How To Fix Crystallized Honey – Don’t Throw It Away!

by Texas Homesteader ~ 

It’s just a fact, sooner or later that delicious honey will crystallize. Is there any way to fix it? Or is it ruined? 

Don’t throw it away! It’s simple to restore crystallized honey to the smooth sweetness you love. Come see how.

Honey is said to be the only food with NO expiration date. Don't throw that honey away when crystals form - save your honey for years! #TexasHomesteader

Is Crystallized Honey Bad?

It’s said that honey is the only food product that has no expiration date. That means it’s still good to eat for the long haul. 

When honey’s crystallized, it’s just as edible as when it’s smooth. But you may want different textures for different foods.

For instance, smooth is better for making a honey glaze or stirring into yogurt. Crystallized might be fun for stirring into hot tea or adding a little sugary texture to homemade granola.

Is Honey Good For Seasonal Allergies?

I’ve heard that consuming local honey daily is good for seasonal pollen allergies. It’s thought that because local honey is produced by the bees using local plant’s pollens, you’re getting a tiny daily dose of those pollens to desensitize your body to reacting to it.

Honeybee on sunflower collecting pollen and nectar for honey. #TexasHomesteader

According to the Mayo Clinic, they haven’t really been able to duplicate those results in the lab.

But they do confirm that in addition to being a cough suppressant and anti-inflammatory, honey contains small amounts of local pollens. And allergy treatments often treat with small amounts of allergens. So they indicated the theory wasn’t far-fetched.

So whether that’s an old wives tale or proven scientific fact, I really can’t say for sure. But what a delicious way to stack the cards in my favor! 

Ways To Enjoy Eating Honey

If eating local honey is good for allergies, I might as well enjoy it. And I often do! Here’s where I enjoy honey:

I only store my honey in glass. (yep, I hate those plastic honey-bears of honey)  These pretty vintage syrup jars help make Pouring Honey Easy

Honey from NE Texas honeybee bee hive apiary in vintage syrup jars. #TexasHomesteader

But occasionally crystals will form in the honey making it too thick to pour. No worries! Since my honey’s in a glass jar it’s easy to bring it back to its former pourable sweetness.

Hot Water To Melt Crystallized Honey

To melt those crystals you can slowly heat the glass jar containing crystallized honey.  

In the past I’ve heated some water in a pot on the stove (not boiling).  Then I turned off the heat and slowly lowered my room-temperature honey jar into the water to melt the crystals.

Extreme temperature changes are not good for glass & I’ve always been afraid to get the water too hot. So I always err on the side of caution when I was using this method. 

I hate the possibility of over-heating my honey anyway. I know raw honey has many health benefits and I want to maintain as much of the healthy goodness as possible. So this method is used sparingly.

Using Free Solar Energy To Melt Honey Crystals

It’s hot in Texas during the summer and I enjoy using solar power in many ways. So often I’ll use it to my advantage.

That Texas heat will slowly heat my jar of honey to melt & dissolve those crystals.

Honey is said to be the only food with NO expiration date. Don't throw that honey away when crystals form - save your honey for years! #TexasHomesteader

I place my honey jar on our picnic table on a hot sunny day and just wait. The sun heats the jar slowly. And as it does those crystals dissolve back into the honey.

Voila! The honey returns to it’s sweet pourable former self.

By using solar energy I’ve not only incorporated an environmentally-friendly method of heating but it also removes that fear of extreme temperature changes.

So it’s my go-to method these days.

Car Dashboard Trick To Melt Honey Crystals

I’ve also on occasion placed the jar with crystallized honey on the dashboard of our truck as it sits in the driveway on a hot summer’s day. I’ll unscrew the lid just a bit to make sure pressure doesn’t build up inside the jar.

Then I place the jar of crystallized honey atop a kitchen towel on the dashboard. The towel assures no honey drips on the dashboard.

Melting honey crystals in glass jar on dashboard of car #TexasHomesteader

 

With all the windows rolled up, this method does the trick much faster than placing the jar on our picnic table. That’s because the temps inside the truck get much hotter much more quickly.

So I keep an eye on it and remove the jar as soon as the honey is melted. I prefer my raw honey to be as untouched by heat as possible. So only enough heat to melt the crystals is what I’m after here.

Squeezable Plastic Honey Bear Jars?  Nope!

Many times honey is sold in those cute bear-shaped plastic jars. It’s convenient for pouring honey that’s for sure.

But I prefer to Use Syrup Jars for ease in pouring honey, myself.

Easily pour honey in glass syrup dispenser. Honey is said to be the only food with NO expiration date. Don't throw that honey away when crystals form - save your honey for years! #TexasHomesteader

But remember, those cute little plastic bears tend to melt if they get too warm. And I’ve always been extremely wary of heating plastic that comes into contact with my food.

So I can’t vouch for how to fix crystallized honey contained in plastic. Other than to cut that plastic jar open and scoop out the crystallized honey into a glass jar and proceed from there.

You can take a preemptive step now though. If you currently have honey in a plastic bottle, why not transfer it to a clean glass jar right now while it’s still pourable? 

Any clean glass jar will do and you’ve just practiced the art of repurposing.

Pat yourself on the back for your environmental moxxy and enjoy that honey for years to come!

~TxH~

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References:
Mayo Clinic – Honey For Seasonal Allergies

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25 thoughts on “How To Fix Crystallized Honey – Don’t Throw It Away!

  1. Margy

    In the winter we always have pots of water on top of the woodstove. We use the water for washing and dishes. If my honey crystallizes I just take the lid off and float the jar in the warm water. Mine is in a plastic container and it has been warmed this way many times. I don’t use a lot of honey but always like to have some on the shelf. – Margy

    Reply
  2. Elaine

    Great Tip!! I have used the microwave before in a few increments at a time…but I like the idea of the sun doing for you!! Thanks for sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday – Hope to see you again this week!! Have a great week!! Pinned!

    Reply
  3. Sue @ Frugal Gifts 2 Give

    What a Great tip! It has happened to me and I will definitely do this the next time! Thanks for sharing on Happiness is Homemade Party Link!

    Reply
  4. Janet Vinyard

    I like the idea of using solar power rather than the microwave to de-crystallize the honey! Thanks for sharing! Blessings, Janet

    Reply
  5. Omi at TBJRoadshow Podcast

    I used to LOVE the little bears, but I’ve managed to crack a few of them, which causes quite a mess in the cabinets to clean up. I just moved to New Mexico and am enjoying local honey here, which is all in glass jars. But I can’t figure out a clean, easy way to use it without getting honey all over the outside of the jar or all over my hands and my plate….

    Reply
  6. Susan Mead

    Brilliant! Thanks for sharing. Bet my dad knows that as he kept bees. Sometimes we don’t learn everything from our parents tho – like this brilliant trick!

    Reply
  7. Tracy @ Our Simple Homestead

    For the first time last year, I had honey start to turn, but like you said it was so easy to fix! The sun idea is great! I set my quart jar in a pan of boiling water and it only took a few minutes to soften back up. Thanks for sharing it on today’s Blog Hop!
    our-simple-homestead-blog-hop-21/

    Reply
  8. Cheryl

    I have had great success just setting the container of honey with the lid tightly shut, on the top rack of the dishwasher when I washed the dishes. Came out like new!

    Reply
  9. Meredith Wouters

    Such a simple and effective idea! I have some crystallized honey at the back of my pantry that I was just wondering if I should throw away. Thanks for saving me from myself!

    Reply
  10. Lindsey

    This is so great to know! With two honey crazy kiddos our honey doesn’t have much time to crystalize, but I’m glad to have a trick up my sleeve when it eventually happens:) Thanks for sharing at the Homestead Bog Hop!:)

    Reply
  11. Shelly

    This is my first time visiting your blog, I’m enjoying it! 🙂 That’s a neat idea to melt it in the sun, I will have to try it out. I have a bunch that’s crystallized on me.

    Reply
  12. Laurie S.

    I also get my local honey by the quart. I split it into 2 pint jars. One goes in the cupboard, the other in the freezer. The bee lady told me to store in the freezer or the cupboard, never the frig. When the pint is low, I take the one from the freezer and let thaw on the counter.
    If I don’t eat the pint fast enough, I put the jar in the pan and then heat the water. LOVE honey!

    Reply
  13. Gentle Joy

    I warm mine up with warm water… and I also am careful not to overdo the heat… I don’t want to kill any of those wonderful enzymes. After reading your post, I am wondering WHY I have never thought to use solar heat to do this… so simple, yet I never thought of it. Thank you. 🙂

    Reply
  14. Sage R.

    I use honey mixed with apple cider vinegar as a facial a couple times a month. Recently my honey bear started to crystallize, so today I warmed it for a few seconds in the microwave, and continued with my facial regimen, but this time the crystallized honey worked as a scrub as I removed it from my face. Leaving my skin even more soft than the normal regimen.

    Reply
  15. Lisa Lynn (@lisalombardo5)

    Guilty admission…I eat the crystallized honey right out of the jar with a spoon. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing on The Creative Home & Garden Hop! I can’t wait to see what you share today 🙂

    Reply
  16. Melanie @ carmelmoments.com

    I just poured my honey into a glass jar yesterday to rid of crystallization. I just zapped it for a bit in the microwave. I’ve used set the container in warm water too liquify it again. Never thought of just setting out in the sun though.

    Reply
  17. Kathi

    I’ve heated it in a pan of water before but using the sun’s power is genius! I live in Oklahoma and can do the same thing here. For some reason my local beekeeper sells honey in plastic jars and it crystallizes so much more quickly in plastic. I’ve started pouring it into glass when I bring it home now. Thank you for sharing at the HomeAcre Hop; I hope you’ll join us again this Thursday.

    Reply
  18. michelle

    Thanks for the tip. I don’t use a lot of honey so this is a big problem for me.

    Reply
  19. Linda @ A La Carte

    I have some honey I need to work with and so I’m glad to see your advice here. Thanks for linking to TTF!

    Reply
  20. Lori D.

    Ha! Honey doesn’t last long enough in my house to crystallize! My husband and daughter both eat it right off the spoon! And I mix a small cup of water, 2 tsps Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar, and 1 tsp of honey for all of us every night and we drink it for the many, many health benefits it provides!

    Reply
  21. Zoe @ecothrifty

    I have a massive tub of crystallized honey, but I don’t live in a hot country. I do have a sunny conservatory though, so might try that. Thanks for the tip!

    Reply
    1. Texas Homesteader Post author

      Zoe – Maybe place your crystallized honey in a lidded glass jar & place the jar on the dashboard of your car on a sunny day? Heat inside a closed-up car can really jump & I’ve heard of people using that for heating up various things. Just a thought…

      Reply
  22. Candy C.

    “I don’t enjoy the thought of putting a spoon of drippy sweet honey in my mouth” WHAT?!? Dang, I love licking the honey off the spoon! LOL!!
    I also buy local honey in quart jars but I actually transfer it to a ‘honey bear’ to make it easier to measure for my baking. I was having trouble holding and pouring from the big jar with my slowly progressing arthritis. 🙁

    Reply

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