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Honey and lemon. What could be wrong with that? I discovered this magical elixir last winter, and then kind of forgot it over the warmer months. But as the chill spread this year, it all came back to me.
The perfect hot drink for a cold winter night. Soothing when you’re beginning to feel under the weather. No caffeine like coffee or tea, so it’s just right for an evening sip.
Of course I’d heard for years about adding a squeeze of fresh lemon or a drizzle of honey to a hot cup of tea. But the idea of just drinking honey lemon water was new to me. Am I behind the game — have you all been doing this for years and no one told me? Well, in any case…it’s one of my favorite things now!
Honey Lemon How-To
You will want to use organic lemons, since the whole lemon is used, peel and all. Even so, give the lemons a good rinse before slicing. And this is definitely a time for using the best honey you can get. Raw. Local. Organic. Any of these descriptors would be great things to look for. But don’t not make this because all you can find is ‘regular’ honey. It will still taste great!
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I like to cut each slice in half or into quarters. That way I can scoop up a big spoonful of it more easily.
Layer the lemon slices into a jar alternating with your honey. It mixes easier that way, rather than trying to pour the honey over the top of a full jar of lemons.
Then stash it in the fridge. Easy peasy. When you want a cuppa, just scoop out some lemons and a couple of spoonfuls of the lemony-honey mixture into a large mug and pour on some hot water from your tea kettle. It really is soothing.
As the jar empties, I will often times top it off with more honey. As it empties further, I’ll add more lemon slices and honey and give it a mix. Can I tell you something with the preface of saying that I am not a food safety expert? I left a half jar of this in my fridge for about 8 months, totally untouched. When I used it, it was still fantastic. The lemon slices had been kind of sugared, preserved almost. Totally yummy!
Honey and Lemon for Health
I did not start drinking this for any health benefits. But since making it, I have been reading a lot of positive things about honey lemon water. Some sites are quite militant about the precise temperature of the water, using honey that is made by gifted bees, and using lemons grown on magic trees. I call B.S. Would doing those things be beneficial? Maybe. But the pretentiousness of that repels me.
If you want to read some general benefits of honey lemon water, you can read here or here. Just remember to take it all with a grain of salt.
Have you tried honey lemon water?
Shirlene Weber says
January 27, 2017 at 8:33 amI am going to put some of this up as soon as I get some lemon’s! What a great idea. I used to drink lemon oil in my water almost every time I had a bottle but then found I was not suppose to put it into a plastic bottle, oops. I have a great canning jar now that I bought a red lid for that has the straw opening so now I need to find the stainless steel or glass straws for water on the go.
I am looking forward to having this on hand. Thank you for sharing.
Susan says
January 29, 2017 at 3:30 pmI add a drop of lemon essential oil to ice water a lot of times, too.
Shirlene Weber says
January 27, 2017 at 3:25 pmI went to WM and bought the organic lemons (last bag there)! I washed two lemons and cut 1.5 lemons to put in my jar of honey that I have from a local stand. There is a lot of juice in the jar now so I turned it upside down in the fridge for now. I look forward to trying this but not for sickness just to try it in a cup of water or tea. 🙂
Susan says
January 29, 2017 at 3:28 pmOooh, I hope you like it as much as I do. Yes, the juice mixing with the honey makes the most lovely combination!
Karen Grosz says
February 3, 2017 at 7:54 amNever thought to do this. I usually just squeeze some lemon in a mug, add some raw honey and pour hot water over it. Definitely yummy, but like the idea of the lemons and honey sitting, waiting and making it more yummy.
Susan says
February 3, 2017 at 10:26 amI think it is more yummy…plus, I like anything that gets the prep-work out of the way. Thanks for stopping by!
Patrick says
February 3, 2017 at 9:49 amThis looks and sounds pretty good…and I know about some of the benefits of pure lemons.
I like the idea that you can make this and then keep adding to it. I rarely try anything I see online,but this time,count me in. It looks great!
Susan says
February 3, 2017 at 10:24 amWow, Patrick, I feel sort of honored. 🙂 I do hope you try it and like it as much as I do!
Kate says
February 4, 2017 at 8:15 pmHi Susan, you had me at “I left a half jar in my fridge for 8 months”. And then you ate it! For that act of bravery, I’m featuring you at To Grandmas House We Go link party this Wednesday 🙂 Also, as I’m recovering from a head cold at the moment, I’ve whipped up a jar of your honey lemon to try. I’ll let you know how it goes ?
Susan says
February 4, 2017 at 8:52 pmHahahaha! I did check the look and smell before I tasted it. I am thrilled to be featured, and will be sure to share the link-up. Thanks, and I hope you feel better soon…it’s that time of year.
Kate says
February 6, 2017 at 3:46 pmUpdate: we’ve stopped drinking it as tea and started eating it straight from the jar. I tend to spit the peel out after gnawing on it for a while, but my daughter eats them peel and all!
Susan says
February 6, 2017 at 5:40 pmFantastic! I chew on the lemon pieces when I get to the bottom of the cup, too.
Chrissy says
February 4, 2017 at 8:26 pmI love both honey and lemons! I can’t wait to try this recipe out at home. 🙂
Shorikka says
February 5, 2017 at 11:37 amI love lemon. I use it on my face