Out of Corn syrup, one case

Can you substitute honey for corn syrup?

4 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 4 options

Use Honey

1 cup for every cup of corn syrup

Yes: use 1 cup of honey for each cup of corn syrup in baking, pie fillings, sauces, glazes and soft candies such as caramels and marshmallows. Honey is sweeter, tastes of honey and browns faster, so lower the oven 25°F. It is a poor choice for hard candy, where it darkens before the syrup reaches 300°F and leaves the candy sticky.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Use a mild honey such as clover. Lower the oven 25°F in baking. In candy, cook over medium heat in a deep pot, because honey foams as it boils.
Best for —: pecan pie and other baked fillings
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full corn syrup card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Corn syrup substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 cup corn syrup	Verdict
1	Honeypecan pie and other baked fillings	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it
2	Golden syruphard candy, caramels, marshmallows and brittle	1 cupWorks	Works
3	Glucose syruphard candy and lollipops	1 cupWorks	Works
4	Maple syruppecan pie	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it

What changesWhat changes, option by option4 options

Honey

clearly honey, and a little sweeter

Honey is a natural invert sugar with nearly the same thickness as corn syrup, so it keeps bakes moist and soft candy smooth. It is sweeter and it has a flavor of its own.

Best for: pecan pie and other baked fillings, cookies, bars and granola, soft caramels, marshmallows and popcorn balls, glazes and sauces
Prep: Use a mild honey such as clover. Lower the oven 25°F in baking. In candy, cook over medium heat in a deep pot, because honey foams as it boils.
Where it fails: Hard candy, lollipops and brittle. Also white frosting and plain marshmallows, where the color and flavor show. Not vegan.

Never for a child under 12 months, even cooked or baked.

Golden syrup

light butterscotch

A thick invert sugar syrup, sold in a tin or squeeze bottle. It blocks sugar crystals the way corn syrup does, which makes it the dependable swap for candy.

Best for: hard candy, caramels, marshmallows and brittle, pecan pie, any recipe where the syrup is cooked to a temperature
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Pure white icing or marshmallow, where its amber color shows.

Glucose syrup

neutral, slightly less sweet

Corn syrup is a glucose syrup made from corn, so this is the same ingredient in a thicker form. It has no flavor and no color.

Best for: hard candy and lollipops, marshmallows, fondant and white icing, ice cream and sorbet
Prep: It is very stiff. Scoop it with a wet spoon, or warm the tub in hot water first.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: It is harder to measure by volume; weigh it if the recipe gives a weight.

Maple syrup

clearly maple

The swap when the dish is for a baby under one or has to be vegan. It is thinner than honey and tastes of maple.

Best for: pecan pie, baking, glazes and sauces
Prep: Where the recipe has another liquid, cut it by 2 tbsp per cup of maple syrup.
Suits: vegan
Where it fails: Candy. Maple syrup is mostly sucrose and does little to stop crystals, so caramels and hard candy can turn grainy.

Tips for substituting corn syrup

5 tips

Baking: 1 cup honey per cup of corn syrup, oven 25°F lower, and start checking 5 minutes early. Honey browns the top before the middle is done.
Pecan pie: swap cup for cup. The filling sets the same and tastes of honey. Cover the crust edge with foil if it darkens early.
Soft candy: honey works at the same amount in caramels, marshmallows and nougat. Use a pot at least 4 times the volume of the syrup, because honey foams up as it boils, and go by the thermometer, not the color.
If the honey has crystallized, stand the jar in hot water until it is clear before you measure it. Crystals in the honey can seed a grainy batch of candy.
Small amounts: 1 tbsp of honey replaces 1 tbsp of corn syrup in ganache, frosting or a glaze. Expect a faint honey taste.

Questions

5 questions

Is honey a 1:1 substitute for corn syrup?

By volume, yes: 1 cup for 1 cup and 1 tablespoon for 1 tablespoon. Honey is sweeter and has its own flavor, so the result tastes of honey and a little sweeter. In baking, lower the oven 25°F because honey browns faster.

How do I substitute honey for light corn syrup in candy recipes?

Use the same amount, choose a mild honey, and cook to the temperature the recipe gives over medium heat in a deep pot. That works for caramels, marshmallows, nougat and popcorn balls, which cook to 250°F or below. The candy tastes of honey and is slightly darker.

Can you substitute honey for corn syrup in hard candy?

It is not a dependable swap. Hard candy cooks to 300°F to 310°F, and honey darkens and turns bitter on the way there. Honey also draws moisture from the air, so the finished candy turns sticky sooner. Golden syrup or glucose syrup is the better choice for hard candy, lollipops and brittle.

Can I use honey instead of corn syrup in pecan pie?

Yes, cup for cup. The filling sets as it does with corn syrup. The pie tastes distinctly of honey and browns sooner, so bake 25°F lower if the top colors early and cover the crust edge with foil.

Is it safe to use honey in food for a baby?

Not for a child under 12 months. Honey can carry botulism spores that cooking and baking do not reliably destroy, so that applies to honey in baked goods and candy too. For food a baby will eat, use maple syrup or golden syrup in place of the corn syrup instead. For anything else about feeding an infant, ask your pediatrician.