Need A Substitute For Honey? 10 Worthy Options

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When you’re looking for a substitute for honey, it’s important to find something that will give you the same flavor and sweetness like honey. Keep reading to learn more!

Honey Substitutes Worth Your Time

Honey is a common ingredient in many recipes. Honey is more than a condiment to your morning coffee or drizzled on top of your oats. It can be a key ingredient in many sweet and savory dishes.

Honey, however delicious, can present problems for many people. Honey is not suitable for vegans because it is made from honey bees. Vegans will need to look for a substitute for honey in any recipe that includes honey.

Honey allergies are also very common. Honey allergies can be as simple as being allergic to honey. People with severe pollen allergies might also avoid honey. Click To Tweet

substitute for honey

Sometimes it is just that you don’t have honey at home or can’t stand honey. You may need to search for an alternative.

This article will help you find honey substitutes, no matter what your reason may be. This article will explore the best honey substitutes available and tell you which one would work best in your recipe.

We will include many vegan options here as we suspect this article appeals to a largely vegetarian (or honey-allergic!) audience.

Despite this, many of the honey alternatives are easy to find in your local health food stores, even if you’re not a vegan. You may even have some in your pantry!

1. Molasses

Molasses is one of the best substitutes for honey. You can choose between light and dark molasses.

Do not let your guard down and use blackstrap molasses. It will overpower your recipe and make honey substitutes impossible.

Molasses is generally suitable for vegans. However, we recommend that you check the packaging to confirm that it is suitable.

Light molasses is the best. It can be used in the same quantity as honey. If you need one teaspoon of honey in your recipe, you can use the same amount light molasses.

You may only need half a cup of molasses. It’s enough for half a cup of honey. You can add more if you think you need more.

2. Agave Nectar

Agave nectar can be used as a vegan honey substitute and as a sugar substitute for those who are trying to reduce sugar intake. Click To Tweet

It is, therefore, a great addition to a diabetic’s diet.

It is the nectar from the agave plant, which is a type of cactus. This plant is used to make Tequila. It is, however, very sweet.

substitute for honey

You will need less agave syrup to make honey than you do for agave syrup. Use 25% less agave syrup to make honey than you would for honey.

If your recipe calls to use a teaspoon of honey, you might try using three-quarters of the teaspoon of agave syrup.

3. Corn Syrup

Corn syrup is well-known for its high sugar content and is used in many of our favorite processed foods. Both the dark and light versions can be used in place of honey.

If you want to have a subtle flavor, light corn syrup might be the best choice. You might consider using less dark corn syrup to avoid an overpowering flavor.

One teaspoon of light corn syrup can be used for every two teaspoons of honey. Half a teaspoon of dark corn syrup can be used for every two teaspoons of honey.

You can always taste it and check for sweetness as you go.

4. Brown Sugar, Water

If you don’t have honey, a simple mixture of brown sugar with water can be used as a substitute. To achieve the same consistency and texture like honey, make sure there is more sugar than water.

It may be necessary to make a paste out of it. Brown sugar is more expensive than honey. To find out how much, add it teaspoon by teaspoon. Then taste the recipe between each addition to get the desired taste.

If you prefer, you can also use brown sugar alone. This would work equally well in baked recipes or sauces where the sugar can dissolve in the heat.

5. Barley Malt Syrup

Most often, barley malt syrup is used to replace molasses. They have a similar flavor, but barley syrup has a milder taste and doesn’t leave behind the bitter aftertaste of molasses.

It can be used in place of honey, if necessary. It is made from malted and sprouted barley. This means that the taste of the product is slightly fermented.

Barley malt syrup is a unique and versatile ingredient that can add a new dimension to many of your favorite recipes. It has a distinct taste that works well in sweet dishes and barbecue sauces, making it the perfect addition to any meal.

Honey can be used as a substitute for barley malt syrup in a 1:1 ratio.

6. Coconut Syrup or Nectar

Coconut syrup is a sweet, natural syrup made from the nectar of coconut flowers. It can be used as a vegan and natural honey substitute in all recipes.

Coconut syrup brands may use palm oil. This is something that vegans should be aware of because of the many exploitative methods and methods used to obtain palm oil. Make sure you only buy syrup that is free from palm oil. Click To Tweet

It can be used in the same quantity as honey. This means that you can use one teaspoon coconut nectar syrup to one teaspoon of honey in your recipes. Because of its subtle coconut flavor, it works well in sweet dishes.

7. Maple syrup

Our honey alternatives list couldn’t be complete without the beloved waffle and pancake topping! Maple syrup can be used in many honey-containing recipes to great effect as a vegan honey substitute.

Maple syrup is not only good for sweet recipes. Maple syrup is a great substitute for honey in barbecue sauce recipes. It adds depth to the dish and is great with ribs or wings.

Maple syrup and honey can be used in the same way. Maple syrup and honey can be used in the same amount. It’s easy to find, and you probably have some in your fridge.

8. Golden syrup

Golden syrup is a popular British condiment made from sugar cane. It is similar to maple syrup in the United States but has a unique flavor that is enjoyed by many.

Golden syrup is a type of sugar that is used in many desserts and snacks, such as flapjacks and golden syrup sponge pudding.

substitute for honey

You can buy it in America, but it is often overshadowed sometimes by maple syrup.

Golden syrup is more subtle than maple and has a caramel-like taste. It is best used in sweet recipes as an option for honey. You can use it in all kinds of biscuit and cake recipes.

As with many other honey alternatives, you can substitute one teaspoon of golden syrup with one teaspoon of honey.

Golden syrup shouldn’t be used in salty dishes. The strong caramel flavor can ruin your dishes.

9. Rice Malt Syrup

Rice malt syrup is a versatile sweetener that can be used as a honey alternative. It has a similar taste to honey, making it a great choice for baking and other recipes. It is also gluten-free, making it a good option for people with dietary restrictions.

It is also known by the name brown rice syrup. It is much more difficult to find, and you will not have it in your kitchen or pantry if you don’t even have honey.

It is a great vegan honey substitute, so many vegans may already have it. It can be used in conjunction with honey. This means that you can substitute one teaspoon of honey for the same amount of rice malt syrup.

This brown rice pudding is a great choice for those avoiding processed white sugar and fructose. Made with wholesome brown rice, it’s a delicious and healthy dessert option.

It has a high glycemic index score and can be quite expensive compared to other options on the list.

10. White Sugar

If you’re desperate, you can use white sugar instead of honey in your recipes.

Although it won’t have the same depth of honey or any other options on our list, it will still provide a sweet taste. It dissolves easily in all recipes so it can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.

If you are substituting honey with white sugar, we recommend adding a little more white sugar to your recipes.

If a recipe calls for one teaspoon of honey, you can substitute two teaspoons of white sugar. To ensure that it doesn’t get too sweet, we recommend tasting it before adding more.

Honey Substitute FAQ

Is Brown Sugar A Good Substitute For Honey?


Brown sugar can be replaced with honey. It has a similar taste to honey. However, it is sweeter than honey.

You might need to add less liquid to honey if you are using it as a substitute for brown sugar.
For every 1 cup brown sugar, use 3/4 cup of honey. Reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe by 3 to 4 tablespoons for every 1 cup substitution.

Add 1 tablespoon of flour to 1/4 cup honey if there isn’t any liquid.

What’s A Healthy Substitute For Honey?


Natural honey is healthier than honey that has been infused with extra sugar. However, there are many healthy honey alternatives.

Maple syrup is made from maple trees. It can be used as a substitute for honey in many recipes.

If you are in a pinch, pure maple syrup can be a good substitute.

If you love waffles and pancakes, you’ll probably already have this ingredient in your pantry. It will not taste the same as honey.

It is worth noting that maple syrup imitation products are available on the market.
These imitations are not as expensive as real maple syrup but they often contain high fructose corn sugar, so be aware of this when buying maple syrup.

Can You Use Honey As A Sugar Substitute?



You can use honey instead of sugar, but there are some things you should be aware of.

Honey is a liquid so you will need to add liquid to your recipe if you want to replace it with sugar.
1 cup honey can be replaced with 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup liquid. You can substitute water for the honey or use a liquid already in your recipe, such as milk.

If you substitute honey for sugar, your recipe will not be too different.

However, the flavor and texture of honey won’t be the same, but the result will still be delicious.
You can use 1/2 cup sugar and 3/4 cup corn syrup to get the texture closer to the original recipe.

Can You Use Maple Syrup As A Honey Substitute?

You can substitute maple syrup for honey in situations where you are in a pinch. However, the flavor of the maple syrup will not be the same as the original recipe.




Some people prefer maple syrup to be used in place of honey in a recipe. Others prefer 1/2 cup of honey to 3/4 cup maple syrup.

This helps to mimic maple syrup, but it is up to you to decide how sweet you like your recipes.

It is important to note that the substitution will affect both the taste and texture of maple syrup. Maple syrup is much thinner than honey so you’ll need some experimentation to make maple syrup look like syrup.

If you’re used to making the same recipe using maple syrup, it might produce a slightly different result.

A Sweet Conclusion

Thanks for reading! If you’re looking for a substitute for honey, be sure to check out these great options. Whether you’re looking for something sweet or trying to avoid sugar, we’ve got the perfect substitution for you.

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