Honey is the original all-natural sweetener. It’s more than just an ingredient — it’s a cultural benchmark, which is why we speak of things as “sweeter than honey” or “a land of milk and honey.” It’s also an unusually durable food, turning up in ancient tombs still unspoiled. Yet, a jar of honey stored in…
A Quick Q&A About Crystallized Honey
First, there are a few common questions about crystallized honey that we should address.
Why Is My Honey Crystallized?
Did you ever make rock candy as a kid? It starts with creating a sugar-heavy solution. Then, you add strings or wooden skewers to syrup-filled Mason jars to attract the sugar and form crystals. Honey is a heavy solution of natural sugars, and contains grains of pollen that attract the sugars. So, crystallization occurs naturally over time.
Is Crystallized Honey Still Good?
Absolutely. Think of it as you do peanut butter: It can be smooth or crunchy, but it’s good either way. In this case, it has simply gone from pourable to spreadable.
What Can I Do With Crystallized Honey?
You can use it in many of the same ways. Bake with it, spread it on a biscuit, or stir it into a hot drink.
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How To “Uncrystallize” Honey
If you prefer to use honey in its liquid form, it’s easy to fix. Just put your plastic squeeze bottle in a bowl or saucepan of warm (not boiling) water, and wait for five to 10 minutes (depending on how much honey has crystallized). You may have to give the honey a good stir to melt all of the crystals, but the heat should return it to its liquid gold state.
If the honey is in a glass jar, you can simply microwave it in 30-second increments until it’s entirely liquified again. For artisan honeys with delicate flavors, keep the temperature low — ideally under 100 degrees Fahrenheit — to protect those volatile aromas. For mass-market supermarket honey, you can risk a little impatience and higher temperatures.
Honey will be slow to recrystallize at temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so keeping it in a warm spot is helpful. Alternatively, you can delay crystallization for much longer by storing honey in the fridge, although this will make it stiff and less pourable. Just let it warm up to room temperature before you use it, and it’ll be fine.
