01
Molasses
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Very dark and bitter; use half the amount and add sugar to balance, best in gingerbread and BBQ
10.0
gluten-free honey
substitute.
14 gluten-free substitutes for honey — top pick Molasses at 100% function match.
all substitutes on this page are gluten-free
top substitutes
02
Brown Sugars
10.01 cup : 3/4 cup
Use 3/4 cup brown sugar plus 1 tbsp molasses per cup honey; reduce liquid in recipe by 3 tbsp
10.0
03
Maple Syrup
10.02 cup : 1 cup
Closest liquid sweetener swap; slightly more caramel-woody flavor, use 1:1 in baking and glazes
10.0
show 11 more substitutes
04
Vanilla Extract
10.01 tsp : 1 tsp
Adds sweetness and floral notes, reduce other sugars
10.0
05
Cane Syrup
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Similar viscosity and sweetness; slightly less floral than honey
10.0
06
Turbinado Sugar
7.53/4 cup : 1 cup
Add 1/4 cup liquid since it's dry; light molasses flavor works in baking
7.5
07
Fruit Syrup
7.51 cup : 1 cup
Sweet and fruit-forward; works well in dressings, glazes, and marinades
7.5
08
Maple Sugars
7.53/4 cup : 1 cup
Granular — add 3 tbsp water per cup; maple flavor pairs well with baked goods
7.5
09
Dates
7.51 cup : 1 cup
Blend pitted dates with a splash of water to make a paste; whole-food natural sweetener
7.5
10
Applesauce
7.53/4 cup : 1 cup
Less sweet and adds moisture; reduce other liquid in recipe by 2 tbsp
7.5
11
Prune Puree
7.53/4 cup : 1 cup
Rich dark sweetness; great in chocolate bakes but will darken the crumb
7.5
12
Jams
7.51 cup : 1 cup
Fruit jam works as spread or glaze swap; reduce added sugar elsewhere in recipe
7.5
13
Granulated Sugars
5.01 cup : 0.81 cup
Use 1 1/4 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup water per cup honey; loses floral flavor and browning speed
5.0
14
Powdered Sugars
2.51 1/4 cup : 1 cup
Add 3 tbsp water per cup to match honey's moisture; best for glazes and frostings
2.5
pitfalls to avoid
watch out
Molasses: Cake will taste strongly of molasses
watch out
Molasses: Very dark color and bitter notes in frosting
watch out
Molasses: Very dark and bitter; overpowers delicate recipes
watch out
Molasses: Use half the amount and add sugar to balance
watch out
Brown Sugars: Use 3/4 cup brown sugar plus 1 tbsp molasses per cup
watch out
Maple Syrup: Frosting may not hold stiff peaks
watch out
Maple Syrup: Cookies will spread more and stay chewy
watch out
Maple Syrup: Dough may be too sticky to roll out
watch out
Cane Syrup: Frosting may not hold stiff peaks
watch out
Cane Syrup: Cookies will spread more and stay chewy
watch out
Cane Syrup: Dough may be too sticky to roll out
watch out
Cane Syrup: Less floral complexity than real honey
watch out
Turbinado Sugar: Dry crystals — add 1/4 cup liquid per cup
watch out
Maple Sugars: Granular — dissolve in liquid or add 3 tbsp water
watch out
Maple Sugars: Maple flavor replaces honey's floral notes
watch out
Dates: Will not cream into smooth frosting
watch out
Dates: Cookie dough will be denser and stickier
watch out
Dates: Thick paste; blend with water for pourable consistency
watch out
Dates: Sweeter and denser — use about 2/3 cup per cup honey
watch out
Applesauce: Less sweet — may need added sugar in baking
watch out
Applesauce: Adds more moisture; reduce other liquid by 2 tbsp
watch out
Prune Puree: Dark prune flavor changes color and taste of baked goods
watch out
Jams: Fruit flavor from jam changes the dish profile
watch out
Granulated Sugars: No floral honey flavor; just plain sweetness
watch out
Granulated Sugars: Use 1 1/4 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup water per cup honey
watch out
Powdered Sugars: Dry powder — add 3 tbsp water per cup
watch out
Powdered Sugars: No floral depth; just plain sweetness