Making Seeded Honey

Seeded Honey is not a common product, even in beekeeper pantries, but it should be. It could not be any simpler to make and the product is one of the few items where adding items to honey changes its character – and in a good way. The final product changes texture, and becomes thick and fudgy, with texture and pops of flavor from the add-ins that sever to enhance the honey in a most pleasurable way.

Add-Ins

What you add can be quite flexible and tailored to your liking. We have suggested some common mix-ins below but feel free to change or expand what you mix in – it is quite flexible. See the notes after the recipe for some suggestions.

Recipe

Ingredients

2/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds (14 grams)
3 teaspoons chia seeds (10 grams)
3 teaspoons flax seeds (8.2 grams)
2 teaspoons poppy seeds (6 grams)
2 teaspoons white sesame seeds (5 grams)

Directions

Simply add the ingredients to a container and pour over the honey
Stir with a chopstick until everything is well blended

There is no need for refrigeration (adhere to dry ingredient add ins as remarked below*)

Some Comments About Making Seeded Honey

Other Add-Ins

One could consider the recipe above as a base, and it is very adaptable. If you happen to dislike any of the mix-ins, you can certainly change out for something else.

*In addition to the seeds, you could consider some other flavor additions. One thing to keep in mind is that the items you choose should have a dry profile. To say that another way, do not pick items that contribute moisture to the recipe as that can cause spoilage in the long term.

Stick with dry spice add ins, nuts, and other seed options that will not impart any moisture while mixed in to the honey.

Seed Choices: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and other variations are quite suitable.
Nuts: Chopped pecans, almonds, macadamia nuts, and more.
Spices: Crushed cardamon, cinnamon, coriander, fenugreek are some other additions that work well.

The base recipe tastes like honey with hints of flavor from the base elements added. When choosing any other add-ins, note that they may impart different flavor profiles to the honey itself. If you add cardamon and coriander, you might notice some licorice notes being imparted in the honey.

Use Fresh

Whatever you add, do your best to source fresh ingredients. Seeds, spices and mix-ins have a shelf life. If you use fresh variations of the base ingredients, the recipe will last quite a bit in the pantry. Seeds, such as sunflower seeds, may expire at a faster rate and you may wish to keep track of what you added and how long you have for consuming it before the flavors of the mix-ins begin to degrade.

Texture and Use

Texture: One interesting note about this product is that when you mix in the seeds, the texture of the honey changes. Something about the small items held in suspension when mixed in makes the honey fudgy and thicker in texture when using.

Separation: It should be expected that if it is left to sit unused for a period of time, the mix-ins will settle to the bottom of the container. To reconstitute it, simply stir it well with a chopstick (this is the right tool for the job based on our experience)

Use: Once you try it, you will want to use it over and over again. It is amazing when combined with Peanut Butter in lieu of Jelly in a PB&J. Spread it on toast, pour it over pancakes or waffles… you can even spoon some over vanilla ice cream. Once you understand how good it is, you will look for opportunities to use it.

Seeded honey has been produced for centuries. Seemingly more common in European nations, you might find it on a breakfast bar in a hotel overseas, but one rarely sees it in the US commercial marketplace. The closest analog that you might encounter is nuts in honey; walnuts covered in honey is a somewhat known product that you can find for sale, especially in specialty markets and boutique stores.

Seeded honey, it is something different and quite enjoyable. We encourage you to take the time to source the ingredients and make some for your pantry. It is a most enjoyable product that we beekeepers should promote because the general public is really missing out. Enjoy