How to Crystallize Honey

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Co-authored by David Williams

Last Updated: October 8, 2022 References

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Ideal Conditions

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Crystallization

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Usage

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Expert Q&A

Honey naturally crystallizes over time due to its water content interacting with the glucose. If you want crystallized honey, there are several things you can do to speed up the process. First, make sure you use unfiltered honey stored in a plastic container. Second, store the honey at a lower temperature and add a little water. Once your honey crystallizes, you can use it as a spread for breads and meats and to sweeten drinks like coffee and tea.

Part 1

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Ideal Conditions

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1
Purchase unfiltered honey. Regardless of how much time passes and the temperature it's stored at, honey that's been processed or tampered with will not crystalize. Only raw, unfiltered honey will crystalize. Make sure you purchase unfiltered, pure honey.^{[1]
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- Unfiltered honey may have an added cost, but it's the only way to get crystalized honey.
- It may be easier to find unfiltered honey in an organic grocery store or the organic section of your store.
Exposure to air may make honey crystalize faster. Plastic jars are generally more porous than other storage options. If your honey did not already come in a plastic jar, transfer it to one to speed up the crystallization process.^{[2]
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If you're buying your honey from a local business, like a farmer's market, ask the provider which honeys crystalize fastest. Honeys infused with things like rose petals may crystalize faster than other types of honey.^{[3]
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Crystallization

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A low glucose-to-water ratio speeds up the process of crystallization. Try adding a tablespoon or two of water to your honey and mixing it in. This may result in faster crystallization.^{[4]
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Store your honey in the refrigerator.^{[5]
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Expert Source

David Williams
Beekeeper & Bee Removal Specialist

Expert Interview. 13 February 2020.} Honey stored in temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) will crystalize much faster. Store your honey somewhere like the fridge. Use a thermometer to determine your fridge's heat to make sure it hovers around the 50s.^{[6]
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- Do not freeze your honey. This will prevent it from crystalizing.
Unfortunately, there is no exact formula to know how long honey crystalizes. When kept at the right temperature, most honey will crystalize but this can take anywhere from weeks to years.^{[7]
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Research source} When your honey crystalizes, you will realize the honey is formed into large crystals with white air bubbles in between.^{[8]
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If you already have some crystalized honey, transfer this to a container of runny honey. The presence of honey crystals may speed up the crystallization process.^{[9]
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Usage

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Crystalized honey is thicker than regular honey. You can use it as a spread on things like bread, bagels, toast, and English muffins.^{[10]
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Meats like pork and chicken can taste great with a honey glaze. You can just as easily use crystalized honey as regular honey to glaze your meats prior to cooking them.^{[11]
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Honey crystals can be dropped in hot drinks like coffee and tea. They dissolve just like sugar cubes and will sweeten up your drink.^{[12]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

How long does it take to crystallize honey?

David Williams
Beekeeper & Bee Removal Specialist
David Williams is a Professional Beekeeper and Bee Removal Specialist with over 28 years of beekeeping experience. He is the Owner of Bzz Bee Removal, a bee removal company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Bzz Bee Removal locates, captures, and transports bees to local beekeepers to prevent colony collapse disorder.

David Williams

Beekeeper & Bee Removal Specialist

Expert Answer

It's hard to determine the exact time, but keeping your honey in the fridge will help your honey crystallize faster.

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Question

How long does pure raw honey take to crystallize?

Community Answer

Depends on a lot of things: temperature, humidity, and light, for example. All honey will crystallize, but this is OK. You can eat it like candy, or if you submerge in warm water for awhile and shake it up, it will re-liquefy. Honey lasts forever unless it gets contaminated, and has a great many uses.

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Why won't filtered honey work?

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Crystals can form faster when they have something to grab onto. In unfiltered honey, tiny bits of pollen, wax, or other debris is present for the crystals to use as a base and start growing. Filtration removes a lot of that debris, meaning the crystals don't have an easy place to start. This will dramatically reduce the rate of crystallization in filtered honey.

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