Honey Substitutes

eHow
June 23, 2011

The distinctive flavor notes in honey come from the nectar the bees used to make it. Although its sweetness is on par with granulated white sugar, honey isn't vegan-friendly and it can be dangerous for babies. Honey also registers high on the glycemic index. Most sweeteners are acceptable substitutes for honey, as long as you master the ratios.

Honey's Qualities
While many sweeteners can replicate honey's sweetness, various factors affect how effective those substitutions will be in recipes. Sweeteners all differ in terms of weight, moisture, acidity and taste. A cup of brown sugar weighs 6 oz.. A cup of white sugar weighs 8 oz. A cup of maple syrup weighs 11 oz. and a cup of honey weighs 12 oz. Cup-for-cup substitutions add the same volume of sweetener, but different weights. Consider this in finicky recipes, like souffles, that would sink with added weight, for example. Liquid sweeteners like honey and syrup add moisture to recipes, which affects texture. Honey also adds acidity and causes baked goods to brown more quickly.

White Sugar
Granulated white sugar has a neutral flavor and low moisture. It weighs about half as much as honey. A cup-for-cup substitution would result in a drier product. To substitute sugar for honey in a recipe, use 1 ¼ cups of sugar, plus ¼ cup of liquid per one cup of honey. Try adding ½ tsp. cream of tartar to imitate the texture of honey.

Brown Sugar
Brown sugar contains molasses, which contributes moisture to a recipe when the sugar begins to melt. As with white sugar, add ¼ cup extra liquid plus 1 ¼ cup of brown sugar per cup of honey. The product's moistness will be on par with a recipe made with honey, and the greatest difference will be taste.

Syrups
Maple syrup, molasses and corn syrup are interchangeable with honey cup-for-cup because they are of comparable viscosity. The flavor of corn syrup is relatively neutral, but maple syrup and molasses each have highly distinctive flavors. Consider how maple will compliment the dish before substituting it. If you're using molasses, try the lightest variety available. Per one cup of honey, mix ¾ cup of maple syrup, light or dark corn syrup or light molasses with ½ cup of granulated white sugar to neutralize the flavors a bit and imitate more closely the taste of honey.

Agave Nectar
Agave nectar is a natural sweetener from the Mexican blue agave plant. Its flavor is more neutral than other liquid sweeteners, and it is far lower on the glycemic index than sugar or honey, meaning it is less likely to raise blood sugar or trigger fat storage in the body. It is regarded as a sort of health food, but is widely available in grocery stores. Agave nectar is thinner than honey, but can be substituted cup for cup.

References
Ochef: Using Sugar, Brown Sugar, Honey & Maple Syrup Interchangeably
Joy of Baking: Baking Ingredient Substitution Table
All About Agave: Agave Nectar vs. Liquid Sugars