5 Ways To Use Crystallized Honey

Most are used to seeing honey as a smooth, golden liquid. So, when you see your honey turning solid in the jar, it might look like something's gone terribly wrong inside, but actually, this process — called crystallization — is totally natural. You see, about 80% of honey is made of sugars like fructose and glucose. Over time, these sugars can separate from the water and form crystals. These honey crystals will keep "growing" until all the sugar within the honey becomes solid crystal granules.

Here's the good part: Liquid and crystallized honey are equally edible. In fact, they keep the same flavor (some people even swear that crystallized honey tastes better) and you'll still get all the health benefits of honey, too. The only issue with crystallized honey is that because it's thicker, you'll need to get a bit more creative when using it in recipes. Fortunately, crystalized honey turns out to be pretty versatile in the kitchen!

If you have a habit of sweetening your hot beverages with honey, good news: You can do that with crystallized honey, too. Using it is pretty straightforward, much like using a sugar cube. Simply scoop up a spoonful and stir it into your warm drink. The heat will quickly melt down the crystals, adding a comforting, gentle sweetness to your morning tea, coffee, or even a warm cocktail like a hot toddy.

The trick to using crystallized honey as a drink sweetener is temperature. Sugar crystals will have a very hard time melting in cool water. So, if you're sweetening cooler drinks like the tangy iced coffee mazagran, you might find it harder to dissolve the crystals completely, which may lead to you finding tough clumps of honey crystal at the bottom of your cup. As such, for iced drinks, it's probably best to turn your crystallized honey into a syrup — more on that later — to ensure that it blends easily and quickly into the drink.

Honey is a popular spread for breakfast toasts and bagels, but when it crystallizes and becomes chunky, spreading it can be a bit of a challenge. If you're missing the smooth texture of liquid honey, but still want to give crystallized honey a shot, here's a solution: Try making whipped honey! Also called creamed honey, this spread is created by whipping crystallized honey with a stand mixer until it transforms into a creamy, almost buttery consistency.

You only need honey and a stand mixer to make it — no cream or dairy required, despite the name. Simply place the crystallized honey in the mixer and whip! As the honey is mixed, the solid crystals break down, resulting in a light-colored mixture. The honey changes from a chunky, almost solid consistency to a thick, almost liquid paste similar to melted peanut butter in consistency.

From there you can spread your whipped honey onto any type of bread just as you normally would. Any leftover whipped honey can be stored in a jar and should stay fresh for about a week.

Oatmeal and yogurt are filling foods that can be eaten for any meal, but instead of using regular sugar, lots of people like to sweeten them up with natural sweeteners like honey. And guess what? Crystallized honey works just as well as the liquid kind in this role!

If you don't like the texture of crystallized honey, then a warm bowl of oatmeal should be your go-to. Add a spoonful of the honey to your oatmeal as you cook it over the stove or heat it in the microwave. The warmth will help it melt right in, giving you that sweet flavor without giving it a grainy mouthfeel. This trick is perfect if you prefer just the sweet honey taste in your oatmeal without any added texture. 

But if you're into a little crunch, try sprinkling the crystalized honey over a bowl of yogurt or your already-cooked oatmeal. The residual heat of the oatmeal will still cause the crystallized honey to melt a bit, but if you dig in quickly enough, some of the solid crystals will still be around. On top of cold yogurt, the crystallized honey should stay mostly solid. Either way, it's a wonderful textural addition to your bowl, creating a lovely contrast between the honey sugar crystals and the cold, creamy texture of yogurt or the softness of your warm oatmeal!

While the half-solid form of crystallized honey makes it difficult to incorporate properly into a cocktail, you can still add it to your drink by melting it down into honey simple syrup. Making it is a breeze: Just combine equal parts crystallized honey and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the mixture dissolves, then transfer it to a jar and let it cool.

That's really all there is! You can use it as an ingredient in classic cocktails that make use of honey, such as the Bee's Knees and the Brown Derby. But the fun doesn't stop there — there are plenty of creative uses for it in a cocktail. For instance, you can use the stickiness of the honey syrup by creating a honey rim or by adding a drizzle of honey around the inside of your cocktail glass.

Beyond cocktails (and other cold drinks), honey simple syrup is versatile enough to use as a drizzle. Try pouring it over pancakes, waffles, or ice cream for an extra special treat!

Honey mustard, with its tangy mustard punch, is a great all-purpose sauce. You can use it as a dip for chicken wings and fries, as a glaze for ham to give it an extra bit of flavor, or even as a salad dressing. For what it's able to do, the recipe is exceedingly simple. Mix the crystalized honey with mayo, Dijon mustard, and a touch of vinegar. Once it's turned light and creamy, your honey mustard is good to go!

Since we're using crystallized honey instead of the usual liquid type, opt for an electric mixer over a whisk or spoon to combine your ingredients. It'll take longer to dissolve the honey crystals — minutes compared to only seconds with liquid honey — so an electric mixer will save you a great deal of shoulder strain. The heat from the electric mixer will also aid in breaking down the honey crystals. However, if you prefer some texture in your sauce, stirring by hand works too; just blend until everything is well combined and your sauce reaches your desired consistency.

Once your sauce is ready, the possibilities are endless. Dip your chicken wings, glaze your meat, or toss it with a salad—the choice is yours!