Food Facts

Why Does Honey Crystallize and How to Fix It

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Does Honey Go Bad?

Honey, if stored properly, has an almost unlimited shelf life. While its flavor may change a bit over time, it will not mold or spoil. Make sure to close the lid tightly to prevent any water from getting into the honey, which, though unlikely, could allow yeast to grow and ultimately ferment the honey.

While honey from the grocery store will have an expiration date, this is actually more of a “best by” date. The honey will be freshest and best tasting before this date. But it will still be good long past that date. 

Why Does Honey Crystallize?

Honey crystallizing is completely normal and does not mean the honey has gone bad. It will become more opaque and then begin to turn grainy. After a while, it will become gritty and almost completely solid.

Honey contains the natural sugars fructose and glucose dissolved in the water. However, due to the amount of sugar in the honey, the sugar does not stay permanently dissolved. Glucose has lower solubility than fructose. After a time, the glucose will separate from the water in the honey start to form crystals. 

Raw honey is more likely to crystalize than more processed honey. In raw honey, the small particles of pollen, beeswax, etc., give the glucose something to stick to. This encourages crystal formation.

jar of honey with a hand holding a honey dipper

How to Keep Honey From Crystallizing

Honey crystallizes differently at different temperatures. Cold temperatures actually encourage crystallization, so honey stored in the fridge will crystallize faster. Store honey at room temperature, in the dark, and in an airtight container. Storing your honey at room temperature in the pantry is the ideal choice.

Once the honey has crystallized, it can recrystallize fairly quickly, even if you have fixed the crystallized honey. To prevent this, you can add a small amount of corn syrup to your honey (~1 tablespoon per 1 cup of honey), then put it in a fresh, clean container. It shouldn’t have a significant effect on the flavor of your honey and can help prevent crystallization.

How Do I Fix Crystallized Honey?

Honey can be eaten and baked with even if it has crystallized. But there are several options to fix crystallized honey.

  1. Fill a bowl with hot water. Place the honey container in the bowl, the water should go about 3/4 of the way up the container. Stir the honey, though be sure to avoid getting water in the honey, and replace hot water as needed until crystals are gone. This is the best option if your honey is in a plastic container.
  2. Place the opened jar of honey in about 1 inch of water in a saucepan. Gently heat the saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until the crystals dissolve. Make sure to watch your honey closely as the water can evaporate. This can also melt a plastic container if you aren’t very careful.
  3. The quickest fix is to heat your honey in the microwave. Heat for 30 seconds, stir well, and let sit for 20-30 seconds, then heat for another 30 seconds if needed. If your honey is in a plastic container, you run a very high risk of melting the container, so this is best if you use a glass jar.

If you’re looking for something delicious to drizzle your honey over, I highly recommend my Whole Wheat Rosemary Bread. And if you love honey, I recommend checking out this link from the Honey Board to learn more about how you can help protect bees.

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Hello! I'm Nichole and I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. I have a bachelor's degree in Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science and a master's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. I love cooking, baking and anything food related. I look forward to teaching you more about food and sharing my favorite recipes with you. Enjoy!

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