Can You Eat Crystalized Honey?

You sure can!

While it might not look quite as appealing, you can absolutely eat crystalized honey. There is nothing as sweet and delicious as fresh, gooey honey, but it’s a safe bet we’ve all gone to grab a bear-shaped bottle of our favorite honey and noticed it’s gotten hard or just doesn’t come out like it should. This process is called crystallization and before you panic – it’s normal.

Read on to find out what you need to know about using crystalized honey.

Can You Eat Crystalized Honey?

Crystalized honey is honey that has started to form sugar crystals. “This is something that naturally happens and does not mean your honey is spoiled,” says Alabama-based dietitian Chelsea Edwards.

“Crystalized honey is safe to eat generally,” Edwards says. “It does not change the honey’s nutritional content.” That said, if left long enough, honey that has started to crystalize can ferment. “When this happens, the flavor and smell become ‘off,' so it is no longer pleasant to eat,” she says.

Crystalized honey is something that happens naturally. When the sugar and water in honey separate out, the sugar crystalizes. This can be caused by water evaporating out of the honey, storage temperature of the honey, botanical origin – some crystalize quickly and some never crystalize – and impurities in the honey. 

Edwards says that pure, raw honey is more likely to crystallize, because it hasn't been processed or had water added to it. “You can attempt to prevent honey from crystallizing by using it quickly,” she says, adding that refrigeration can accelerate crystallizing. “If that's not practical for you, keep it at room temperature, in a cupboard away from direct sunlight, and in an airtight container.”

Can You Reverse Crystallization In Honey?

Yes, you can reverse crystalized honey back to its smooth, gooey texture – but it isn’t a quick process.

How To Reverse Crystallization

“You can reverse crystallization by placing your jar of honey in a bowl of warm water – not boiling – until it softens some and then remove the jar from the warm water and stir,” Edwards explains. “You have to repeat this until your honey is smooth and the sugar and water are combined again, which requires patience."

How To Use Crystallized Honey

You can use crystallized honey the same way you'd use any other honey. “It will just have a crunchy texture,” Edwards says. “Many people will use crystallized honey to make whipped honey, which often people find to be more enjoyable in terms of texture.”

How To Tell If Honey Is Spoiled

When honey has fermented, it can taste sour, have a strong and unpleasant smell,  and taste overly sweet or “off” in flavor.  “Honey that is cloudy, crystalized, or solid is still safe to eat,” Edwards says, underscoring that crystallization is a natural process.