Honey Substitutes

Out of honey? These are the swaps that actually work, with conversion ratios for any recipe size and notes on how each one changes the result.

Need to convert honey between cups, grams, or ounces first? Open the honey converter.

What to use instead of honey

  • Maple Syrup

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup honey = 1 cup maple syrup (1:1 by volume)

    Maple syrup is thinner and lighter than honey (325 g vs 350 g per cup), with a clean caramel note rather than floral sweetness. Reduce other liquid by 2 to 3 tbsp per cup if the bake turns out wetter than expected.

    See maple syrup substitutes →

  • Golden Syrup

    Ingredient swap

    1 cup honey = 1 cup golden syrup (1:1 by volume)

    Golden syrup weighs the same per cup (350 g) and is similarly thick, with a buttery toffee note rather than floral. Works 1:1 in flapjacks, gingerbread, and glazes; loses honey's distinctive aroma.

    See golden syrup substitutes →

  • Sugar + water

    DIY mix

    1 cup honey = 1 1/4 cups sugar + 1/4 cup water

    Last-resort swap for baking only. Brings sweetness and moisture but none of honey's flavour or browning, so the crumb pales and tastes plainer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute for honey?
There are 3 workable substitutes for honey, depending on what you have on hand and which property of honey matters most for your recipe. The closest swap is usually 1 cup honey = 1 cup maple syrup (1:1 by volume). Each option below lists the conversion ratio for any recipe size, plus notes on how the swap changes the texture, flavour, rise, or browning.
Will substituting honey change how my recipe turns out?
Yes, every swap trades one property for another: fat content, moisture, acidity, or protein. The notes on each substitute describe what changes in texture, flavour, rise, or browning, so you can choose the swap that matters least for your recipe. Open the honey converter
How do I measure honey accurately?
Weighing in grams is more reliable than scooping cups, especially when a substitute has a different density from what the recipe expects. The honey converter on this site converts between cups, grams, ounces, millilitres, fluid ounces, tablespoons, and teaspoons, so you can scale a recipe up or down without losing the ratio. Open the honey converter

Other ingredient and produce substitutes

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