Vegan Honey (Bee-Free!)

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This vegan honey is oh so good and tastes just like the real thing! Naturally sweetened with whole apples and raw sugar, this really is the best bee-free vegan honey recipe out there. It’s perfect for adding to all types of foods, from a cup of tea to other hot drinks and any food in which you’d typically use regular honey!

A perfect honey substitute for vegans, this easy vegan honey recipe is a simple way to sweeten all your favorite treats and drinks! Made with only four ingredients, this syrup looks, tastes, and smells just like actual honey – it will almost fool you!

If you’re looking for vegan honey alternatives but don’t want to use agave nectar or white sugar, then this recipe is just for you. It’s such a great substitute and has the most amazing honey flavor. 

This thick syrup is just the right consistency, similar to real honey, but it’s made with apples and raw sugar instead. A gluten-free and nice vegan honey substitute for other sweeteners, this easy bee-free honey recipe can also be turned into a sugar-free option, too. It’s perfect for salad dressings, sauces, sandwiches, and so much more, you will love this liquid sweetener!

Apple honey is light and refreshing and paired with a little bit of tartness. Crisp and sweet, this natural sweetener is the real deal and one of my favorite recipes because it’s just so enjoyable and fun to make! 

Did you even know you could turn apples into honey? You’re going to adore this vegan honey alternative!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Vegan: This honey is totally plant-based! There are no animal byproducts in this vegan honey replacement – it’s the perfect option for you if you’re looking for a good honey substitute that is 100% free of all bee products.
• Simple: In just a few simple steps, you will have this sweet nectar ready in no time! This recipe is seriously so effortless and even easier with the food processor – plus, all of the ingredients are readily available in grocery stores.
• Yummy: Tasty and perfect for sweetening all types of things, this is a great recipe to create the same sweet, silky flavors and textures regular honey has, but keeps things vegan friendly.

🥘 Ingredients

This plant-based honey recipe calls for simple ingredients that can easily be found at your local grocery store. Many of these you may already have at home since they are basic pantry staples.

• Apples: Red apples are the base of this recipe! Make sure you keep the peels on the apples.
• Sugar: You will need a cup of raw sugar for this recipe. For more variations on granulated sugar, scroll down to the bottom of the post!
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Just a small amount of apple cider vinegar is needed for this recipe! You can find ACV at your local market or online.
• Water: A little water will be used for this homemade honey that is vegan. You don’t need a large amount of liquid as you want this sweet syrup to have a thick consistency. I like to use purified water for my recipes.

🍯 Ingredient Substitutions

• Sugar: Instead of using raw granulated sugar, you can use coconut sugar, brown sugar, or possibly even try date paste. We have not tested date paste, but if you try it, let us know how it goes! No matter what sweetener you use, this recipe will totally satisfy your sweet tooth!
• Apples: Any kind of apple will work for this recipe! The sweeter the apples, the better so while tart apples like Granny Smith technically can work, this recipe will taste better with Red Delicious, Fuji Apples or another sweet variety.

🔪 How To Make Vegan Honey

It’s so easy to make your own vegan honey at home thanks to this simple recipe! For more detailed instructions and nutrition facts, see the recipe card below.

Chop Apples: First, cube the apples and remove the seeds. Keep the peels.

Blend In Food Processor: Next, place the apples into a food processor with water and blend until puréed.

Squeeze The Pulp: Place the apple puree into a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and separate the juice from the pulp. Squeeze the liquid into a saucepan.

Thicken Honey And Stir: Next, add sugar, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice to the saucepan. Bring to a low boil and steam at a low to medium-low heat until the sugar syrup starts to thicken to your desired consistency, then stir. After two to three minutes, remove it from the stove.

Cool: Be careful not to overcook the honey, or it will become like candy. Allow the vegan apple honey to cool in the saucepan at room temperature.

Store: Once cooled, the final product will taste just like honey and will have the same consistency too! Transfer it to a glass jar or airtight container with a lid to store.

💭 Expert Tips

• Store well: Keep this plant-based honey at room temperature for a light and spreadable consistency.
• Use a clear, airtight jar to store the honey: It will keep at room temperature for a few months thanks to its high sugar content!
• Watch the temperature: Avoid high heat as it can overcook the honey.
• Thicken: If you prefer thicker honey, then place this vegan apple honey in the refrigerator, but it’s not necessary to store it in the fridge.

📖 Variations

This is absolutely the best vegan honey as is, but there are lots of ways to change up this sweet treat! Here are some of our favorite variations:

• Enhance Flavors: You can soak any flower heads that are in full bloom, such as dandelions, to make vegan dandelion honey or dandelion syrup! Another idea is to infuse chamomile tea into your bee free honey or even add fresh lemon juice.
• Organic Apple Juice: Feel free to use organic pressed apple juice instead of making your own from whole apples.
• Vegan Hot Honey: Add some hot sauce or other spicy ingredients to make a spicy version of this vegan substitute for honey.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Homemade vegan honey is great in coffee, teas and other treats but you can serve it with so many things! 

• Desserts: Drizzle this sweetness over a vegan apple crisp, healthy pumpkin pie, or even vegan carrot cake.
• Drinks: Add this honey to your favorite beverages, from a honey latte to this Bahama mama tropical smoothie to a lavender latte.

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

This recipe for a vegan alternative to honey is perfect for anyone with dietary restrictions. There are no allergens, and it’s an easy recipe to make that fits well into diets that are dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free.

To Make This Recipe Sugar Free: You’ll have to use a sugar substitute like a powdered monk fruit blend, to make this recipe sugar free.

🫙 Storage Directions

Store In The Fridge Or Room Temperature: Bee free honey is best kept in a glass jar (like a mason jar) or other airtight container for up to 3 months. It will keep just fine at room temperature, but you can also store it in the fridge for a thicker honey.

❓Recipe FAQs

🍲 More Vegan Recipes!

• Vegan BBQ Sauce
• Chocolate Almond Milk Pudding
• Vegan Lentil Meatloaf
• Vegan Lactation Cookies
• Vegan S’mores
• Jalapeno Simple Syrup
• Beginner Vegan Recipes
• Vegan Dinner Recipes
• Vegan Mushroom Recipes

📋 Recipe Card