I have been struggling with what to call this recipe ever since I ran across it on Pinterest.
It happened to be one of those pins that doesn’t actually lead to a blog or website, but just a picture uploaded by an individual. It was just a casual snapshot…a little out of focus, poor lighting….but it was the DESCRIPTION that grabbed me and pulled me in!
“My Mom’s recipe. My gift for neighbors this year. 1 cup honey, 1 cup cream, 1 cup sugar. bring to boil and boil for 1 minute. Pour over 3 sticks of butter, in the blender and blend. Pour into jars, refrigerate. Serve on toast, bread, or just warm it up and get a straw! Yes, it is THAT yummy!”
Sounded “THAT yummy!” to me too! I couldn’t wait to make it….so I didn’t. I usually try to take pictures during the day when the lighting is better….but this just couldn’t wait! Especially after yesterday’s “bread in a cup” post…I thought this was the perfect follow-up/companion recipe!
But I still couldn’t come up with a name for this concoction that would do it justice until I tasted it! The first thing that popped into my head was “Nectar Of The Gods”….but I felt like that might be a bit over the top. :-) I settled on “Honey Butter Ambrosia”, because it tastes sooooooooo good and it’s this beautiful, mellow color, and….I don’t know…Ambrosia just sounded perfect to me. :-) (But you can call it anything you want.)
Whatever you call it, this is how you make the heavenly stuff:
Honey Butter Ambrosia
Adapted from Anonymous Pin
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup honey
3 sticks butter (or 3/4 lb), softened
1 tsp vanilla (this was a last minute addition…so it’s not in the picture)
Instructions
In a sauce pan combine sugar, cream and honey. Heat on medium high heat and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
Put the softened butter in a blender
Serve on warm bread, toast, oatmeal, pancakes….my imagination is running wild!
Or, like the original pinner said (bless her heart) “just warm it up and get a straw!”
The recipe made almost exactly the right amount to fill two pint-sized mason jars. There was about 1/4 cup left over so I put it in a small bowl and put it in the fridge. Just as soon as it was cool enough, I made some toast (Oh how I wished I had some English Muffin Bread to put it on!) and spooned on a generous helping. Wow. Like I said…..heavenly!
The original pinner also said she was going to be giving this as a neighbor gift this Christmas. I thought this was a wonderful idea so I made up a few little tags that I’m going to use and thought I might as well share them with you as well. :-) You can download them here if you are interested. There are two sizes for bigger or smaller jars….depending on how generous you are feeling. ;-)
So what would YOU put this buttery deliciousness on?
this sounds delicious! how long do you think it would keep in the fridge? and could you freeze it? i’m thinking of making some smaller batches for xmas!! awesome idea!!
I think it would last a couple of weeks in the fridge and I don’t see why you couldn’t freeze it!
It lasted exactly 3 days in my fridge before my son and husband cleaned the 1st jar, (made a 2 weeks before Christmas for all our friends), and now almost a month on the second jar, the hubby had some this morning and said it was delish! Made french toast with cinnamon swirl bread for Christmas morning and served this on it, what a treat!!
“So what would YOU put this buttery deliciousness on?”
The first thing that came to mind is- My hips! This looks delicious, but it is definitely NOT a low calorie (or fat) food. I have no guilt however, giving it away to family and friends! ;)
Haha! That was my first thought too! At least that way you can just wash it off instead of working out for hours to burn it off. Who knows maybe it’s really good for your skin. :)
I must be crazy because I want to try it (in the summer) on fresh corn on the cob with salt! Of course, I am sure it would be awesome on a good biscuit as well!
ooo…that sounds divine.
Just licking the spoon sounds divine to me.
Hi
I like the idea. Just not sure why you need to add sugar to the honey? Any ideas?
Kathy
San Miguel CA
I’m with you, Kathy. I’m going to try making this with half the sugar, or a bit less.
I was thinking that I wanna try this with less sugar. Let me know how it turns out!
Def. trying this. I had to look up ambrosia because I thought it was a fruit salad….and it is, but the meaning is “Food of the Gods”. Sounds about right for this dish. :) Wonder how it would be in old fashioned oatmeal since I usually add sugar, butter, and milk.
I actually think it would be a perfect accompaniment to oatmeal! Can’t wait to try it!
Oh my goodness! YUMMMM! When I grew up there were 7 of us kids. I participated in all the after school sports. By the time I got home from sports programs, dinner was over, and there were no left overs. My dad always made home made buns (rolls). I just had those with honey and butter on them for dinner or a bowl of Cheerios (with a bunch of sugar LOL). And did my homework. I survived just fine. You just didn’t miss dinner back then. Not with 7 children in the family LOL.
There were 6 kids in our family Marcia…so I can completely relate. We called dinnertime…survival of the fittest! lol
This is PERFECT for a late night snack on toast. I had it last night…and am having it again this morning!
Salted or unsalted butter?
I had salted on hand so that’s what I used. I’m sure unsalted would be fine as well.
when we were in N. Carolina I bought some pecan honey butter. This stuff is soooo good! It cost $7.99 maybe I can make my own now!!!
Ohhh Mmyyy Goosshhh!!
I would put it on cinnamon buns, cupcakes, bananas, pancakes, waffles, I would put it on my mom and tell her to just eat it!!
I would put it on an old boot and eat it.
Oh this looks so good, I am going to make this, thanks Jillee.
I love that I (for once) had the ingredients on hand so I was able to make it right away, it is the food of the gods…. Been craving caramel apples so I tried it on apples and it is great (eating them as I write) I really enjoy the contrast of the sweet and buttery agains the sour crunch of the apple,,,,sooooo delicious, thank you Jillee, like always what a good thing
My first thought was to pour this warm concoction over a warm piece of pound cake! The possibilities are endless.
It’s always been my understanding that you should never boil honey. It kills the good stuff. Now I’ll have to google it. It sounds delish though!
The reason for boiling would be to completely melt the sugar. If you only use honey, just heat it.
Thanks, Kris! That makes sense.
Store bought honey has already been previously heated unless it’s raw. Raw honey is the only honey that has beneficial properties. Both raw and regular honey is okay to heat, but people eat raw honey because of the enzymes and other good-for-you things that bees leave behind. If you heat raw honey, it is no longer considered raw and the “good stuff” is killed off, as Linda says :)
Lets be honest – you’re not eating this for the “good stuff”. Can’t wait to try it.
It does sound delicious…was wondering if this stays in a liquid form, or with the butter in the fridge, does it get hard?
It hardens up to a sort of soft butter consistency (if that makes any sense) but then when you spread it on toast, for example, it smooths right out to a wonderful creaminess. Besides being SO delicious…I LOVE the texture of it.
What an incredible recipe !
I can hardly wait to make and give this…
and you are very generous to provide labels also. ;)
Thank you !!
Rose
You’re welcome Rose! I can’t wait to share it as a gift either. It really is extraordinarily yummy! :-)
She was right….to use a straw….golly gee….this really is great nectar. But please find something that wont sit on my body below the waist. Oh, well, it is the holidays, so I’m allowed, right? This is a keeper.
Yep….holiday calories don’t count! :-)
Approx. how long will this last in the ref.? Meaning before it goes bad?
I think it would probably last a couple of weeks in the fridge.
This could keep at room temperature if you use ghee instead of butter….ghee is clarified butter, all the impurites are gone. I make this with just honey and ghee…definitely not sugar. I use about 1/2 cup honey for a pound of ghee. But I will definitely try this recipe with the addition of cream. So 1 cup cream, 1/2 honey and ghee from a pound of butter.
Jay, have you made this, then, without sugar? I mean just using the ghee, honey and cream?
I am wondering if Agave could be used in place of either the sugar or the honey?
Make ghee out of a pound of butter, and strain out the impurities….then warm 1 cup cream, and 1/2 cup honey and toss everything into the food processor….I am following a paleo diet, so butter and cream is good with just a touch of honey. I do not use sugar, but I think you can adapt this recipe to suit your needs.
I recommend you do a Google on the recent change in attitude towards Agave. It was one of those foods that was supposedly low-glycemic but it turns out to be the opposite. I wish I’d known that sooner (it matters to me, because diabetes runs in my family.
This look really good, I like everyone’s suggestions on what to put it on, but I agree with Jillee, her English Muffin Bread it perfect. You have to make it as well. I will be making gift baskets with that bread and this butter for Christmas. Thank you!!!!
Yummm. This looks so good…and easy! Can’t wait to try it!
Very similar to a recipe I make to top hot bread pudding — except I also add a few TBSP of rum to the sauce!
Me too! I don’t use honey in mine but the sugar, cream, butter, and Jack Daniels. Soooo good!
They make a Jack Daniels Honey now that I bet would be amazing in this!
Jillee, This is the first time I have not had to run out to the store to buy the ingredients. I read your email about half an hour ago and jumped right up and made this. Happened to even have some artisian rolls in the freezer. They got done at the same time as the honey butter creation. Hot rolls…fresh butter creation….DEVINE!!! Now thinking true decadence would be to pour this over hot cinnamon rolls and let them absorb it.
Jillee, Do you think if you omitted the vanilla that it would be lacking? Also wondered if cinnamon extract or powder sounded good or bad for a little christmasy twist? Sounds delicious though and thanks for the extra incentive of the tags. LOVE them – and everything else you create, post!
I tasted mine before I added the vanilla and thought it was still amazing. I only added a tiny bit of vanilla, less than it calls for, because I didn’t want to take too much away from the honey taste. I think either way is wonderful and not lacking at all.
Becky, I did the same. Tasted and then added just a hint of vanilla. Its not a flavor that stands out in the finished product but I’m just sure adds a little “something extra special” that makes them go hmmmm… and yummm. ;-) I’m going to try adding a touch of cinnamon powder to a small portion and see how that tastes. Might be something we just add a little at home but not to what I plan to give.
Brought some in today and had a co-worker taste test it for me. Total HIT!!! Thanks again Jillee.
Anyone in the Salt Lake valley noticed any deals on 1/2 pint jars? I am going to need to buy some now as this will replace my chocolate bark as a family/neighbor gift this year.
Jillee, this is a wonderful recipe for gifts. And thank you so much for the tags, I’ve already printed mine. I’m going to get the 4 oz jelly jars. Just might have to make your English Muffin bread, too, to go along w/this!
Thank you so much, Annette
Oh wow & yum!! I was just thinking a couple days ago about how I loved to eat a piece of bread with butter and honey on it… One of my most favorite childhood snack memories..
I’ll definitely be making some of this & what a wonderful Christmas gift.. fast & really nice too. Perfect!
So are your gift labels.. Simply Perfect!! Thanks so much!
It’s almost like a syrup and I’m drooling thinking of it on waffles Christmas morning! Thank you!
It was the perfect accompaniment to pumpkin (yeast) bread. Sent a loaf and a jar into the office.
Unfiltered, raw honey is a staple in our house often replacing anything jelly is served on. It’s more expensive than the homogenized honey readily available at the store but the flavor is shockingly better.
We’ll definitely be making small jars for Christmas gifts. No less caloric than cookies, but different and incredibly good!
All of you making this for neighbours? I hope you’re MY neighbour! ;) Sounds yummy, but I’m going to try making some with coconut sugar. It is low glycemic and you can use it just like regular refined sugar. Thanks for sharing!
Lynell…where can you buy coconut sugar?
Does anyone know if you could make this using Stevia?
Stevia usually measures cup to cup with regular sugar. I don’t see why you couldn’t use it. I’ll be doing this today. Hope my landlord wants to get fat! LOL.
Wilderness family naturals has coconut sugar http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/category/natural-sweeteners-coconut-sugar.php
Thank you so much for this super wonderful recipe. I want to make some as gifts and I’m so happy that you shared your nice tags to put with them. Thanks a million!
Thinking about homemade warm soft pretzels (from the east coast originally-where the Philly soft pretzel rules), maybe here in CA Aunt Annie’s or even the frozen Super Pretzel.
And scones.
Oh, and I will be adding this to my homemade breakfast gift baskets: 7 Grain Pancake Mix, blueberry syrup, toasted cinnamon pecans, Jillee’s Creme de Menthe Hot Cocoa and Honey Butter Ambrosia (probably a 4 oz jar; I’ll try it with ghee instead of butter)
Peanut butter toast.
A spoon.
CTY! I want one of those baskets! :-) lol.
Genius idea to put it on warm soft pretzels. I got a recipe for those from Pinterest too and they are super easy. Guess I’ll be making them tomorrow!
I have just started experimenting with coconut oil – solid at room temperature. Have to try with this and call it honey coconut ambrosia. Ohhhhh just the thought of it. Should try the original first, then experiment though.
have you tried this and did it work? sounds fantabulous? please, share what you did if you made it this way.
You might find a good price on honey–usually local and almost always much better than the jars from the mega mart!!!–at your local FOOD CO OP or Natural Foods store. We are super lucky to live near one of the largest bee supply stores (BetterBee in Greenwich NY) and get our honey there.
So much better tasting!
We used to keep bees until the colony collapse disorder. Now my 6 year old grand daughter wants to keep bees and since we have all of the equipment inc the giant size honey extractor we are looking into it.
Def going to try this!!!!!
Oh good heavens! This is ridiculously amazing! I halved the first batch I made and will use that for us. I am definitely making this and giving it as amazing gifts to family and friends too! Thanks.
Jillee I just absolutely love your site. So, So many good things.
I was wondering if I made your blender butter into sticks could
I use it for the Honey Butter ambrosia instead of regular butter?
You don’t need to form it into sticks, just weigh it out. It will melt as soon as the hot honey mixture hits it anyway. Fresh butter is always a better choice :)
What would I put the Honey Butter Ambrosia on?? Um…my finger? ;)
Bought the jars for the Honey Butter Ambrosia yesterday, but forgot the cream, only have half and half; would that work……??? Or another trip to the store….. Already mixed up the English muffin bread.
I’ve always had a thing for croissants and honey butter! …. hmmmm….
Could this possibly” kick it up a notch”? Naahhh… you can’t improve on
perfection. Wait… maybe you can make something the perfect perfection?
OK, OK, I’m going for it!
I just made this and it is delicious! Best honey butter by far! Mine didn’t come out as creamy as this one looks. But once it cooled a bit it did thicken up. Thank you for all of your posts! :) I love everything on your site. And a big thank you for posting GF recipes! I was diagnosed with celiac 4 months ago so it’s been overwhelming. This was great on Udi’s toast!
I noticed that someone was reluctant to boil the honey because they would “kill the good stuff”. Here’s a thought. Boil and the cream and sugar until the sugar is dissolved, then stir in the honey. It won’t get as hot that way. It won’t be as hot going into the food processor, but if the butter is truly at room temperature it should work.
This is headed for the A list for Christmas food gifts this year. Thanks Jillee!!
That’s what I was thinking, Lynne. But the mixture would have to cool to a certain temperature before it could be mixed with the raw honey in order for the honey to maintain all beneficial properties. There is no real consensus on the exact temperature, but personally I wouldn’t put it in anything hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
I can’t wait to try this one! You out did yourself again Jillee! :) :)
I found that if I softened the butter up good enough once the other items were right off the stove from boiling I didn’t need to mix it much. The butter melted upon contact. I stirred it up really good with a wisk, let it cool and then stirred it good again and I have no lumps at all. Smooth and creamy. My co-worker mentioned that it is similar to apple butter that she has made.
Delishi.
Can I swap out the butter for margarine sticks? Just considering the price deifference ;-)
I tried making honey butter with Country Crock once and it was a disaster! It just wouldn’t mix up for some reason. So I’m thinking this probably won’t work with margarine. But I’ve also used margarine plenty of times in make cookies and never had a problem. So maybe it was just something about the Country Crock.
This Honey Butter is really good. A bit sweet but cutting back on the sugar does the trick.
I don’t have a blender so I used my hand mixer and it worked great.
Another way to make it is to add cinnamon to it and it taste wonderful on toast. I also made it using brown sugar instead of regular sugar and once it cools I used it in your “Clone of a Cinnabon” recipe as the filling. Super Yummy…
Jillie, I tried this and everyone loved it! NOW… A small town close by, WEWOKA, OK has a SORGHUM DAYS celebration every year. They make their sorghum to sell during their celebration. Since I had some on hand, and my husband loves Sorghum, I decided to try it in this recipe as well… OH MY GOODNESS, it is just sooooo good. Definetly one you have to try. I used all of the other ingredients and measurements as listed. Biscuit, toast or apple slices….
MamrBetty I had to look up what Sorghum was but after looking it up it is something I think would taste similar to what my husband suggested. Make maple butter by substituting the honey with some maple syrup. Sweet sorghum, is grown for the manufacture of syrup – http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-sorghum.htm
Since I’ve never seen Sorghum I’ll keep an eye out and try it with syrup first or maybe even keep everything including the honey and try it with maple flavoring. Can’t wait to try! YUM.
We go to sorghum festival every year in Wewoka. Looks like I have another reason to bring home another jar. :)
Well, I know what happens when you get sidetracked and put the butter and everything in the pan at the same time ! You have a glorious sauce ! Now what the heck to do with all that sauce ??? I wanted BUTTER not SAUCE…sometimes, stupid is just plain stupid !! I hope, now that it’s in the fridge, it will harden up a bit ??? anyone ???
I think it would be an amazing waffle syrup or an amazing ice cream topping. It has a little bit of a butterscotch taste.
I added orange flavoring, instead of vanilla, to top off my Amish Friendship Bread! Delicious! You could add almond flavoring for a coffee cake, pecans for a Cajun flair…oh the possibilities are endless!
I just made this and can’t wait to give this to friends for Christmas….btw I couldn’t wait for it to cool to put on my toast….:)
I’d try some on vanilla ice cream (warmed up a little) and I’d drizzle some on popcorn – or corn on the cob!
My son has a milk allergy, does anyone have a suggestion on what I could try instead of butter?
I’m considering trying it with virgin or extra virgin coconut oil.
can anyone share how much this makes? for planning purposes?
As Jillee said, it makes 2 pints plus about 1/4 c. I had at least that much when I ‘goofed up’.
I love the poster who suggested pouring the ‘glorious sauce’ over corn on the cob !! Why not ??? Sounds like a terrific idea–but then, over popcorn…hmmmmmm…maybe I know what’s cookin’ for dinner tonight ! (needless to say, I don’t have a family at home anymore–and hubby, we’ll he’s just grateful for anything he doesn’t have to cook !!)
I filled a large yogurt tub, with about 1/4 c left in a bowl.
Made this morning and it was very good. For me, its overly rich and sweet, so I’m going to try reducing the sugar and changing the cream to half & half. But my family is happy with how it tastes. :) Eating this with popcorn tonight for “dessert”. ;)
ok i just made some of this… it’s in the fridge now, cooling. i will definitely be making more for some christmas gifts for sure – this stuff is pure heaven!! i might just attach a straw to my gift jars… seems like the best way to enjoy it!! :) thanks so much!!!