Baking with the Best: Honey > Sugar

The next time you’re up for a baking challenge, try substituting honey for sugar. According to dietitians, honey is sweeter, has a longer shelf life and doesn’t raise your blood sugar as much as everyday granulated sugar.

Here are five things to consider when substituting honey for sugar.

1. A little goes a long way.

Honey is sweeter than sugar, so you can use less of it. For every one cup of sugar in your recipe, use between 2/3 cup and 3/4 cup of honey, depending on personal preference. 

2. Lighten up on wet ingredients.

Honey is around 15% water, whereas sugar isn’t. To ensure your recipe isn’t too gooey or runny, reduce the amount of other liquids you’d normally use by 1/4 cup.

3. Is it hot in here?

Honey can bake or burn more quickly than sugar. If you use honey instead of sugar, try lowering the suggested oven temperature by about 25°F. Bonus: it may speed up your baking process (so keep an eye on the oven!).

4. Balance it out with baking soda.

Honey is more acidic than sugar, and baking is a bit of a science. So, to balance your recipe, try adding 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda—especially if you’re making something with buttermilk or banana.

5. A slick way to clean up.

We’ve got a slick tip for measuring sticky ingredients like honey. Coat your measuring cup or spoon with a thin layer of oil or nonstick spray before measuring. It’ll cut your cleaning time in half. You can use the same tip for other sticky ingredients like jam, molasses or syrup.