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Honey Mustard Recipe (5 Ingredients in 20 Minutes)

Every sandwich lover knows that the sauces and condiments are what really bring a dish together. No bite is complete until you put on that spread, or dunk it in that dip.

And it’s even better when the spread is homemade!

With just a few simple ingredients and a little bit of patience, this honey mustard recipe will give you a condiment that suits your tastes perfectly. It turns every night into a gourmet experience.

Read on for easy step-by-step instructions and any substitution options or tricks you need to know to make the most of the recipe!

A small dish of homemade honey mustard.

Making Honey Mustard in Just 20 Minutes!

To begin, place your ingredients, measuring devices, a bowl, and a mason jar on your counter. Depending on the consistency you want your mustard to be, you might also need a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.

Honey mustard ingredients.

Measure out ½ cup of mustard seeds. If you want full-grainy mustard, you can pour them straight into the bowl. Or add a small step to this honey mustard recipe and grind them in the mortal and pestle for a smoother finish.

Grinding mustard seeds with a mortar and pestle.

Then add 1 tbsp of salt and give it a quick stir to blend them together. If you think it needs more salt after you’ve tasted the finished product, feel free to add as much as you like. You just don’t want too much salt in the jar during the absorption process.

Salt added to mustard seeds.

The next step is to pour in ¾ cup of your chosen liquid (more about that to come) and 2 tbsp of honey. Now, you will need to give it a more thorough mixing. The honey will likely clump so it might even be better to use a whisk for a few seconds.

Adding liquid to mustard and salt.
Adding honey to mustard mixture.

Before adding the last ingredient from this honey mustard recipe, let your mustard sit for 10 to 20 minutes. The longer you let it sit like this, the mellower the flavors will become and the better they will blend.

When you’re ready, stir in the 4 tbsp of apple cider vinegar and seal the entire mixture into a Mason jar. A 500 ml bottle is the best size if you have it. Or you can use something bigger.

Adding apple cider vinegar to mustard mixture.
Mustard in a glass jar.

The mustard will seem very runny at first. That’s why an important part of this honey mustard recipe is to store your mustard for 12 to 48 hours, depending on how grainy your mustard was in the beginning. This will be explained in more detail below.


How to Properly Store Your Mustard

While you wait for the seeds to absorb all the liquid, you need to put some thought into how you store the mixture.

Where?

The temperature can be really important during this time of your honey mustard recipe. If it’s too cold, your mustard seeds may not absorb the liquid properly. But you also don’t want it to be too hot because that can lead to unwanted bacteria and fermentation.

If you live in a warm climate, a basement cellar or shelving is your best option. You want it to be left in a relatively cool, dark place for the best results.

If you live in a colder climate, your basement might get too cold for your mustard. In that case, simply storing it on a shelf in your kitchen is a better option.

How long?

If you used whole grains, the seeds won’t absorb everything. After waiting 48 hours for them to soften, remove and save any extra liquid from the jar and throw the seeds into a food processor. Then you can slowly re-add the liquid into the food processor until you get your desired texture.

If you took the time to grind your seeds into a complete powder, you should only need to wait 12 hours. And for a mixture of the two, 24 hours should be enough time.

The storage times may seem a bit long but the fresh condiment you get from this gourmet honey mustard recipe is definitely worth the wait!


Your Choice of Liquid

When making honey mustard from this recipe, pretty much any liquid is fair game. Water is definitely the most popular, but things like wine, beer, lemon juice, whiskey, and vinegar are also options. In fact, Dijon mustard is made from white wine.

A small dish of mustard as a condiment to cuts of beef and vegetables.

Beer

Beer is a great liquid option for when you really want to change up the flavor of this honey mustard recipe. Not only are there so many different beers to choose from, this liquid is probably one of the lesser-used options in the mustard industry.

To start, a milder beer might be best. Something like a Corona or Modelo. That way you can see how the more classic beer taste will work with the mustard seeds before you mix in the intense flavors of an IPA or a Sour.

In general, a mustard made with beer will do the best job of masking the bitterness from the mustard seeds. It will also mesh really well with the honey. But the undertones of the mustard might be a bit stale. A sour might get rid of some of that staleness, but not all of it.

White Wine

Without the extreme variation in tastes that beer has, the specific wine you choose to use in your honey mustard recipe is less important. Dijon uses white wine from the Burgundy region of France, like Chablis or Bourgogne Blanc, but a simple Pinot Grigio will work just fine.

In terms of general taste, the wine will create the tangiest mustard out of these three options. The tartness of the wine reacts perfectly with the bitterness of the mustard seeds and the sweetness of the honey. Using wine gives you an amazing, almost citrusy mustard with a mild, sugary aftertaste.

Vinegar

Vinegar is another option that can change this honey mustard recipe a lot depending on the type you use. White vinegar and apple cider vinegar are the most common, but balsamic, champagne, wine, rice, or malt vinegars would also work.

If you do plan to use one of the kinds of vinegar that are offered in multiple grades, like balsamic, be sure to always choose the thinnest grade. Otherwise, your mustard will come out very rich and syrupy.

Besides that, a mustard made with only vinegar will be quite bitter. That’s why yellow mustard seeds are the best type to use with this liquid. Black and brown seeds would result in a very overwhelming product.

Temperature

The temperature of the liquid you add to this honey mustard recipe can also affect the taste. Heat dulls the effectiveness of the enzyme in mustard seeds that create its pungent flavor.

If you want a mellow taste, heat the liquid before adding it. It shouldn’t be heated to a boil, simply hot to the touch will do the job. And the colder the liquid is, the more pungent and intense the flavor will be.


Your Choice of Seed for Honey Mustard Recipes

Mustard seeds in a mortar and pestle.

There are three different types of mustard seeds. Each with its own flavor profile that will change how you follow this honey mustard recipe.

Yellow seeds are the most popular since they have the mildest flavor. They also tend to be a bit tangier than the other types.

Brown seeds are more commonly used in grainy mustards. That’s because the more you grind the seed, the more flavor gets distributed and the stronger it is. When using whole seeds, you want something with a bit more kick to make up for that.

Black seeds have the strongest, spiciest taste out of the three. They are also the hardest to find. Most commonly used in Indian and Asian dishes, you’ll probably have to go to a specialty store to get this type. You should also mix these seeds with yellow ones, instead of eating them on their own.


How Well Does Mustard Keep?

Depending on the ingredients you use when making this honey mustard recipe, your spread could last anywhere from a month to several years.

To keep it fresh for as long as possible, you should always keep it sealed in the fridge after it’s been opened.

The utensils you put into your mustard jar should also be clean, without any traces of other foods on them. This will lessen the contaminants that could develop any harmful bacteria.


How to Know if Your Mustard Has Gone Bad

The most important thing to look out for is mold. Any traces of funky colors or weird textures usually means that something has gone wrong.

If your mustard starts to taste very acidic or bitter, that’s another sign that it’s going off. Lastly, any unpleasant smells are definitely a good reason to dump the jar.


Enjoy Amazing Honey Mustard With This Quick and Easy Recipe!

Honey mustard spread onto bread with broiled cheese.

With just a few simple ingredients, this honey mustard recipe will have your cupboards stocked to the brim with gourmet condiments!

There’s nothing better than being able to pick and choose substitutions to create the perfect spread for your palate. Try this honey mustard the next time you make London broil for a special occasion.

If you’re looking to expand your sauce game even further, check out our Spice Apple Ginger Chutney recipe!

Honey Mustard in Just 20 Minutes

Honey Mustard in Just 20 Minutes

Yield: About 1 1/2 cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Homemade honey mustard might just be your next game-changer for snacks, sandwiches, and roasted meats. It's quick and easy to make, with many variations to try. This recipe may turn you into a mad food scientist in your kitchen and the experiments are guaranteed to be delicious!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mustard seeds
  • 3/4 cup chosen liquid (see post for details)
  • 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp salt

Instructions

  1. Grind mustard seeds to your preferred consistency.
  2. Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and give it a quick stir.
  3. Mix in your chosen liquid and honey until fully incorporated.
  4. Let it sit for 10-20 minutes. The longer it sits, the mellower the flavor.
  5. Add in your vinegar and give it a quick stir.
  6. To create a milder mustard, pour it into a Mason Jar, seal it, and place it in a dark, cool spot for 12-48 hours.
  7. For whole-grain seeds, throw the mixture into a food processor after 48 hours to incorporate any unabsorbed liquid.

Notes

Your mustard can be used after the 20-minute resting period, but it will have a sharper flavor than after sitting for an additional 24-48 hours.

Pinterest image for Honey Mustard Recipe.

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