BlueJayLewis Wild Recipes

When you bring up dandelions, I’m sure there is a neighbor nearby who immediately rolls their eyes. Dandelions have been the problem child of green lawns for many years, but it is time to change the narrative!

Dandelions have so many uses that are overlooked. The leaves can be added into salads, pesto’s, or cooked like spinach. The roots can be used medicinally or roasted and ground into a remarkable coffee substitute. Today we are focusing on the notable, bright yellow flowers.

When spring comes, dandelions are one of the first flowers to let us know. They are a welcome sign of spring and the warmer weather that is on its way. Although all parts of the dandelion can be used, this recipe focuses on only the flowers. We are turning them into a yummy Dandelion Honey!

Dandelion honey taste so much like actual honey, you won’t believe it! That’s because our favorite little environmental worker, the honeybee, tend to frequent its petals and pollen often. Many use dandelion honey as a vegan alternative to honey out of respect to our little friends too!

Here is what you will need to make your own Dandelion Honey:

Supplies needed:

• Basket/Bag/Container
• 4 Cups – Dandelion flower petals
• 2 1/2 Cups – Sugar
• 4 Cups – Water
• 1 Lemon – sliced
• Cheesecloth(or mesh strainer will do)
• Medium to Large pot

The first step to making Dandelion Honey is to grab your basket, or whatever you have handy, and head out to pick your dandelion flowers! This is a great activity to do as a family. Although you can use gloves and scissors to gather the blooms, it is not necessary. Dandelion flowers pop off the stems with ease. Be sure to only gather in areas that have not been treated with chemicals! Once you’ve got a sufficient amount of flowers, it’s time to head inside and get to work!

Once you have plucked out all of the dandelion petals, now it is time to give them a good soak. Place all 4 cups of dandelion petals into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for at least 5-10 minutes to ensure any tiny bugs are drawn out, then strain.

Next, add all the dandelion petals into your pan along with the lemon slices and 4 cups of water. Bring the pot to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, bring the temp down to low to simmer and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.

Once you have simmered for at least 30 minutes, remove from the heat source and let steep for 4-6 hours. This time is important as it will allow all the flavors to really soak into the liquid.

After steeping, strain the liquid through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer and add back into pan. Now we will turn the heat back on and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add the sugar to the mixture a little at a time and stir until it is completely dissolved. Turn the temperature to low and let simmer for about an hour. The longer you let it simmer, the thicker it will become.

Once you reached the desired thickness, transfer to sterilized container and store in the refrigerator for continued shelf life. Dandelion Honey should last for about 6 months when stored properly(It rarely lasts a few weeks in my house!). You can also freeze for an even longer shelf life.

Dandelion Honey goes great on toast, in teas, or used as an alternative sweetener in recipes. Use as you would your other favorite sweeteners when you want to add a sweet, sunny, and springlike burst of flavor!