Substitute Honey for Sugar | Blue Flame Kitchen (2024)

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How do I substitute honey for sugar in baking?

Honey is Mother Nature's original sweetener. Full-bodied flavour and made right here in Alberta, there are lots of reasons to use honey in our recipes. One of the main reasons people choose to sub honey in is because they think it's a healthier choice than sugar.

In truth, honey does have some benefits, like being less processed and having more micronutrients. But we have to be careful. Honey is sweeter and higher in calories than sugar. Plus, honey’s a liquid ingredient, while sugar’s a solid. Before you go swapping out the sugar in your Mee-maw’s famous baking recipes, there are some things you might need to consider first.

To substitute 1 cup of sugar:

  1. Use 2/3 cup honey. Honey is sweeter than sugar, so you need to use less.
  2. Decrease other liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup, because there’s water in the honey too.
  3. Lower the baking temperature by 25°F. Honey makes baked goods brown faster.
  4. If there’s already another acidic ingredient in the recipe, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda when you use honey. Honey’s an acid, so if there’s buttermilk, molasses or banana in the recipe, you’ll need to cancel it out with some baking soda.

TIP: Spray measuring tools with cooking spray before measuring honey to help it slide out easily.

Try making these tasty treats with honey, no substitutions needed.

Decrystallizing Honey

Learn how to turn your crystallized honey back into a liquid.

Substitute Honey for Sugar | Blue Flame Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Substitute Honey for Sugar | Blue Flame Kitchen? ›

Honey is a popular, versatile sweetener that can be used instead of white cane sugar in baking, sauces and hot drinks. Honey works well in moist, dense, full-flavoured bakes.

Can you use honey as a sugar substitute? ›

Honey is a popular, versatile sweetener that can be used instead of white cane sugar in baking, sauces and hot drinks. Honey works well in moist, dense, full-flavoured bakes.

How much honey to replace 1/2 cup sugar? ›

How Much Honey to Use in Place of Sugar
SUGARHONEYREDUCED LIQUID
1/2 Cup (125mL)1/3 Cup (75mL)2 tsp (10mL)
2/3 Cup (150mL)1/2 Cup (125mL)5 tsp (25mL)
3/4 Cup (175mL)2/3 Cup (150mL)2 Tbsp (30mL)
1 Cup (250 mL)3/4 Cup (175mL)2 1/2 Tbsp (37mL)
5 more rows

Can I use honey instead of sugar when making bread? ›

out the sugar for honey! Just substitute honey for the. same amount of sugar in the recipe and add a little. extra flour to make up for the added moisture.

Why do you use honey instead of sugar in baking? ›

Honey does more than just add earthy sweetness to a recipe, it adds air to baked goods keeping them moist, contributes to browning, and adds chewiness and crispness. And each honey varietal imparts a different flavour to your baking.

Is honey equal to sugar? ›

The exact makeup of each individual honey varies somewhat, but honey is generally composed of 80% sugar (fructose & glucose), 2% minerals, vitamins, pollen & protein. One tablespoon of honey contains 64 Calories. By contrast, a tablespoon of sugar contains 45 Calories.

How much honey is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar? ›

To convert smaller portions of sweetener in baked goods, like individual mug cakes, use slightly more than 3/4 the amount of honey as you would sugar, or decrease by 1 to 2 teaspoons.

Will yeast activate with honey? ›

Honey or agave syrup work too. Types of Yeast: Active dry yeast lies dormant and needs a warm liquid to become “activated.” Instant yeast, also known as quick-rise or rapid-rise yeast, does not need to be activated or “bloomed” before using.

How does honey affect bread dough? ›

Much like sugar, honey will feed the yeast in a very fast manner, meaning that it can increase the rise of your sourdough. This can be advantageous, but be aware that it can cause over fermentation and over proofing. Honey added to pizza dough will give your crust a gorgeous golden hue when baked.

Can you replace sugar with honey for yeast? ›

You can use a one-to-one substitution of honey for sugar in most yeast breads, muffins, pancakes and waffles. Add baking soda. Add ½ teaspoon baking soda for every 1 cup of honey used.

Why can't you bake with honey? ›

Honey is more liquid than sugar, changing the consistency of your baked goods. Honey is more acidic than sugar and will change the flavor of your baked goods. Honey browns more quickly than sugar, which can result in overbaked goods.

Can I replace white sugar with honey in baking? ›

Use less honey than sugar.

The Rule: For every 1 cup of sugar, substitute 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey.

What is the best honey to bake with? ›

Buckwheat Honey

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 is the healthiest alternative to sugar? ›

Stevia and monk fruit are both naturally derived from plants and some people feel they have a flavor very similar to regular sugar. The FDA says these sweeteners are “generally regarded as safe,” which means they are safe to use for their intended purpose.

Can I eat honey on a no sugar diet? ›

No, Sugar-free diets encourage people to avoid table sugar (sucrose), sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup, refined flours, condiments, soft drinks, sweets and some fruits such as bananas. Some also recommend eliminating or restricting dairy products.

Is honey inflammatory like sugar? ›

Honey contains mostly sugar, as well as a mix of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, iron, zinc and antioxidants. In addition to its use as a natural sweetener, honey is used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial agent.

Does honey affect blood sugar levels? ›

That means honey (like all carbohydrates) raises blood sugar quickly, but not quite as fast as sugar. Still, it's not a big difference. There's not likely to be a benefit to swapping sugar for honey if you have diabetes, since they affect your blood sugar in similar ways.

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