Chamomile Bee's Knees Cocktail
A floral twist on the classic Bee's Knees—chamomile-infused gin, honey syrup, and fresh lemon for a golden, Prohibition-era charmer.
The Bee's Knees is a Prohibition-era gin cocktail built on honey and lemon. Adding chamomile takes it to another level—the tea's apple-blossom character melts into the gin's botanicals for something utterly elegant.
Infuse the gin with chamomile for just 2 hours. Any longer and it picks up too much bitterness from the flowers. The gin should turn a pale gold with a floral, honeyed aroma.
The honey syrup is essential—raw honey doesn't dissolve in cold cocktails. A simple 1:1 honey-to-water syrup, warmed and cooled, gives you a smooth, pourable sweetener that blends seamlessly.
For a mocktail version, use chamomile cold brew as the base with honey syrup, lemon juice, and a splash of sparkling water. Same golden beauty, same floral charm, zero alcohol.
Ingredients
- 60 ml gin
- 2 chamomile tea bags
- 25 ml fresh lemon juice
- 20 ml honey syrup (equal parts honey and warm water, cooled)
- Lemon wheel for garnish
- Dried chamomile flowers for garnish (optional)
How to make it
- 1Infuse gin: add tea bags to gin in a sealed jar for 2 hours. Remove bags and squeeze gently.
- 2Add chamomile-infused gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice.
- 3Shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds until the shaker is frosty cold.
- 4Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- 5Garnish with a lemon wheel and a few dried chamomile flowers if available.
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