Honey mustard substitutes
Honey mustard substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Mustard + honey (make it yourself)
2 parts mustard to 1 part honey; for a sweeter sauce go 1:1
You can make it in the bowl in front of you: stir 2 tablespoons Dijon or yellow mustard with 1 tablespoon honey. For the creamy dipping-sauce version add 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Maple syrup or brown sugar stand in for the honey, and any mustard you own will work.
- Verdict —
- Works
- Best for —
- chicken tenders and nuggets
Updated 26 Jul 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of honey mustard | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mustard + honey (make it yourself)chicken tenders and nuggets | 2 parts mustard to 1 part honey; for a sweeter sauce go 1:1Works | Works |
| 2 | Creamy honey mustard (mustard + honey + mayonnaise)chicken tenders and wings | 2 tablespoons Dijon + 2 tablespoons honey + 3 tablespoons mayonnaise + 1 teaspoon vinegarYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 3 | Mustard + maple syruppork and ham glazes | 2 parts mustard to 1 part maple syrupYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 4 | Mustard + brown sugarham and pork glazes | 2 tablespoons mustard + 1 tablespoon brown sugar, warmed briefly to dissolveYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 5 | Bavarian sweet mustardpretzels and sausages | Same amountYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 6 | Hot honey + any mustardfried chicken and tenders | 2 parts mustard to 1 part hot honeyWorks | Works |
Mustard + honey (make it yourself)
similar taste and texture
This is the whole recipe, which is why honey mustard is one of the few condiments genuinely not worth buying in a jar.
- Best for
- chicken tenders and nuggets, sandwiches and wraps, pretzel dip, salmon and pork glazes
Dijon gives the closest result to a bottled honey mustard - tangy, smooth, properly sharp under the sweetness. Yellow mustard makes it milder and more vinegary, so add a little less honey. Stir until fully combined and let it sit five minutes; straight after mixing the mustard heat is still spiky and it settles down quickly.
Creamy honey mustard (mustard + honey + mayonnaise)
different taste and texture
The version most American restaurants mean by honey mustard sauce, and what you want for dipping rather than spreading.
- Best for
- chicken tenders and wings, salad dressing, fries and onion rings, burger sauce
Much thicker, paler and milder than plain honey mustard, so it coats a chicken tender instead of running off and tastes far less sharp. The vinegar keeps it from being cloying - leave it out and the sauce tastes flat and heavy. Greek yogurt can replace the mayonnaise for something tangier and lighter, though it thins when warm.
Mustard + maple syrup
different taste and texture
The best swap when there is no honey in the house, and better than honey in some dishes.
- Best for
- pork and ham glazes, salmon, roasted vegetables, vinaigrettes
Thinner and less sticky than honey, with a woody caramel flavor instead of a floral one, so a glazed pork loin made with it tastes darker and less perfumed. It also spreads and drizzles more easily. Use real maple syrup if you can - pancake syrup is mostly corn syrup and tastes noticeably artificial against mustard.
Mustard + brown sugar
different taste and texture
A pantry version using nothing but the two things almost everyone has.
- Best for
- ham and pork glazes, baked chicken, barbecue sauces, marinades
Brown sugar brings molasses depth rather than honey's floral top note, so the result tastes more like a barbecue glaze and less like a sandwich spread. It stays grainy unless you warm it or let it stand fifteen minutes, and it browns and burns faster than honey in a hot oven - watch a glaze closely in the last ten minutes.
Bavarian sweet mustard
different taste and texture
A German mustard already sweetened with sugar and often honey, so it needs nothing done to it.
- Best for
- pretzels and sausages, sandwiches, ham, cheese boards
Sweeter, coarser and spiced with things like clove and juniper, so a chicken tender dipped in it tastes distinctly German rather than American. It is thicker and darker than a typical honey mustard and will not read the same on a plate, but it is the only ready-made jar that substitutes with zero effort.
Hot honey + any mustard
enhanced taste, similar texture
A deliberate upgrade rather than a fallback, worth knowing because it is better than most bottled honey mustard.
- Best for
- fried chicken and tenders, sandwiches, pizza, roasted carrots and sprouts
You get the same sweet-sharp balance plus a slow chilli warmth at the back, so it tastes livelier and less childish than standard honey mustard. Not the right call if you are making it for children or feeding it to anyone who dislikes heat, since the burn builds after a few bites.
Questions
5 questionsHow do I make honey mustard right now with what I have?
Stir two tablespoons of any mustard with one tablespoon of honey. That is genuinely it. If you want the creamy dipping-sauce kind, add two to three tablespoons of mayonnaise and a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice, which keeps it from tasting heavy. Let it sit five minutes so the mustard heat rounds out, then taste and adjust the honey.
Can I just leave it out?
As a dip, no - it is the whole point of the plate, and you would be serving plain chicken tenders. As a sandwich spread, mustard alone works fine and simply tastes sharper. In a marinade or glaze you can skip it, but add something sweet and something acidic in its place or the meat will not brown properly and will taste flat.
What is the difference between honey mustard and honey dijon?
Honey dijon specifies the mustard used - Dijon, so smooth, wine-based and sharp - while honey mustard is a general term that might start from yellow, brown or Dijon mustard and often includes mayonnaise. If a recipe says honey dijon, use Dijon and honey with no mayonnaise. If it says honey mustard sauce or dressing, it almost certainly wants the creamy mayonnaise version.
Can I use maple syrup instead of honey?
Yes, one for one, and it is excellent with pork and salmon in particular. Maple is thinner so the sauce will be looser, and it tastes woody and caramel-like rather than floral, which reads as slightly less sweet even at the same amount. Agave nectar also works and is the most neutral of the three.
Why does my honey mustard taste too sharp?
Either the mustard was stronger than you expected or you tasted it too soon. Freshly mixed mustard is at its most aggressive and mellows within five or ten minutes. If it is still too sharp after that, add honey a teaspoon at a time, and if it then tastes flat rather than sharp, a spoonful of mayonnaise will round it off better than more honey will.
Tips for substituting honey mustard
5 tips- Honey mustard is doing three jobs at once: mustard for acidity and bite, honey for sweetness, and often mayonnaise for the fat that carries both and makes it cling. Work out which of the three the recipe actually needs before you substitute - a glaze needs the sweet and the acid, a dip needs the fat as well.
- Two parts mustard to one part honey is the ratio to remember. It is sharp and grown-up. Going to equal parts makes it distinctly sweet and is what most people mean by restaurant honey mustard, and three parts honey to one part mustard is essentially a dessert glaze.
- For glazing chicken, salmon or ham, brush it on in the last ten to fifteen minutes only. Honey burns well before meat finishes cooking, so a glaze applied at the start turns black and bitter while the inside is still raw.
- Taste the mustard first, because the brand changes everything. A tablespoon of honey balances Dijon beautifully, tames yellow mustard into something very mild, and barely dents English mustard, which will still be hot. Add the honey in stages rather than all at once.
- Homemade honey mustard thickens in the fridge and keeps about two weeks - the creamy version keeps only as long as the mayonnaise date allows. If it separates, a quick whisk brings it straight back.