Homemade Garlic Infused Honey Recipe

Learn how to easily make your own homemade garlic infused honey! This simple DIY recipe is a natural way to help your family stay well during cold and flu season, and it only takes two ingredients, but you can always add in more (I did this time)!

Garlic infused honey is a natural remedy packed with antibacterial and immune-boosting properties. It’s easy to make, and over time the honey actually ferments the garlic, mellowing the flavor while creating a potent, long-lasting infusion you can keep on hand all winter.

I love making this simple yet powerful recipe for our family, especially during the colder months. I was so amazed by how much it helps that I had to share exactly how I make it.

It is one of my favorite DIY herbal remedies for cold season, along with my homemade immune boosting tea. Here is how to make this fermented garlic honey recipe.

Why Make Garlic-Infused Honey?

Combining garlic and honey creates a powerful natural remedy. Here are some of my favorite benefits of garlic honey:

• Antibacterial properties: Both garlic and honey contain compounds that fight bacteria!
  
• Immune support: Garlic is well known for supporting the immune system, which can help the body fend off colds and flu.
  
• Digestive aid: Honey supports digestion, while garlic can stimulate stomach health.
  
• Natural energy booster: Honey provides a natural sugar boost, making this combo a great pick-me-up. We love adding it to our ginger lemon tea for extra help when we are sick 🙂
  
• Fights infections: The antibacterial and antifungal qualities of both garlic and honey work together to help the body combat infections naturally.
  
• Reduces inflammation: Garlic contains antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation.
  
• Soothes sore throats: Honey coats and soothes the throat, while garlic works to help address the underlying irritation. It works so well when paired with this homemade garlic salve rubbed on your throat.

Pin This Post For Later:

Homemade Garlic Infused Honey Recipe

Here is how to easily make your own homemade garlic honey:

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw honey (preferably local honey)
• 2 heads of garlic (approximately 10-12 cloves)
• 1 small glass jar with a tight fitting lid
• Optional: thyme and oregano (I added this time, but most often I only do garlic!)

Instructions

Peel and separate the cloves from the garlic head. They can be left whole or sliced thinly, depending on your preference. The garlic flavor will be milder when sliced.

Make sure the garlic cloves are clean and free of dirt and debris.

Place the peeled garlic cloves in a clean and dry glass jar. Make sure there is room at the top of the jar to expand while they are infused in the honey.

Pour the honey over the garlic cloves in the jar. Make sure that all of the garlic cloves are completely submerged in the honey. Gently tap the jar against the countertop to release the air bubbles in the honey and garlic. 

Close the jar tightly with a lid.

Store the jar in a cool, dark place at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. Honey and garlic should ferment for at least 1-2 weeks, longer for a richer flavor. Check the jar periodically. Every day, open the lid and release excess gas. 

The longer you let your garlic honey infuse, the stronger the garlic flavor becomes, so adjust the time to your taste. Enjoy the complex flavor and potential health benefits of this homemade remedy.

Safety With Fermented Garlic Honey

Before you make this, it’s worth knowing that garlic infused in honey is one of the more debated home ferments out there, so I want to be upfront about it rather than gloss over it.

Garlic can carry the bacteria that causes botulism, and while honey on its own is a poor environment for it to grow in, the spot where the garlic surface meets the honey can hold enough moisture to change that.

Some food safety researchers have flagged this specific combination as an open question, since there isn’t a lot of data showing exactly how safe it is under different conditions.

A few things that lower the risk:

• Keep it in the fridge instead of on the counter. Cold storage slows bacterial growth significantly, and it’s the option most extension food safety sources point to as the lower-risk choice. This is what I do!
  
• Make sure every clove stays fully submerged in honey the entire time it’s infusing. Very important for the fermentation process.
  
• Watch for warning signs: cloudiness, mold, an off smell, or honey that seems unusually thin can all mean something’s off. That said, botulism toxin itself has no smell or taste, so appearance alone isn’t a guarantee of safety, just one more thing to pay attention to.
  
• Never give honey, garlic honey included, to a baby under 1 year old. This is a separate and well-established risk, since a baby’s gut can’t yet handle the bacterial spores that honey may naturally contain.

I’m not a food safety scientist, and I’d rather you make an informed choice than assume this recipe carries zero risk. If you want to be extra cautious, store your jar in the fridge rather than at room temperature.

How to Use Garlic-Infused Honey

Here are some of my favorite ways to use homemade garlic honey:

1. Cold and cough remedy: Take a spoonful at the first sign of a cold. Take daily until you feel better! This is what we do in our teas!
   
2. Boost for tea or smoothies: Stir a bit into herbal tea or a smoothie for added flavor and benefits.
   
3. Daily immune tonic: Take a spoonful daily during flu season to help support your immune system 🙂

How long does garlic infused honey last? Stored in a sealed jar in a cool, dark place, garlic honey can last for several months to a year. Honey’s natural antimicrobial properties help preserve the garlic 🙂

Why did my garlic turn blue or green? This is a normal chemical reaction between compounds in the garlic and can happen during infusion. It’s still safe to eat and won’t affect the flavor!

Why is my jar bubbling? Bubbling means fermentation is happening. This is expected and is part of what mellows the garlic and develops the flavor. Just remember to burp the jar daily.

Can I use pre-minced or jarred garlic? Fresh, whole cloves work best. Pre-minced garlic can introduce more moisture and bacteria, which isn’t ideal for this kind of infusion.

Is garlic honey safe for babies? No. Honey should never be given to children under 1 year old due to the risk of infant botulism.

Final Thoughts

Homemade garlic infused honey is a simple yet powerful remedy that’s easy to incorporate into your daily routine!

It’s inexpensive, only takes two ingredients, and comes together in just a few minutes of hands-on time. Grab some garlic and honey and make your own today!

Let me know if you make it!