Want to hear something sweet? Then talk to the queen bee of Wisconsin’s honey industry, Emily Sydow x’27. Selected as the state’s Honey Queen for 2025, Sydow is the spokes-human for Wisconsin’s busy bees, talking to civics groups and elementary schools in between taking classes in agricultural economics and public policy. We asked Sydow to share some favorite honey recipes. Here’s a meal we can put together:
Read more of our interview with Sydow.
Wisconsin State Fair Honey Lemonade
- 1 12-ounce can of lemonade, frozen concentrate
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup warm water
Mix honey and water. Prepare lemonade as directed. Add honey-water to lemonade. Makes two quarts.
Honey-Glazed Sweet Potato Chips
- 2 sweet potatoes (about 1.25 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Combine butter and honey in a bowl and then toss with the potato slices. Arrange potato slices in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake four to five minutes; flip and bake four to five more minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
Honey-Baked Chicken
- 2½ to 3 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1½ cups plain breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
For glaze:
- 1 cup honey
- ¾ cups orange juice
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Parsley for garnish
Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Set up a breading station with three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko, plain breadcrumbs, and avocado oil. Add salt and pepper to each. The breadcrumbs should have the texture of wet sand.
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Starting with the flour, dredge the chicken pieces: flour, then eggs, then breadcrumb mixture. Transfer to a nine-by-13 baking pan. Bake chicken for 25 minutes.
While chicken is in the oven, combine honey, orange juice, soy sauce, garlic, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
When chicken is done baking, remove from oven and reduce heat to 350°. Pour glaze over chicken, leaving ¼ of it in the pan. Return chicken to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
Place saucepan with remaining glaze on the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce to the consistency of a thick syrup. When the chicken is done, put it on a platter and pour the glaze over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Honey Lemon Bars
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup butter or margarine, cut in cubes
- ¾ cup honey
- 3 eggs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- Zest from 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. In a bowl, combine flour and powdered sugar; mix well. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture into lightly greased eight-inch-by-eight-inch baking pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together honey and eggs. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Pour over baked crust. Return to oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until filling is set. Cool completely on a wire rack and then cut into bars.
