9 Honey Cheese Pairings to Impress Your Guests

It’s the finest bite. Imagine the creamy, salty richness of an artisan cheese, followed by the bright, floral sweetness of pure, unheated honey. 

This is the pleasure of honey cheese pairings. It’s an easy way to turn a standard snack into a gourmet experience.

Best of all, you don’t need to be a professional chef to master this. You just need high-quality ingredients. 

In Canada, we’re lucky. We have access to pristine lands that produce some of the finest honey on the planet. When you pair OneRoot’s single-source honey with high-quality cheese, you taste the 'terroir'—the unique flavour of the land itself.

Let’s not keep your palate waiting. Here’s how to create the ultimate cheese board using raw and infused honeys.

The Science of Sweet and Savoury

Why do these two foods work so well together? It’s all about balance. 

While cheese brings the heavy richness of fat and salt, honey cuts through with necessary acidity and sweetness. It’s a beautiful contrast that wakes up your palate.

However, the quality of the honey matters. Most grocery store honey is pasteurized (heated), which destroys the natural enzymes and delicate floral aromas.

OneRoot’s pure honey is raw and unpasteurized. So, it retains the complex scent of the pristine Boreal Forest and its wildflowers. This adds a layer of depth to your cheese board that processed sugar syrups just cannot accomplish.

Now that you understand the chemistry of the pairing, let’s look at nine decadent combinations.

9 Top Honey Cheese Pairings from the Canadian North

Try our curated list. It’ll take you from classic combinations to bold, functional flavours.

1. The Canadian Classic: Boreal Wildflower & Aged Cheddar

Our Natural Raw Boreal Forest Wildflower Honey is a true taste of the North. Harvested from the pristine Canadian wilderness, it captures a rich and complex floral bouquet you can only get from such a diverse ecosystem. 

This depth of flavour provides a smooth, creamy counterpoint to the sharp taste of an aged Canadian Cheddar. The honey mellows the cheese's bite without losing its own character.

2. The Bold Contrast: Buckwheat & Blue Cheese

Blue cheeses like Roquefort or Stilton are intense and salty. They need a honey with a strong personality. 

Our Natural Raw Buckwheat Honey is dark, robust, and tastes of malt and molasses. It anchors the funkiness of the blue cheese, creating a savoury balance that’s deeply satisfying.

3. The Texture Play: Honeycomb & Camembert

For a conversational centrepiece, use Comb Honey (Honeycomb). Place a chunk of fresh honeycomb directly on top of a wheel of Brie or Camembert. 

The edible beeswax adds a chewy texture that contrasts beautifully with the soft, creamy rind of the cheese. It’s raw honey in its most natural packaging.

4. The Modern Kick: Spicy Chilli Infused & Creamy Havarti

For those who love a little heat, our Spicy Chilli Infused Hot Honey is a palate-awakener. 

The chilli infusion creates a 'swicy' (sweet and spicy) profile that cuts right through high-fat, creamy cheeses like Havarti or a mild Gouda. The heat lingers gently after the sweetness fades, making you crave another bite immediately.

5. The Fresh Bite: Organic Wildflower & Goat Cheese

Fresh goat cheese (chèvre) is tangy, earthy, and light. It requires a honey that’s sweet but mild. Our Organic Raw Wildflower Honey is the perfect match. It sweetens the tartness of the cheese without overpowering its delicate flavour. 

This is a great pairing for spring or summer gatherings.

6. The Functional Luxury: Royal Jelly & Manchego

Honey with Royal Jelly is a power food. Royal Jelly adds a slightly tart, acidic profile to the honey. 

This pairs exceptionally well with the nutty, buttery texture of a sheep’s milk cheese like Manchego. It tastes luxurious and provides a natural boost of nutrients.

7. The Earthy Balance: Ginseng Infused & Pecorino

Our Organic Ginseng Infused Honey brings a unique, earthy bitterness from Canadian ginseng. This creates a sophisticated pairing with a hard, salty cheese like Pecorino Romano. 

The herbal notes of the ginseng complement the saltiness of the cheese in a surprising way.

8. The Cozy Comfort: Cinnamon Infused & Baked Brie

If you’re serving warm cheese, reach for the Organic Ceylon Cinnamon Infused Honey. 

Bake a wheel of Brie until it’s gooey, then drizzle this warming honey over the top. The Ceylon cinnamon adds a festive, spicy aroma that is perfect for holiday entertaining.

9. The Dessert Board: Cacao Infused & Mascarpone

Who says cheese boards are only for appetizers? Mix Organic Cacao Infused Honey into a bowl of fresh Mascarpone or Ricotta. Now, spread it on a cracker or a slice of pear. 

It tastes like a deconstructed cheesecake with a rich chocolate twist, but without the refined sugar.

When to Serve a Honey & Cheese Board

• The 'Wine Down'. You don’t need a special occasion. A simple plate with one cheese and one jar of honey is the perfect way to end a busy week.

• The Sunday Brunch. Move beyond jam and toast. Serve fresh honeycomb with croissants and a mild cheese for a luxurious start to the day.

• The Dinner Party Starter. A board serves as a communal gathering point. It gets guests talking and eating immediately, without you being stuck in the kitchen.

• The Outdoor Picnic. Hard cheeses and a jar of raw honey travel well. It’s an easy, mess-free way to upgrade your lunch in the park.

• The Holiday Spread. Use our infused honey collection to add seasonal flavours like cinnamon or ginseng to your festive table.

Expert Tips for a Honey Tasting Event

If you’re hosting a tasting, keep these tips in mind to get the most out of your honey cheese pairings.

• Temperature Matters. Take your cheese out of the fridge an hour before serving. Cold cheese mutes the flavours. You should also serve the honey at room temperature. Cold honey can mute the distinct aromatic flavours. 

• Texture Variety. A great board has a mix of textures. Include a soft cheese (Brie), a hard cheese (Cheddar), and a crumbly cheese (Blue).

• Order of Operations. Arrange your board like a clock. Start with mild pairings (like Wildflower and Goat Cheese) and move clockwise toward the stronger ones (like Buckwheat or Hot Honey) so you don’t overwhelm your palate early on.

• Drizzle, Don't Drown. A little goes a long way. You want to taste the cheese and the honey together, not just the sugar.

• Palate Cleansers. Between bold pairings, eat a slice of apple, a plain cracker, or a few walnuts. This resets your taste buds so you can fully appreciate the next flavour.

Honey and Cheese Combo FAQs

Can you eat the wax in the honeycomb? 

Yes, absolutely. The beeswax is 100% natural and edible. It adds a lovely texture to the bite and contains small amounts of vitamin A.

Does raw honey expire? 

No. Honey is one of the only foods that never spoils. Bees create a perfect environment where bacteria can’t survive. If it creates crystals, that is just a sign of purity.

Just remember to keep it sealed in a cool (not cold) room. 

Can I serve my crystallized honey on the cheese board? 

Absolutely. Crystallization is a natural process for raw, unheated honey. It proves your honey hasn’t been over-processed. If you prefer it liquid, you can gently warm the jar in a bowl of warm water before serving.

Bring the Boreal Forest to Your Cheese Board

Building a cheese board is an art, but the ingredients should be simple. By choosing raw, organic honey from the Boreal Forest, you’re choosing purity and taste. 

But even more importantly, you’re supporting a healthy bee population while treating your guests to the best flavours Canada has to offer.

Ready to impress your guests with these gourmet combinations?

Shop the full OneRoot Pantry here.

Disclaimer: We love sharing our passion for wellness and nature's goodness. Please remember, the content on our blog is for general informational purposes. It should not be taken as medical advice. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.