How To Make Honey Bee Drawing

Baklava cut into diamond shapes

Credit: Diana Moutsopoulos

More than an alternative to sugar, honey brings a distinct taste to recipes. What's more, honey's notes can range from light and floral to full-bodied and earthy depending on the hive's environment. But when tasked to desserts, this worker bee of a sweetener doesn't just add flavor. It also adds moisture to cakes, an extra syrupy consistency to pie filling, and a touch of decadence to any treat you drizzle it over.

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Honey Cake I

Honey Cake I cupcakes with frosting and honey drizzle

Credit: Candice

"This is an old German recipe," recipe creator Suzanne Stull says, adding that it tastes even better when it's baked in advance. Reviewers call the cake (or cupcakes!) light, airy, and soft. Reviewer Candice suggests pairing it with the citrusy frosting recipe from our Harvest Pumpkin Cupcakes.

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Torrone (Italian Nut and Nougat Confection)

Torrone (Italian Nut and Nougat Confection) on a wooden board

Credit: Chef John

If you love nougat, you'll go nuts over this honey-based candy. Bad puns aside, roasted pistachios and almonds give Chef John's take on Italian torrone a satisfying crunch.

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Greek Baklava

Greek Baklava in a metal pan

Credit: mp72

Thanks to store-bought phyllo dough, baking syrupy, flaky baklava takes less effort than you'd think. The recipe doesn't specify which nuts to use in the filling, but reviewers can vouch for pistachios and walnuts (which this Middle Eastern and Mediterranean pastry traditionally calls for) as well as pecans.

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Lemon Honey Butter Tarts

Lemon Honey Butter Tarts on a white plate

Credit: Mollie Mary Frances

Top unbaked tart shells with sour-sweet lemon curd for another treat that uses store-bought dough. "My grandmother used to keep bees, and all of us tried to come up with new ways to use honey. This recipe is my contribution to the effort," Caroline Nielsen says.

More Mini Dessert Recipes

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Lavender Honey Ice Cream

Lavender Honey Ice Cream in a glass cup

Credit: SunnyDaysNora

"So, so, so good! I've made my fair share of ice cream, and this is up there with the most amazing consistencies I've come across. Smooth, creamy, and wonderful," says SunnyDaysNora, who recommends adding "a little bit of vanilla at the end."

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Greek Honey Cake

Greek Honey Cake in a baking dish

Credit: formerbabybunny

Honey, cinnamon, orange zest, and lemon juice flavor this moist Greek Honey Cake, known as karithopeta. Reviewers compare its taste to baklava, but the two desserts' textures totally differ.

More Greek Dessert Recipes

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Honey Lavender Cookies

Honey Lavender Cookies on parchment paper

Credit: reese

Between honey and lavender, these cookies will easily win over anyone who goes for floral flavors. Whole-wheat flour gives these cookies a drier, crunchier texture that pairs well with a cup of coffee or tea.

Crispy Cookie Recipes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

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Honey Crunch Pecan Pie

Honey Crunch Pecan Pie with honey butter topping

The secret to this five-star pecan pie lies in its crunchy topping, made of honey, butter, brown sugar, and pecans. But the tiny bit of bourbon in its filling doesn't hurt.

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Honeycomb Toffee

Honeycomb Toffee in a glass jar

Credit: Chef John

Whisking baking soda into a homemade honey syrup before letting it cool traps bubbles, resulting in airy, crunchy toffee. "This toffee reminds me of my grandmother's cottage in Britain in the 1940s. We would gather the honey from the bees in her yard. This gives me much nostalgia for simpler times," reviewer Peanut Duke says.

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Real Sopapillas

Real Sopapillas covered with honey

Have these Latin American fried pastries on the table in 45 minutes using ingredients you probably have on hand: all-purpose flour, baking powder, shortening, salt, and frying oil. Douse them with honey before serving them hot.

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Russian Honey Cake

Russian Honey Cake on a wooden cake stand

Credit: Chef John

"The tiny amount of bitterness we get from the burnt honey really is the secret here, and the slightly tangy whipped cream frosting provides a bit of acidity and lovely light texture," Chef John says. "And unlike other frostings, it's not too sweet."

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Honey Cinnamon Cookies

Honey Cinnamon Cookies on a white plate

Credit: Yoly

"We make these for afternoon tea at my B&B," Paula says. "Guests love them!" Take a cue from Paula and serve these spiced drop cookies with a warm drink for an extra-comforting treat.

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Apple Honey Bundt Cake

A glazed cake topped with walnuts on a silver tray

Credit: jmo314

If you're craving something super sweet, this cake delivers with apples, honey, and sugar. If you're hesitant to use as much sweetener as the recipe calls for, just follow the advice of reviewers like Jennifer Lynn: "Cut way down on the sugar," she says. "Use 1/4 cup to let the honey and apple flavors shine through."

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Baklava Cheesecake

Baklava Cheesecake on a small plate with a wooden background

Credit: Yoly

Graham cracker crust, who? Light, crispy phyllo dough takes the reins here. Finish the cheesecake layer off with baklava-inspired honey sauce, and you're basically eating two desserts in one.

14 Sweet Ways to Use Phyllo Dough

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Strufoli II

Strufoli II piled up on a dish

Credit: Houstonjam

No recipe for Italian Strufoli (aka honey balls) would be complete without dunking fried dough into boiling honey. "These are the authentic ones made by my 82-year-old sister from our mother's recipe," recipe submitter Rosina says.

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Honey Peach Pie

Honey Peach Pie with ice cream

Credit: SHARONANNH

Cook peaches in a saucepan with honey, peach schnapps, sugar, and cinnamon to achieve this pie's jammy filling. If you can't find fresh peaches, canned and frozen peaches still yield five-star reviews from our community.

Peach Recipes So Good You'll Impress a Southerner

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Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie

Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie on a white plate

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Baklava Pinwheel Cookies

Baklava Pinwheel Cookies on a green and white placemat with a cappuccino

"Walnuts, honey, and cinnamon bring the flavors of baklava into this chewy pinwheel cookie. Not the prettiest cookie, but oh so tasty with a nice cup of coffee or cappuccino." — Kim's Cooking Now

A Guide to Buying, Cooking, and Baking With Honey

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