The Sweetener Swap You Should Make For Holiday Cocktails

Whether you're shaking up a drink to sip solo or whipping up batch cocktails for the holidays, you may want to swap out your typical simple sugar for a more flavorful sweetener. Claire Marin, the owner and head distiller at Catskill Provisions Distillery, makers of Pollinator Spirits, suggests switching it up with honey. "Honey is a wonderful way of making drinks more flavorful and special year round," she says. "But for holiday time it serves as a rich sweetener which works perfectly with cinnamon, cloves, orange peel, or nutmeg."

Depending on what type you purchase, honey can bring a whole lot more to the table than just sweetness. Sure, you can easily reach for a standard jar or squeeze bottle at a local grocery store, but you can really take your drinks to the next level if you explore a little further. Some varieties are floral or woodsy while others have notes of caramel, citrus, or nuts. You may also find versions that have herbal undertones or a touch of minerality. Any of these can add a layer of complex flavor to your festive beverages.

When you're buying honey, there are a few things to look for on the label to make sure you're getting the best quality. Keep your eyes out for raw and unfiltered honey which is likely to be the most pure and have a better flavor than its pasteurized counterparts. Also, look to local makers who are likely to have a superior product than large corporations.

If you're serving up a steamy mug of spirit-laced goodness, you can simply drizzle the honey right in. However, chilled cocktails will require making a honey-based simple syrup so that it mixes easily with your other ingredients. Just combine equal parts honey and water, warm the mixture on the stovetop, and stir it until the honey completely dissolves. Be sure to taste it to ensure that it's sweet enough before you let it cool. The syrup will last a couple of weeks in the fridge when stored in a jar or airtight container, making the few minutes you'll need to spend in front of the stove completely worth it.

For even more seasonal flavor, consider swapping out the water in the syrup. You can use nearly any juice or other liquid that you like to drink, from apple cider or orange juice to cranberry juice or brewed tea. Honey simple syrup is also a great base that you can jazz up with a variety of other ingredients. Bundle warm spices like cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and cloves in a cheesecloth and let them simmer in the honey and water until you achieve the flavor that you're looking for. Or, introduce herbal flavor with sprigs of rosemary or other fresh herbs that you can easily remove once the honey has dissolved. Finally, if you've been trying to eliminate waste by hanging on to citrus peels, now is their time to shine, adding bright flavor to this rich syrup.