How to Use Honey in Place of White Sugar

Reviewed by Chef Jeff Woodward

Last Updated: August 25, 2025 References

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If you’re trying to cut down on processed sugar consumption, but you still want to sweeten certain foods and drinks, honey is a great sugar substitute. Honey is more natural and may be healthier than highly refined white sugar. However, honey is sweeter than sugar, so you can’t just switch out honey for white sugar in equal quantities. Check out this list of guidelines for replacing white sugar with honey in different recipes. We’ll start with some tips on using honey instead of sugar in baking, then move on to some general ideas for other recipes to use honey as a sweetener in.

1

Swap in 1/2 to 2/3 the amount of honey in baking.

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This is a good general rule of thumb to follow. For every 1 cup (201 g) of sugar your baking recipe calls for, substitute 1/2-2/3 cup (170-226 g) of honey. Different types of honey can vary a lot in sweetness, so use your best judgment based on how sweet the honey you have available is.^{[1]
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- Don’t use honey in any baking recipes that call for creaming. This process can only be done by beating together granulated sugar and butter.^{[2]
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2

Scale back the liquid when you bake with honey.

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Use about 1/4 cup (59 mL) less liquid per 1 cup (340g) of honey. Honey consists of approximately 20% liquid. To compensate for this when you use honey instead of white sugar in baking, reduce the amount of whatever liquid the recipe calls for.^{[3]
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- Honey works great for baked goods that you want to have a soft, moist, cakey texture.^{[4]
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3

Add baking soda if you subbed honey for sugar.

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Baking soda balances the natural acidity of honey. The baking soda also helps whatever you’re baking rise properly.^{[5]
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4

Bake at 25 °F (−4 °C) lower when using honey.

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Lower the temperature of your oven whenever you use honey instead of sugar in a baking recipe to prevent the baked goods from browning too soon. Check on whatever you’re baking often to make sure it doesn’t get burnt or overbaked.^{[6]
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5

Try honey syrup instead of simple syrup.

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You can use this in cocktails, vinaigrettes, and marinades. Heat up equal parts of water and honey in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir the mixture constantly until the honey dissolves. Remove the pan from heat and let the honey syrup cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks.^{[7]
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- You can infuse your honey syrup with other flavors like mint, rosemary, lavender, or basil. Just heat some of whatever flavoring you want to add in the pan with the honey and water, and strain it out before you store the syrup.

6

Use honey in homemade pizza dough.

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Whatever quantity of sugar your pizza dough recipe calls for, use about 1/2-2/3 that amount of honey instead. Even if you don’t normally put sugar in your pizza dough, try adding a drizzle of honey and see what subtle difference it makes in your crust!^{[8]
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7

Sweeten tea or coffee with honey.

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This is a good way to cut refined sugar out of your daily habits. Add a little honey to your morning cup of joe or your afternoon tea and stir it in thoroughly. Remember that honey is sweeter than white sugar, so start with a small amount and add more to taste if you want to make your drink sweeter.^{[9]
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- Adding the honey to your cup or mug before you pour the beverage in can make it easier to mix in.

8

Make honey lemonade.

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Honey and lemons go hand in hand. To start, combine 1 cup (237 mL) of water with 1 cup (340g) of honey in a pot over medium heat on your stovetop. Heat the mixture, stirring it regularly, until it’s a uniform consistency. Remove it from the stove and let it cool for 15-20 minutes. Mix the honey syrup with 2 1/2 cups (0.59 L) of water and 1 1/2 cups (0.35 L) of lemon juice in a pitcher and enjoy!^{[10]
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- Feel free to adjust the sweetness of the lemonade to taste by adding honey.

9

Use honey in fruit preservation recipes.

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You can use honey instead of sugar to make canned fruits. Select a mild-flavored honey for canning if you don’t want your recipe to taste too much different. Since honey is so much sweeter than sugar, make sure to use less honey than the sugar your recipe calls for.
- A good rule of thumb is to use about 1/4 less honey than the sugar you would normally use to can fruits.

10

Sweeten sorbet or ice cream with honey.

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Sorbet and ice cream normally use refined sugar, but honey works just as well. Check how much sugar your recipe calls for, then use about 3/4 the amount of honey instead. Chill the sorbet or ice cream mixture you made for your recipe, then pour it into an ice cream maker and mix it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze the ice cream or sorbet for about 2 hours before eating it.^{[11]
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- For example, try making strawberry honey sorbet by blending 1 lb (0.45 kg) of quartered and hulled strawberries with 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of vodka and 1/4 cup (85 g) of honey.

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Why is sugar so hard to replace?

Tara Coleman
Clinical Nutritionist
Tara Coleman is a Clinical Nutritionist who has a private practice in San Diego, California. With over 15 years of experience, Tara specializes in sports nutrition, body confidence, and immune system health and offers personalized nutrition, corporate wellness, and online learning courses. She received a BS in Biology from James Madison University and spent six years in the pharmaceutical industry as an analytical chemist before founding her practice. Tara has been featured on NBC, CBS, Fox, ESPN, and Dr. Oz The Good Life as well as in Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Self, and Runner’s World.

Tara Coleman

Clinical Nutritionist

Expert Answer

Sugar cravings are powerful. In fact, they're the often the first sign of hunger. When sugar levels go too low, your stress levels can even increase. All of these factors make it difficult to get rid of the craving without something sweet.

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