Honey is a wonderful ingredient to cook with — it adds moisture, a gentle floral sweetness and lovely colour. A few simple rules will help you get the best from it.
Swapping honey for sugar
- Honey is sweeter than sugar, so use about ¾ cup of honey for every 1 cup of sugar.
- Reduce the other liquids in the recipe by roughly 60 ml (¼ cup) per cup of honey.
- Because honey browns faster, lower the oven by about 10–15°C and check bakes early.
Keep the flavour
High heat mutes honey's aroma. For dressings, drizzles and finishing, add a milder honey off the heat so its character survives. Save robust honeys like heather for glazes and marinades where you want the flavour to stand up to cooking.
Everyday ideas
- Dressing — whisk honey with mustard, olive oil and a splash of vinegar.
- Glaze — brush honey over roast vegetables or salmon in the last few minutes.
- Marinade — honey, soy and garlic for chicken or tofu.
Looking for full recipes? See our honey recipes for step-by-step ideas.