How To Use Honey to Replace Other Sweeteners

There is a lot of information out there on how to use honey to replace sugar.

But a customer at the Ferndale Market (Washington) asked me how to replace agave and stivia with honey.  I was at a loss.  “I don’t know” is honest, but it doesn’t help much.

A google search later, I was still at a loss.  So I turned to the National Honey Board (http://www.honey.com).  They, in turn, asked one of their consultants.  His answer and little math, lead me to the solution.  I’ll put up the chart he sent me at the end.  It’s fascinating: the different sugars and how they relate.  But I’ll jump to the quick here and put down some “how to’s” on using honey to replace other sweeteners.

Remember: in all cases, personal taste will come into play.

Honey replacing Sugar (this one I know)

* For ½ cup or less of sugar, use the same amount of honey

* In general: substitute ¾ cup honey for 1 cup  (Personal taste

comes into play here)

* You may need to reduce your liquids by ¼ cup for each cup of honey used.

* When baking, lower oven temperature by 25 degrees to prevent over browning

* Jelly with added pectin: use up to 2 cups of honey to replace sugar (i.e. 7 cups of sugar becomes 5 cups sugar, 2 cups honey)

Honey replacing Agave.  

It’s pretty much one to one.

Use one cup of honey for each up of agave.

Honey replacing Stevia:

Stevia, now there’s a powerfully sweet herb.

Use 3 oz of honey for each teaspoon of stevia (or about a cup of honey for 1 Tablespoon stevia)

So about 1 cup of honey for a tablespoon of stevia

Now, this is a guess, but I figure if you’re adding a cup of honey to recipe, you might think about reducing the water in your recipe by just under 1.5 ounces.  This is because all honey has water in it, but never more than 18%.

Here’s the chart from the National Honey Board:

Do you substitute honey for your sweeteners?  If so, how do these amounts compare to what you have discovered in your culinary creations?  I’d love to know, and I bet others would too.

That’s the news from Brookfield Farm Bees and Honey, in Maple Falls, Washington.  Good eating.