Homemade Vegan Honey for Baking and More!

My homemade vegan honey recipe couldn’t be easier to make and has so many applications. Made using just four simple ingredients — apple juice, sugar, lemon juice, and agave — this plant-based honey is perfectly sweet and flavourful. Use it to sweeten cold or hot beverages, drizzle it over vegan fried chicken or oven-baked tofu, or use it as an ingredient in sauces and baking. Easy to make and ready in 20 minutes!

A culinary gem for the plant-based kitchen, this vegan honey delivers all the golden richness of traditional honey—without the bees. Made from a few simple ingredients, this syrupy sweetener brings layered flavour to everything from artisanal toast to craft cocktails. Its silky texture makes it a standout in marinades, vinaigrettes, and baked goods alike. Read on for some delicious ways to use this versatile recipe.

What can you do with vegan honey?

You can use this vegan honey 1:1 in any recipe that calls for honey. I primarily use it in marinades and sauces like in my sweet and spicy bbq-dijon tofu bites or in my favourite vegan “honey” garlic meatballs! I also love to mix it with hot sauce and drizzle it on top of pizza and garlic fingers.

And yes, definitely use it in mixed drinks, coffee or tea, and more!

Vegan honey without dandelions

Over the years I have seen many people make vegan honey with dandelions as a plant-based alternative to traditional bee honey. Since vegans avoid animal-derived products— often including honey, which is made by bees—dandelion “honey” offers a substitute that mimics its taste and texture.

While dandelions are edible, some people might hesitate to cook with them for a few reasons. First, they can have a bitter taste, especially the leaves and stems, which may not suit everyone’s palate. Second, there’s the issue of pesticide or chemical exposure—dandelions growing near roadsides, in sprayed lawns, or in contaminated soil may not be safe to eat unless you’re sure they’re clean and untreated.

And finally, some might just find the idea a little off-putting—dandelions are often seen as weeds, and the mental leap from lawn nuisance to kitchen ingredient isn’t one everyone’s ready to make. It’s a cool ingredient if you’re into foraging and natural foods, but not everyone’s on board—and that’s totally fair.

I wanted to try developing a vegan honey recipe that doesn’t use dandelions. This delicious apple juice-based syrup only takes 20 minutes to make. You will love the flavour and it just has so many uses!

You may be wondering if it tastes like apples?

Since my vegan honey is made with apple juice, this is a valid question! I’d say yes, there is a hint of apple flavour, but it doesn’t taste like straight up applesauce or anything like that. It actually just tastes sweet like honey. If you want a bit more of a floral note, I have also steeped some chamomile tea in the apple juice before proceeding with the recipe as written and I find that lends an even more honey-like flavour to this syrup!

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