First things first, it’s safe to eat crystallized honey. Honey naturally crystallizes over time, but that doesn’t mean you need to toss your jar. Luckily, crystallization doesn’t adversely affect the taste or quality of honey. In fact, according to Zeke Freeman, the founder of the honey company Bee Raw, partially or fully crystallized honey can have a richer taste. If you want to loosen up your honey, never microwave it. Instead, put the unsealed jar (plastic or glass) in a bath of warm—not boiling—water for five to ten minutes to help dissolve the crystals. Cold temperatures can make crystallization more likely, says Freeman, so to avoid it, store your jar at room temperature. But if the inevitable happened, don’t throw the sweet stuff away! Here are a few simple, smart ways you can put crystallized honey to work.
Sub it in for sugar when baking
Crystallized honey works as a substitute for sugar in baked goods. Because it has less moisture than traditional honey, you won’t have to make as many adjustments to liquids in your recipe while maintaining the classic honey sweetness. Honey is sweeter than table sugar, though, so you can use less. Start with ¾ of a cup of crystallized honey for every cup of sugar and taste along the way.
Use it as a topping for toast
The great thing about crystallized honey is that you can spread it without dripping everywhere. Shmear some over-sprouted grain toast with a fruit topping (like sliced apples or pears), goat cheese, or fresh tomatoes for a sweet-and-savory, mess-free snack.
Scrub with it
Honey is a humectant, which means it helps lock in moisture. You can use crystallized honey as an exfoliant for your body or hair—the lightly coarse texture of the sugar is an all-natural way to slough away impurities from your scalp or skin.
Top a breakfast bowl
Sure it won’t drizzle, but crystallized honey tastes just as good as traditional honey with foods like Greek yogurt or oatmeal. The icing on the cake? It adds an addictive crunch.
Stir into tea
Once your honey melts into the hot tea, the crystals disappear. Magic.