15 Honey Recipes For Everyday Use

Raw honey is the healthier, low-glycemic, sugar alternative that spruces up any cooking or baking recipe.

Many cakes, pastries, and cooking recipes are loaded with processed sugar and unhealthy fats. Replacing the sugar with honey recipes is a simple and healthy alternative to curb your sugar cravings, without the added guilt. 

Keep reading to find out the best practices to swap sugar for honey, along with some delicious honey recipes for everyday use. 

Is wildflower honey good for baking?

Wildflower honey is a fantastic sugar substitute for a variety of baking recipes. Because of its unique floral flavor and texture, it adds a lovely depth of flavor to any dessert or baked good. It can also make your cake or pastry more moist due to raw honey’s natural antioxidants, nutrients, and enzymes. This can extend the life of your baked goods as well. 

Wildflower honey is also known for its low glycemic index. Making it a healthier alternative to processed sugar. 

How to replace sugar with honey in recipes

Most sugar alternatives, like honey or maple syrup, are much sweeter than regular sugar so it’s best to add a bit less than you think you need. You can always add more if you want your honey recipe more sweet. However, the general rule of thumb to replace sugar with honey is for every 1 cup of sugar, substitute 1/2 to 2/3 cup of honey.

Honey is a liquid and is typically made up of 20 percent water. You may want to decrease the amount of liquids in your recipe to counter the additional liquid. 

Another thing to keep in mind is your baking temperature. Honey can crystallize much faster than processed sugar so reducing the baking temperature can prevent overbaking or burning. 

Also, make sure to add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda per 1 cup of honey if the recipe doesn’t already call for it. This will help balance out the acidity to allow a good rise on your pastry or cake. 

15 Honey Recipes For Everyday Use 

Now that you’re aware of how to replace sugar with honey, here is a list of 15 honey recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and cocktails. 

Breakfast

For a quick and nutritious breakfast, generously pour honey into coffee, tea, and smoothies or pour over yogurt, granola, waffles, pancakes, or French toast. Or elevate your breakfast with this honey butter syrup recipe. 

Lunch or Dinner

These simple honey recipes can be used for a delicious side or entree. 

Honey Sriracha Roasted Carrots

• 1 lb carrots, peeled
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Honey Sriracha Sauce
• 1.5 tbsp butter, regular or vegan
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Pinch salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Slice your carrots into 2-inch pieces and add them to a sheet pan. Toss them together with the olive oil and spices.

Bake for 20 minutes on the middle rack. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the carrots and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

While they finish baking, add the garlic to a saucepan with the butter on medium heat and cook until the butter melts and the garlic is fragrant, for 3-4 minutes.

Add in the honey, sriracha, and a pinch of salt, and lower the heat. Mix together until smooth.

Once the carrots are ready, Add them to the pan and toss them in the sauce.

SOURCE: https://somethingnutritiousblog.com/honey-sriracha-roasted-carrots/#wpzoom-premium-recipe-card 

Honey Ginger Chicken or Salmon Glaze

• 4 Salmon filets, skin removed (about 2 lbs. total)
• 1/2 Cup of honey
• 1/3 Cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (or regular)
• 2 Teaspoons minced or chopped garlic
• 1 Teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 4 Cups broccoli florets

Optional for garnish: chopped scallion, sesame seeds, sprinkle of parsley for color

Place the salmon fillets in a large zipped-top bag. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger together in a medium bowl (I added a sprinkle of dried parsley for color– try chopped scallion!). Pour half of this sauce over the salmon filets, coating them thoroughly. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

Line the marinated salmon filets on the baking sheet. You can hold onto this used marinade– see step 5. Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on thickness (about 10 minutes per 1-inch inch thickness– measured from the thickest part of the filet). You can broil the salmon for the last 3 minutes for crispier edges.

Meanwhile, begin steaming the broccoli and reducing the glaze. First, the broccoli: fill a large saucepan with 1 inch of water. If you have a steamer, place it inside. Bring water to a boil. Add the broccoli. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 6-7 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and tender.

Now, the glaze: Pour the remaining, unused marinade into a small saucepan or skillet. If you want, you can add the remaining (used) marinade as well. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium and allow to simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken.

Remove cooked salmon from the oven. Some of the glaze may have browned on the edges. You can discard this.

Garnish the salmon with any of the listed options. Serve with steamed broccoli and additional glaze. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat to your liking.

Make ahead tip: You can marinate the salmon up to 4 hours in advance. If needed, you can extend it to 8 hours. You can steam the broccoli and reduce the unused marinade (steps 4 and 5) ahead of time as well.

Dessert

Add a bit of healthy sugary sweetness to your desserts by pouring honey on top of ice cream, fruit (figs and honey), or cheese plates. Alternatively, you can try your hand at these baked honey recipes. 

Honey Truffles

• 150g  Dark Chocolate 85%
• 80g Ground Almonds
• 50g Ground Oats
• 35g Raw Honey
• 30g Chopped Hazelnuts

Step 1: Place 100 g of finely chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water. Allow the chocolate to melt for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a microwave, using a microwave-safe bowl, cooking it for 30-second intervals.

Step 2: Remove the bowl from the heat and add in the almond and oat flours, making sure they are finely ground.

Stir the ingredients until a soft dough comes together.

Depending on how soft you want the core of the truffles to be, you can mix more or less dry ingredients into the chocolate. The ultimate goal is for you to be able to roll the dough into a ball. If in doubt, just stick to our precise measurements as we have tested this heavily.

Step 3: Scoop the dough out a tablespoon at a time and flatten it in the palm of your hands.

Add about 4g of honey in the center and then use your hands to roll the truffle dough into a bite-sized ball.

Then, place the truffles in the fridge for 15 minutes to harden up.

Step 4: Melt the remaining 50 g of dark chocolate as explained in Step 1.

Now, dip each truffle in the melted chocolate and roll it over finely chopped hazelnuts.

To do so, you can use a toothpick inserted in the center of the truffle, this way it will be easier to handle it.

Refrigerate the honey truffles before serving to let the chocolate harden. At this point, you can either keep them at room temperature or in the fridge. Room temperature would be ideal if you want to bite into a soft heart of honey.

SOURCE: https://foodaciously.com/recipe/chocolate-honey-truffles 

Honey Caramels

• 1 cup Honey
• 3/4 cup Organic Heavy Cream or Full-Fat Coconut Cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

Generously butter an 8X8 baking dish and set aside. Having your dish properly buttered is important for easy removal of the caramels. Combine honey and cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat. Stir occasionally while it cooks. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 240-245 degrees (just passed the softball stage).

The easiest way to verify the temperature is with a candy thermometer, though you can test it with other methods. Remove pan from the heat and immediately stir in vanilla and butter. Stir until butter is completely melted and combined.  Place in the freezer to harden for 30 minutes. Cut into squares or scoop out with a spoon and enjoy!

Keep leftovers in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container. If you are going to take these caramels with you traveling, be sure to keep them cool! They will melt in high humidity and hot temperatures and will become very sticky.

SOURCE: https://www.naturalsweetrecipes.com/honey-caramels/ 

Honey Meringue

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Generous pinch of sea salt

Toppings of choice: melted chocolate, jams, chopped pistachios, etc. 

First, remove the bowl from your stand mixer and place it in the refrigerator. Egg whites whip up quickly when the bowl is cold! Now… onto the honey meringues.

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the egg whites, honey, vanilla and sea salt.

2. Set the bowl over a medium-sized saucepan that has been filled with about 3″ of water. Bring the water to a low boil. While the water is boiling, begin to whisk the egg whites and honey together with a large whisk. Continue to whisk for 3 minutes until the egg whites have aerated and turned into a nice, white froth of sorts.

3. Pull the cold bowl from the refrigerator and attach it to your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Pour the frothy egg mixture into the cold bowl and begin whisking on high. Continue to whisk until the mixture is shiny and has stiff peaks.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop spoonfuls of the meringue mixture onto the sheet. You can do ’em fancy… or sloppy… or somewhere in between. I won’t judge you on your meringue skills. I promise. I’ve always been more of a fan of rustic desserts anyway, man.

5. Add your toppings (melted chocolate, homemade jam, etc).

6. Place the meringues in a 225-degree oven. Bake for 1.5 hours. After this time, shut the oven off and allow the meringues to sit in the warm oven to ‘dehydrate’ a bit until to the perfect crispy/chewy combination of your choosing. I usually let mine sit overnight and enjoy them the next morning. 

SOURCE: https://theelliotthomestead.com/2016/06/honey-meringues/ 

Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl mix together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.   Set aside.

In a small bowl mix together wet ingredients: buttermilk, honey, and vanilla.  Set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Gradually add the dry and wet ingredients, alternating starting and ending with dry ingredients and mix until combined. Using ice cream scoop fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean.

Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Make the Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese until combined. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and continue to mixing scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in honey.

If desired, add a few drops of yellow food coloring to slightly tint the icing. Place the icing in a piping bag fitted with a round decorating tip and swirl the frosting on top of the cooled cupcake, going in a circular motion. Top with yellow sugar sprinkles.

SOURCE: https://thecakeblog.com/2011/06/honey-cupcake-recipe.html 

Dressings 

Honey is a wonderful sugar substitute for a variety of salad dressings and sauces. 

Honey Citrus Vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup orange juice (from 1 medium navel orange)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 lime)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Pinch kosher salt

Place all the ingredients in a jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid. Seal and shake vigorously until well-combined and the honey is dissolved. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

SOURCE: https://www.thekitchn.com/honey-citrus-vinaigrette-260355 

Honey BBQ sauce 

• 1 cup ketchup
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients for Honey BBQ Sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool. Store in an airtight glass container for up to 2 weeks.

SOURCE: https://heygrillhey.com/honey-bbq-sauce-recipe/#recipe 

Chipotle Honey Sauce

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Seasoned salt and pepper
• 1/2 – 1 full Chipotle chile in adobo

Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, honey, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper in a blender.

Add in 1/2 to 1 full chipotle chiles (to taste and heat preference. Add VERY slowly because it’s always easy to increase if you want more heat. If you are very sensitive to heat just add the sauce around the chiles in small quantities.) Blend until smooth.

Cocktails

Spruce up your evening nightcap with one of these honey cocktail recipes! 

Strain the drink into a coupe or martini glass. Twist the lemon peel over the cocktail to release some of its oils, then drop it in. Enjoy while cold.
SOURCE: https://cookieandkate.com/bees-knees-cocktail-recipe/

Wildflower Honey Mead

• 1 gallon Water
• 3 lbs Wildflower Honey
• Edible wildflowers (Optional)
• 1 Vanilla bean (Optional)
• 1 teaspoon Yeast nutrient
• ½ teaspoon Pectic Enzyme
• ¼ teaspoon Acid blend
• Yeast We used Lalvin EC-1118
• Wine stabilizer of choice
• Other Equipment and Best Practices

Measure out water and honey into a large pot, and stir well. Add wild flowers and vanilla, if using.

Heat to ALMOST boiling, then simmer gently for 30 minutes. Stir in yeast nutrients, pectic enzyme, and acid blend. Pour the mixture into a freshly sanitized fermenting bucket. Cover with a sanitized lid and air lock, and allow to cool to room temperature (overnight).

The next morning, give the mixture a quick stir with a long, sanitized spoon, and – using sanitized equipment – take a gravity reading of the liquid (strain out any flowers in the liquid you’re measuring). Keep track of the number! (This is an optional step, but will allow you to calculate your final ABV %)

Sprinkle yeast into fermenter, cover with sanitized cover and air lock. Within 48 hours, you should notice fermentation activity – bubbles in the airlock, carbonation, and /or swirling in the mead must. This means you’re good to go!

After a week or so, use your sanitized siphon setup to rack the must into a freshly sanitized carboy. Put the carboy somewhere cool (not cold!), and leave it alone for a month or so.

Using sanitized equipment, rack the mead off the sediment, into a clean, freshly sanitized carboy. Cap with sanitized airlock, leave it alone for another 2-3 months. Rack one more time, leave it for another 3 months or so.

When your mead has been racked a few times and shows NO more fermenting activity for a month or so (no bubbles in the airlock, no more sediment being produced, you can move on to bottling.

If stabilizing, follow the instructions on your selected type of wine stabilizer to stop fermentation. For potassium sorbate, this needs to be done 2-3 days before bottling. Using sanitized equipment, take a gravity reading, then rack the mead into clean, sanitized bottles. Cork.

SOURCE: https://celebrationgeneration.com/homemade-wildflower-mead/ 

There are countless ways to use raw honey in cooking and baking recipes. Just remember to use less honey than the recipe calls for, beware of your cooking temperature, and moisture content. What other ways do you like using honey in your recipes? 

For a local, healthy sugar alternative, our wildflower honey is a perfect choice! Its bold flavors, unique textures, and color make it a lovely choice for snacking, baking, or daily meals. Simply choose a variety of honey that best suits your needs or tastebuds. 

At Marshall’s Farm, our local, wildflower honey is also a favorite gift idea for birthdays, weddings, holidays, and more. Be(e) sure to contact us for our other limited products, like honeycombs, beeswax, bee pollen, and beeswax candles.