Bee’s Knees Gin Cocktail With Lemon and Honey

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Fresh lemon brings bright acidity that balances the honey without making the drink overly sweet.
• A quick honey syrup blends smoothly into the cold cocktail and adds a silky texture.
• Botanical gin and fragrant honey create layers of floral, citrusy flavor with only three main ingredients.
• It is elegant enough for entertaining but simple enough to make at home in about 15 minutes.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 medium fresh lemon
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Mild floral honey, filtered water, London dry gin, and ice cubes

Full Ingredients

For the Honey Syrup

• 2 tablespoons filtered water
• 2 tablespoons mild floral honey, such as orange blossom, clover, or wildflower honey

For the Cocktail

• 2 ounces London dry gin
• 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained to remove seeds and excess pulp
• 3/4 ounce prepared honey syrup
• 1 cup firm ice cubes, for shaking

For the Garnish

• 1 strip lemon peel, approximately 3 inches long and 1 inch wide

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Chill the serving glass

Place a coupe or Nick and Nora glass in a 0°F freezer for 10 minutes. A thoroughly chilled glass helps the finished cocktail remain crisp and cold without adding extra ice, which would continue to dilute the drink.

Step 2: Make the honey syrup

Place 2 tablespoons filtered water in a very small saucepan and warm it over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F. Do not let the water boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add 2 tablespoons honey, and whisk for about 30 seconds, until completely dissolved and smooth. Gentle heat preserves more of the honey’s delicate floral aroma than boiling.

Step 3: Cool the syrup

Pour the honey syrup into a small heat-safe bowl or jar. Set the container in a shallow ice bath and stir for 1 minute, then let it stand for 4 additional minutes. The syrup should be cool or at room temperature before it is mixed with the gin. This batch makes approximately 2 ounces, so there will be a little syrup left for another cocktail.

Step 4: Measure the cocktail

Pour 2 ounces gin, 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 3/4 ounce cooled honey syrup into a cocktail shaker. Measure carefully because the balance between tart lemon and sweet honey is what gives a Bee’s Knees its clean, harmonious flavor.

Step 5: Shake until properly chilled

Add 1 cup firm ice cubes to the shaker. Seal tightly and shake vigorously for 15 seconds, moving the shaker over your shoulder in a strong back-and-forth motion. The outside of the shaker should feel frosty. Shaking chills, aerates, and slightly dilutes the mixture, producing the cocktail’s smooth, silky body.

Step 6: Strain and garnish

Remove the chilled glass from the freezer. Double-strain the cocktail through the shaker’s strainer and a fine-mesh strainer into the glass to catch small ice chips and lemon pulp. Hold the lemon peel over the surface with the yellow side facing down, gently twist it to express the fragrant citrus oils, and rub the peel around the rim. Curl the peel and place it on the edge of the glass. Serve immediately, ideally while the cocktail is approximately 38°F to 42°F.

Pro Tips

• Choose a balanced gin: A classic London dry gin gives the drink a crisp juniper backbone, while a softer botanical gin creates a more floral cocktail.
• Use fresh lemon juice: Bottled juice tends to taste flat or harsh and will not provide the same bright citrus aroma.
• Avoid very dark honey: Strong buckwheat or molasses-like honey can overpower the gin. Clover, orange blossom, acacia, and mild wildflower honey work especially well.
• Cool the syrup before shaking: Warm syrup melts the ice too quickly and may leave the cocktail watery rather than silky.
• Use firm, fresh ice: Large, solid cubes chill the drink efficiently and create controlled dilution. Frosty or partially melted freezer ice can add unwanted flavors and excess water.

Variations

• Lavender Bee’s Knees: Add 1/4 teaspoon culinary lavender to the warm honey syrup, steep for exactly 5 minutes, and strain before cooling.
• Rosemary Bee’s Knees: Shake the cocktail with one 2-inch rosemary sprig, then double-strain and garnish with a fresh rosemary tip.
• Sparkling Bee’s Knees: Prepare the cocktail as written, strain it into a chilled 6-ounce coupe, and top with 1 ounce chilled brut sparkling wine.

Storage & Make-Ahead

The finished cocktail is best served immediately and should not be stored after it has been shaken with ice. Refrigerate leftover honey syrup in a clean, airtight jar at 40°F or colder for up to 2 weeks; shake or stir before using. The syrup may also be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed overnight in the refrigerator. Fresh lemon juice can be squeezed, strained, and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 24 hours. For advance preparation, combine the measured gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup without ice and refrigerate at 40°F or colder for up to 4 hours, then shake with fresh ice just before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 184 kcal | Carbs: 14g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 13g | Sodium: 1mg | Cholesterol: 0mg