products, and every order comes with a small free honey.