When is the last time you found yourself in a baking groove only to realize at the worst possible moment that you’ve run out of sugar? There’s no need to panic and put your treats on hold while you make a beeline for the grocery store. Baking with honey can bea simple and effective alternative that will add the sweetness your recipe calls for!
1. Different Types of Honey = Different Types of Flavor
Honey is often used as a substitute for sugar and other sweeteners in baking. Using honey as a baking substitute can be a quick fix, but it’s important to remember that different types of honey can have varying effects on the taste of your creation. Light honey, for instance, is sweeter and unlikely to be overpowering, while darker honey has a more distinct flavor and can potentially alter the taste of the recipe if one adds too much.
2. Add Honey and Subtract Moisture
The first thing you need to remember about substituting honey for sugar is that, when adding a liquid sweetener – in this case honey – to your recipe, you must account for the added moisture and take away liquid in other areas. Honey adds additional moisture to a recipe and is great for baked goods like breads, cakes, muffins and pies. A good rule of thumb is to subtract 1/4 cup of liquid elsewhere for every full cup of honey used.
3. One Cup of Sugar = One Cup of Honey
As for how much honey needs to be added to your baking, you can actually substitute equal parts honey for sugar. For example, if your recipe calls for one cup of sugar, use one cup of honey instead. Keep in mind, though, that for every cup of honey used, you’ll need to increase the baking soda by 1/2 teaspoon to help neutralize the acidity of the honey and help the food rise.
4. Reduce Temperature to Prevent Overbrowning
After you’ve got your all your ingredients mixed and you’re ready to bake, it’s important to remember that honey bakes faster than sugar so be sure to lower your oven temperature by 25 degrees to prevent overbrowning. Once you’re finished, brush your delicious treats with honey for a sweet, shiny glaze after they have cooled down and enjoy!
FAQs
Buckwheat Honey
It has a bolder flavor than more lighter colored varieties, sometimes described as both nutty and slightly bitter. Its strong flavor stands up well to mixing in with other flavors in a dish, making it a great choice for cooking and baking applications.
What temperature can I bake honey at? ›
Reduce the oven temperature by 25°F. Honey will caramelize quicker than granulated sugar, so turn down the heat to make sure your baked goods don't brown too fast.
How to use honey for baking? ›
If your recipe calls for 1 cup of honey or more, reduce the amount of the other liquids (like milk, oil, and water) by ¼ cup for every 1 cup of honey. If the recipe doesn't include any other liquids, then ADD 2 tablespoons of flour with every 1 cup of honey to soak up extra moisture.
What happens when you put honey in the oven? ›
Cooking honey at 40 degree Celsius or more can cause negative chemical change that makes it taste bitter. Cooking destroys the potent health benefits of honey.
What happens if you use honey instead of sugar in baking? ›
Honey makes baked goods brown faster. If there's already another acidic ingredient in the recipe, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda when you use honey.
Does honey expire? ›
“Honey does not spoil, however for best quality, the USDA recommends storing honey for up to 12 months,” Amidor says. “After that time, it remains safe but the quality may not be as good. If the honey becomes cloudy, crystallized or solidified this is not a food safety concern.”
What not to do with honey? ›
Be careful not to overheat honey. Excessive heat can cause honey to change color and flavor.
What happens when you put honey on the stove? ›
Heating honey to high temperatures – generally above 45-50°C – eliminates these benefits by killing the bacteria, enzymes, and antioxidants that make honey so powerful. Heating honey – whether at home in the cooking process, or by commercial producers – seems like a huge waste of an incredible natural product.
Does honey activate baking soda? ›
Baking soda is a quick-acting leavening agent. As soon as pure baking soda is blended with moisture and an acidic ingredient, such as honey, buttermilk, molasses, chocolate, yogurt, sour cream, brown sugar, or cocoa, a chemical reaction occurs that produces bubbles of carbon dioxide.
Why should you not bake with honey? ›
Notably, Western science seems to agree with the notion that cooked honey is noxious. One study found that heated honey produced a significant amount of hydroxymethyl furfuraldehyde (HMF), which in turn may cause negative effects on your health, though more research is needed at this stage.
The natural sugars in honey caramelize quickly and can burn faster than white sugar. To avoid burning your honey, be sure to lower your oven temperature by about 25 degrees from what the recipe recommends.
What is the purpose of honey in baking? ›
What Does Honey do in Baking? Honey is a 'humectant'. This means that it retains moisture- great news for baking as it helps keep biscuits and cake moist. Honey compared with traditional refined sugar, also means you gain a richer colour and fuller flavour.
What type of honey is used in baking? ›
Wildflower honey is more beneficial than regular processed sugar and when you use wildflower honey for baking, it makes your cake or pastry moister. It also extends the life of your baked goods as the moisture allows them to not become stale easily.
What type of honey is good for cooking? ›
Alfalfa Honey is our hands-down favorite for a sugar substitute in most recipes. Medium-bodied and sweet but buttery, Alfalfa honey will add a sweet richness to your recipes without darkening the batter or changing your original recipe's flavor profile.
What is bakery grade honey? ›
Industrial honey or Baker's Honey is honey that doesn't completely meet the criteria of table honey. The hydroxymethylfurfural content (HMF) of Baker's honey is allowed to be higher than 40mg/kg, which isn't the case in other types of honey.
Do bakeries use honey? ›
Honey also is used in bakery foods to enhance the flavors of other ingredients.
