How To Substitute Honey for Sugar in Baking

Honey is sweeter than sugar, so you use less in baking.  But there are other adjustments to be made as well.

• For every cup of sugar, use 1/2 to 2/3 cup of honey.  
• For every cup of honey you substitute in, reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup.  
• In recipes that use eggs or have no other liquid, like cookies, add two tablespoons of flour for each cup of honey.
• For every cup of honey used, add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to adjust for honey's acidity.
• Honey browns baked goods faster, so reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees (Fahrenheit, of course.  If I wanted to use Celsius and metric measurements, I would have been born in another country).  

There are other things to keep in mind as well with honey.  In general, the darker the honey, the stronger the flavor.  Very light-colored honeys are most neutral in flavor and work best in baked goods.  It's probably best to pass on buckwheat or avocado honey in this situation.  Also, because honey is so sticky, it doesn't want to come out of measuring cups or spoons easily.  Either measure the oil first or oil the cup first to aid release.

Because honey really does behave differently in baked goods, start by replacing only half the sugar with honey until you get a feel for things.   And in recipes that call for creaming butter and sugar together, it's probably best to avoid using honey.  Creaming the butter and sugar creates air pockets that are essential for producing the right texture.  Unfortunately, creaming butter and honey does not have the same effect.  

For further reading:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-substitute-honey-for-sugar/
https://blog.beeraw.com/baking-with-honey-substitute-for-sugar
https://www.thekitchn.com/4-rules-for-successfully-swapping-honey-for-sugar-in-any-baked-goods-230156
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/what-are-the-differences-between-raw-pure-natural-honey/

 1.10.20