How to Decrystallize Honey: Warm Water Method, Microwave and Tips

Crystallized honey is still good honey; it has simply turned grainy or solid. To decrystallize honey, warm it gently in a bowl of warm water and stir until the crystals dissolve. Here’s the step-by-step method, the faster options, and what to avoid so you don’t spoil the flavour.

How to decrystallize honey in warm water

1. Take the lid off the jar. If the honey is in plastic, spoon it into a glass jar or heatproof bowl.
2. Fill a saucepan or bowl with hot water, about as hot as a hot bath. A good guide is around 104–113°F (40–45°C). If you boil the water, take it off the heat first.
3. Stand the jar in the water so the water comes up to the level of the honey.
4. Leave it for 10–15 minutes, then stir.
5. Replace the water with more hot water as it cools, and keep stirring every few minutes until the crystals have dissolved. A full jar can take 30 minutes or more.
6. Dry the jar, put the lid back on and store it at room temperature.

The US National Honey Board recommends warm water and stirring, and warns against boiling or scorching honey.

Can you microwave crystallized honey?

You can, carefully. Put the honey in a microwave-safe container with the lid off, heat it on medium power in 20–30 second bursts and stir between each one. Microwaves heat unevenly, so honey can overheat in spots while crystals remain elsewhere. Hot honey can also cause bad burns. Warm water is gentler and gives better control.

What not to do

• Don’t boil honey or heat it directly on the stove. Strong heat darkens it and changes its flavour and aroma.
• Don’t microwave plastic containers or tightly closed jars.
• Don’t add water to the honey. Extra water can make it ferment later.
• Don’t reheat the whole jar again and again. Warm only what you’ll use soon.

Heat also affects the compounds used to judge honey quality. EU rules, for example, limit hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a compound that increases when honey is heated or stored for a long time.

Why honey crystallizes

Honey contains more sugar than its water can keep dissolved. Over time, the glucose separates out and forms crystals. How fast this happens depends on the flowers the bees visited, and so on the honey’s balance of glucose and fructose, as well as on temperature and tiny particles of pollen or wax. Cool temperatures, like those in a refrigerator, speed it up. Crystallization isn’t a sign of spoilage, poor quality or added sugar.

How to stop honey crystallizing again

• Store it at room temperature, not in the fridge.
• Keep the lid tightly closed.
• Decrystallize only the amount you need, and keep the rest as it is.
• Freeze honey you want to keep for a long time; the cold of a freezer slows crystallization.

Decrystallizing honey for cooking and baking

If the honey is going into a hot dish, you don’t need to make it runny first. Measure crystallized honey by weight, or press it firmly into a spoon, and let it melt into the sauce, syrup or batter. For dressings and cold drinks, warm a small amount in a cup set in hot water, which takes just a few minutes.

Or just enjoy it crystallized

Crystallized honey is easy to spread and doesn’t drip. Spread it on toast, stir it into hot tea, or use it in baking, where it melts anyway. Creamed honey is made by controlling this crystallization on purpose; read creamed vs liquid honey.

Wondering whether old honey is still good? See does honey go bad. Our Kalymnos thyme honey (450 g) is a Greek thyme honey; read about Greek thyme honey or browse the Greek honey collection.

Sources

• National Honey Board: Honey FAQ (crystallization and storage)
• EUR-Lex: Council Directive 2001/110/EC relating to honey

Crystallized honey: frequently asked questions