A Honey Rim Is The Sweet Touch For An Incredible Cocktail

Whether you're a margarita maven or a French 45 fan, a well-made cocktail is an easy way to wind down and uplift your spirits. Although the ingredients that go into a cocktail are what define its bravado, the glass you serve it in can make or break the drinking experience. From sophisticated champagne flutes and coupes to stout rocks glasses, every drinking vessel has its own personality. But regardless of which one speaks to your unique persona, lining the rim of your favorite cocktail glass with honey is an easy way to give it an elevated image along with a sweet taste.

Painting your cocktail glass with honey gives each sip a rich, floral touch. More than just decor for the rim, depending on your method, the honey may also drip into the drink, impacting its flavor profile by infusing the ingredients with an extra dose of sweetness. Plus, its adhesive texture also makes it a secure medium for holding sprinkles of coconut flakes, cinnamon, or edible glitter. Not to mention that honey never goes bad, so you can use this tasty trick with the same jar of honey until you run out without spoilage concerns.

Coating your cocktail glass with a honey rim is as easy as pie, but keeping a few tips in mind will help you perfect the technique. For starters, opt for a honey that's fluid and not too thick. If your honey is particularly dense, gently warm it up to make it easier to work with, but avoid overheating it as this can degrade that decadent flavor and aroma.

Before you start, ensure your glass is clean and dry — any moisture may cause the honey to spread unevenly. The easiest way to apply the honey to the rim is by pouring a small amount of honey onto a plate and then either inverting the glass into it or angling the glass sideways and rolling the outside in the honey, ensuring an even coat. Be mindful of the amount you use, subtlety is everything, so a thin layer is usually sufficient. Honey-rimmed glasses are best enjoyed soon after preparation to prevent the honey from crystallizing or becoming too sticky, which might detract from the drinking experience.

Vegan? No problem, plant-based honey exists, or you can enjoy the benefits of a sweet-dipped rim by using simple syrup, agave nectar, date syrup, or maple syrup.

Now that you know just how easy and delicious a honey-lined cocktail rim is to make, you'll want to fill the glass with something intoxicating and invigorating in equal parts. Don't know where to start? There are a number of great cocktails that pair nicely with the dulcet and delicate essence of honey.

For something on the nose, fill your honey-rimmed glass with a bee's knees. This easy-to-make, old-school Prohibition-era cocktail is made with botanical gin, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and, you guessed it, honey. Perfect for a cold night, a hot toddy with whiskey, lemon juice, hot water, and honey can be elegantly presented with a honey rim to accentuate its comforting, sweet flavors.

For a tropical and spicy cocktail, make a festively-rimmed and spiced honey rum punch fashioned with lime juice, black tea, and a hint of nutmeg or cinnamon; the sugary honey will uplift the heavy-handed punch of the rum. For a unique take on the classic margarita, use a honey rim instead of the traditional salt rim, which works especially well with fruit-flavored margaritas like mango or strawberry, bringing an earthy sweetness that contrasts the tartness of the citrus juice.

Don't limit yourself, either. A well-made cocktail is a balance of multiple flavors, and you can't go wrong by using honey as the sweetening agent (by making a syrup of equal parts honey and water), so find what works for you and you'll never want to drink from a bare cocktail glass again.