Botanical Sugars
This simple and beautiful botanical sugar recipe ignites all the senses, adding a hint of color, sweetness, fragrance, and herbal tones to your favorite drinks or baked goods in just minutes. In addition to using botanical sugars to coat the rims of drink glasses, try stirring a spoonful into hot and iced teas, or using it to make lemonade for a sweet and colorful twist. The sugars can add an herbal element to your favorite baked good recipe, sprinkled on your breakfast muffin, or mixed with jojoba or coconut oil to make a single batch of botanical sugar scrub. Botanical sugars also make beautiful gifts.
You Will Need
- ½ cup (115 g) herbs of choice
- 1 cup (227 g) white sugar for each type of herb
- food processor or coffee grinder
- clean, glass jar with airtight lid
To Create
- Combine sugar and a handful of the first selection of herbs into a food processor or coffee grinder. Process for 30+ seconds until the herbs and sugar are well blended. Continue to add more herbs a few pinches at a time until you reach vibrancy and strength of flavor and fragrance you desire.
- Spread the botanical sugar onto a large clean plate or cookie sheet to dry out for 1-2 days, stirring a couple times a day. (A plate or pan with a lip will help keep the counter tidy.)
- Once completely dry, store in a clean, dry glass jar with an air-tight lid labeled with the herb and date created.
- Continue these first three steps for each variety of herb, storing each botanical sugar in its own glass jar with label.
I recommend these herbs for their fragrant, colorful, and delicious properties:
basil – leaf green sugar
calendula – yellow sugar
lavender – vibrant purple sugar
lemon balm – vibrant green sugar
mint – light pale green sugar
rose – pink roses make a soft pink sugar
viola -- purple violas make a gorgeous violet sugar
To use your botanical sugar to coat the rim of a drink glass, stir with a spoon to break up any larger pieces and pour a small mound onto a plate. Pour clean water into a bowl and dip the rim of the empty glass into the water and then into the sugar to coat it. Alternatively, dip one side of the rim into the water by angling the glass and then dip that same part of the glass into the sugar for an interesting look that gives the recipient the option to sweeten their sip, or not.
Are you ready to take your herbal journey to the next level and expand your knowledge of how plants can nourish, soothe, and support? The Herbal Academy has a wide range of top-ranked herbal courses, workshops, resources, workbooks, journals, and so much more.
