Thyme liqueur is a classic in country cupboards: an amber bottle, a half-erased label, and that aroma of the garrigue as soon as you open it. I always learned to make it that way, almost without a written recipe: thyme, alcohol, a little patience, then you filter it. That's all!
And yet, the result has a real character: herbaceous, a little resinous, very "clean" on the palate.
I mainly prepare this recipe when I have fresh thyme on hand, and I take the opportunity to slip in 2-3 seasonal ingredients that go naturally with it: a lemon zest, a few peppercorns and a touch of honey.
It doesn't transform the recipe into something else: it remains the traditional thyme maceration, just more rounded and more pleasant to use on a daily basis.
From a technical standpoint, the important point is cleanliness (sterilized jar) and the choice of alcohol: a white alcohol at 40–45° does the job perfectly and extracts the aromas well.
Next, you let the thyme macerate quietly while you live your life, then you carefully filter to obtain a clear alcohol.
When it comes to using it, moderation is key: it's an aromatic spirit, not a liqueur to be drunk straight from the glass. A teaspoon in herbal tea, a hot toddy, or even to flambé a pan of fruit, and you get that subtle hint of thyme that makes all the difference!
Thyme alcohol
4
parts14
minutes0
minutes137
kcal14
minutesA simple recipe for macerating thyme in alcohol, fragrant, herbaceous, and very clean. Keep it in a small bottle to flavor herbal tea, hot toddy, or fruit salad. It's also excellent in ice cream!
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Ingredients
25g of fresh thyme (ideally flowering)
250 ml of white alcohol at 40-45° (vodka or neutral brandy)
2 wide strips of lemon zest (without the white pith)
1 teaspoon of honey (7 g per teaspoon)
6 black peppercorns
1 small clean glass jar with lid (approx. 500 ml each)
1 coffee filter or cheesecloth
Preparation steps
- Sterilize the jar: rinse it with very hot water, then let it air dry (or 10 minutes in the oven at 110°C).
- Prepare the thyme: shake the sprigs, rinse quickly if necessary. Dry very well with a clean cloth — water is the enemy of maceration.
- Lightly crush the thyme between your fingers or with the back of a spoon, just to awaken the essential oils.
- Place in the jar: thyme, lemon zest, peppercorns. Add the honey.
- Pour in the alcohol. Close and shake for 10 seconds to dissolve the honey.
- Leave to macerate at room temperature, away from light. Shake briefly once a day for 7 to 10 days. Taste from the 7th day and stop when you like the scent.
- Filter: first through a fine sieve, then through a coffee filter or cheesecloth to obtain a clear alcohol.
- Transfer to a small, clean bottle. Label with the date. Store away from light.
📊 Nutritional Information
1 serving (approx. 60ml)
| Nutrient | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 137 kcal |
| Proteins | 0g |
| Carbohydrates | 1.6g |
| including sugars | 1.6g |
| Lipids | 0g |
| including saturated fatty acids | 0g |
| Fibers | 0.2g |
| Sodium | 1mg |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin C | 6% AJR |
| Vitamin A | 2% AJR |
| Vitamin B6 | 2% AJR |
| Minerals | |
| Iron | 3% AJR |
| Magnesium | 2% AJR |
| Potassium | 2% AJR |
* RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance
📝 Notes
Safety and common sense: this thyme-based recipe is a flavored alcohol. If you use it in a hot drink, add it off the heat to preserve the aromas.
For preserving thyme alcohol, a tinted (amber) bottle will really help to preserve the fragrance.
Excessive alcohol consumption is dangerous for your health. Drink in moderation.
💡 Chef's Tips
For a milder thyme liqueur, reduce the maceration time to 5-6 days. For a stronger flavor, macerate for 10 days but filter well: over-infused thyme can become slightly bitter. Use it sparingly: 1 teaspoon is more than enough to flavor!
🔄 Variations
- Thyme alcohol without honey: remove the honey, you will have a drier and sharper alcohol, practical in cooking (flaming, fruit etc…).
- A more "garrigue" recipe: add 1 small bay leaf during the maceration of your thyme alcohol, then remove it when filtering.
