How to Make Honey Garlic: Our Family's Cold Season Jar

How to Make Honey Garlic: Our Family's Cold Season Jar

Every fall, we make a jar of honey garlic. It's an old folk remedy passed down for generations, and it takes about five minutes of hands-on time. The rest is just waiting while the honey and garlic do their thing.

What you need

  • A clean glass jar with a lid

  • Peeled garlic cloves, enough to fill the jar about halfway

  • Raw honey, enough to fully cover the garlic

Raw honey matters here. It hasn't been heated or heavily filtered, which is what lets it gently ferment with the garlic. If your raw honey has crystallized, set the jar in a bowl of warm water (under about 105°F) until it's pourable.

How to make it

  1. Fill your jar about halfway with peeled garlic cloves.

  2. Lightly smash each clove with the flat side of a knife. This releases allicin, one of the compounds garlic is known for.

  3. Pour raw honey over the garlic until it's completely covered.

  4. Loosely close the lid and keep the jar at room temperature, out of direct sun.

  5. Every day, flip the jar or give it a stir, then open the lid to release the gas.

  6. It's ready in 2 to 4 weeks, when the honey turns darker and runnier and the garlic mellows.

What to expect


Within a few days, you'll see small bubbles. That's fermentation, and it means it's working. The honey will get thinner as the garlic releases its moisture. Some cloves may turn blue or green, which is a natural reaction and completely harmless.

How we use it

  • A spoonful on its own

  • A clove dropped into warm tea

  • Drizzled on toast, yogurt, or roasted vegetables

  • Whisked into a salad dressing

Once the jar is ready, you can keep it at room temperature or in the fridge. It lasts for months.

Important safety notes

  • Honey is not safe for babies under 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism. This includes honey garlic.

  • Keep the garlic fully covered by the honey. Flipping the jar daily helps.

  • If you see mold or it smells off, throw it out and start fresh.

This is a traditional kitchen remedy, not a replacement for medical care. If someone in your family is sick, check in with your doctor.

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