This bourbon honeycomb candy recipe is not difficult to make and makes a wonderful food gift. Or crush it and top ice cream or add to cookies like I did with my Bourbon Honeycomb Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
And while it might be gilding the lily just a bit, the chocolate drizzle is both pretty and and tasty!
For ease of browsing, here are all of my candy recipes in one place. Thanks for stopping by!
Candy and Cookies. Candy IN Cookies!
Usually when I make candy, I make it for its own sake. Last week, I made this Bourbon honeycomb candy recipe for the sake of cookies.
I made the cookies for a friend’s birthday, and she was Well Pleased.
First I whipped up more of that bourbon honeycomb candy, and then I made more Honeycomb Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Because who doesn’t want cookies for their birthday?
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While you can leave the honeycomb out of the cookies, they are pretty spectacular with it in, so I’m making sure I also posted the honeycomb candy recipe since it’s part of what makes the cookies so special.
Any honeycomb candy is great in my book. Still, if you can get your hands on some Bourbon-Infused Honey from Cloister Honey, you will be Very Happy Indeed!
Ingredients for Honeycomb Candy
Like most old fashioned candy recipes, the ingredient list for honeycomb is short and sweet.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- brown sugar
- honey
- corn syrup
- water
- salt
- baking soda
And if you want to drizzle your honeycomb with chocolate, you can melt together chocolate with some oil for a homemade coating chocolate or use one my my favorite store bought coating chocolates from Chocoley.
Candy Making Equipment
The tools you need to make any candy are pretty much the same, so whether you’re going to be making just this candy or lots of different kinds. you’ll want to invest in a good, heavy bottomed saucepan, an accurate instant read thermometer, a non-warping half sheet pan and a Silpat or other non-stick baking mat.
Use Caution When Making Honeycomb Candy or When Working with Any Molten Sugar
Sugar gets hot, friends. So much hotter than boiling water, and a boiling water burn is bad enough.
Please use caution when working with sugar. Here are my tips for being as safe as possible:
- Don’t let young children or pets in the kitchen when working with sugar.
- Keep a bowl of ice water handy to the stove. If molten sugar does splash on you, immediately dunk that part of you in the cold water.
- Use a pot that is larger than you think you need to minimize any potential splattering or splashing. I like to use a 4 quart pot unless I am making a very small amount of candy.
And now, without further ado, I give you the Bourbon Honeycomb Candy Recipe to either eat by itself, crush over ice cream or use when making your own Bourbon Honeycomb Chocolate Chunk Cookies!
Other Candy Recipes from PCO
I love to make candy, and I have quite a number of candy recipes on the blog. My old fashioned butter mints recipe doesn’t require cooking, so it’s a great one to make with your kids.
If you are well versed in candy making and like a challenge, try my crispy crunchy homemade Butterfinger recipe. I tested it 9 times to get it as right as I possibly could.
And if you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know butterscotch is one of my favorite flavors. I have a recipe for old fashioned chewy butterscotch as well as butterscotch hard candy.
Any of these recipes would make wonderful gifts or just treats to have around the house.
Bourbon Honeycomb Candy Recipe
If you want the honey flavor to really shine, just use granulated sugar and leave out the molasses. Either way, this candy’s deep flavor is a great contrast to its light, crunchy texture. Enjoy!
A Note About Measurements
Don't let its small price and small size fool you. The Escali Primo is an accurate and easy-to-use food scale that I have used for years. It's easy to store, easy to use, has a tare function, and easily switches between grams and ounces/pounds for accurate measurements.
I really hope you love this Bourbon honeycomb candy recipe, you guys!
If you make some, please share a photo with me, either in the PCO Facebook Group or on instagram by tagging @onlinepastrychef and using hashtag #pcorecipe. Thanks, and enjoy!
Bourbon Honeycomb Candy Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar + 1 Tablespoon molasses OR 10.5 oz brown sugar (1 1/2 cups, well-packed)
- Bourbon-Infused Honey light corn syrup and water combined in a 1 cup measure: 1/2 honey, 1/4 corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
- ⅜ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons sifted fresh baking soda (if it has been sitting in your pantry for a few months, buy new)
Instructions
- Line a half-sheet pan with Silpat or spray it lightly with pan spray. Set aside on a heat-proof surface convenient to the stove.
- Place all the ingredients except the salt in a heavy-bottomed 3 or 4-quart saucepan. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Once the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat up to medium-high, and cover with the lid for a minute or two to wash down any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan.
- Remove the lid and cook, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture reaches 300F-305F.
- Immediately remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the baking soda until the whole mixture is uniformly foamy and light.
- Pour/scrape onto the prepared pan, but don’t spread it out. Just let it sit there until completely cool.
- Break up (or crush to use in the Bourbon Honeycomb Chocolate Chunk Cookies). Drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.
Did You Make Any Changes?
Notes
Nutrition
And there you have it, friends. I know you will love this Bourbon honeycomb candy recipe, and I can almost guarantee that the Bourbon honeycomb chocolate chip cookies will be one of your new favorite cookies!
Thank you so much for spending some time with me today. Take care, and have a lovely day.
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That’s a great question. Smaller pieces melt in but the centers of larger pieces retain the honeycomb. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
How about creating the recipe using actual honey and bourbon versus a specialty honey?
Hi, Julie. I created the recipe to feature Cloister honey, so that is why I used it. I provide links to purchase, or you can make the recipe using regular honey and add a small splash of Bourbon. Hopefully the recipe inspires you to make your own spin. Enjoy!
I have never thought about using honey in cookies before. These are something I am going to have to make, so the next time I stop by the store I’m getting ingredients. Something else that could be fun, do you think making the cookies into a honeycomb shape would not ruin it?
Hey there! If you mean a 3D honeycomb shape (like a beehive look), I think they wouldn’t bake all the way through and the centers might end up too gooey. And with all the mixins, they probably wouldn’t hold their shape very well, Sarah. I think I’d stick with a traditional drop cookie for these guys. I hope you enjoy them!
Thanks for the recipe, Jenni! I love bourbon and I’m excited to try this candy one day soon. I love the texture!
It’s a magical candy, Renee! So light and fun. The bourbon is fairly subtle because of the intense heat, but the honey flavor really shines through! Enjoy!