Sweet Sting

Your guests will be buzzing about this lively tequila-based cocktail made with the refreshing flavor of lemon, the sweetness of honey and the sting of Angostura bitters.

We all know that honeybees play an important role in pollinating fruits and vegetables as well as promoting plant growth in ecosystems around the world. But they also produce nearly 150 million pounds of honey each year in the United States alone.

Americans use honey in every facet of cooking and baking. It can be a sweet, natural substitution for sugar in many recipes, including this one for a Tequila Honeybee. It’s a bright, lemony cocktail topped with a few drops of Angostura bitters to give it that extra sting.

Angostura bitters, a blend of concentrated herbs and spices, are added to drinks like the Old Fashioned and Tequila Honeybee, to give them a warm, spicy flavor. You’ll taste the sharp notes of cloves, cinnamon and citrus after adding just a drop or two.

The honey syrup used in this cocktail balances the tequila and bitters. Much like simple syrup, honey syrup is made by heating a 1:1 ratio of honey and water to make a light syrup that is pourable and can be added easily to drinks.

My husband and I discovered this flavorful cocktail on a quick weekend trip to New York City last summer. It was a nice complement to a delicious meal of grilled red snapper, mushroom risotto and sauteed green beans with almonds. The drink was truly a perfect pairing with grilled fish.

Whether you’re serving seafood, chicken or steak, you’ll want to sweeten the deal by making these Tequila Honeybee cocktails.

Print Recipe

Tequila Honeybee

Your guests will be buzzing about this lively tequila-based cocktail made with the refreshing flavor of lemon, the sweetness of honey and the sting of Angostura bitters.

Course

Drink

Cuisine

cocktail

Keyword

honey, lemon, tequila

Servings

Drinks

Ingredients

• 4 ounces agave tequila
• 2 ounces honey syrup
• 2 ounces lemon juice, fresh-squeezed
• 4 dashes Angostura bitters, 2 per glass
• 2 lemon peels, 1 per glass

Course Drink Cuisine cocktail Keyword honey, lemon, tequila Servings Drinks Ingredients 4 ounces agave tequila 2 ounces honey syrup 2 ounces lemon juice, fresh-squeezed 4 dashes Angostura bitters, 2 per glass 2 lemon peels, 1 per glass

Instructions

For the Honey Syrup

1. Place ½ cup honey and ½ cup water in a small saucepan and heat until smooth and combined. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool completely.

For the Cocktails

1. Add tequila, honey syrup, fresh lemon juice and two cups of crushed ice to a shaker and shake well. Divide mixture between two tall glasses. Add more ice, if needed. Add 2 dashes of bitters and a lemon peel to the top of each glass.