Honey Drops & Pops
No cough required!
These homemade honey drops are a simple, soothing treat made with real honey, perfect for stirring into tea, easing a scratchy throat, or enjoying anytime you want something sweet. While honey drops are often used during coughs or colds, they don’t need a reason to be enjoyed. Smooth, comforting, and easy to make, they’re just as lovely on a cozy afternoon as they are during cold season.
Ingredients explained:
Granulated sugar - Gives structure and sweetness.
Honey - Gives that signature honey flavor. Use whatever honey you enjoy eating. The darker your honey is, the darker your candy will be.
Water - Helps to melt the sugar.
Lemon juice or vinegar - Helps to prevent crystallization and also helps to balance the sweetness.
Salt - Balance the sweetness and make flavours pop!
Cinnamon/ ground ginger - Totally optional, use to your preference. I like cinnamon. Use 1/2 tsp if you want just a faint flavour, use 1 tsp if you want a more bold flavour.
Tools required:
Medium sized heavy bottomed saucepan. It is important to have a good quality saucepan for this since honey has a tendency to burn. Check out this post all about pans for candy making.
Wooden or silicone spoon - Don’t use metal as metal transfers heat!
Candy thermometer - This is optional, but it is so much easier to use a thermometer than not, I swear! Check out my post on calibrating a thermometer, to get yourself set up for success.
Optional: 2 cup liquid measuring cup - If you want a little more control over your candy pouring, use a liquid measuring cup.
Molds or silicone mat - Use whatever molds you want! Alternatively, if you don’t have a mold, you can pour the candy out on a silicone mat in drops.
The recipe
Honey Drops & Pops
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
optional: 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon or ground ginger
confectioner’s / icing sugar for dusting
Directions
Prep for making hard candy. Place your molds out on your workspace and make sure they are clean and dry. If you are making lollipops then place the lollipop sticks in the mold or put out some silicone mats for when the candy is ready. Place a piece of tin foil beside the stove to place your dirty thermometer on.
In a medium pot combine sugar, honey, water, lemon juice, salt and cinnamon or ginger. Stir until the sugar is melted and it starts to boil (about 5 minutes) (first picture below)
Stop stirring and increase the heat to med/high and clip on the thermometer to the side of the pot. It will grow in size as it starts to boil, but it will eventually drop back down as the water boils off (below middle picture). After about 6-8 minutes, pull off the heat around 290F. If you are not using a thermometer, wait for at least 5 minutes after it starts to boil and then pull off the heat when the mixture turns golden.
Pour the candy into the molds and let set (pictured below right). If your pot is rather large and there is no spout to make pouring easy, it may be easier to pour the candy first into a glass 2 cup measuring cup and then pour into molds. If you don’t have a mold, pour the candy out onto a silicone mat in little drops (or in one big drop and then break it up once it sets, up to you).
Let the candy set (about 10 minutes) then either wrap individually, or dust with icing sugar and store in a tightly sealed container.
Makes approximately 24 lollipops. These will keep either wrapped or in an air tight container for at least 6 months in a cool, dry place.
Looking for more candy recipes that use honey? Try these!
Hey, I’m Kim!
After a lot of practice (and a few sticky disasters), I’ve crafted a delicious selection of lollies and mastered a ton of candy making tips to share with you—lump free. (You’re welcome.)
