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What Is Dried Honey?

Cynde Gregory
Cynde Gregory

As Winnie the Pooh would be quick to point out, honey is very, very delicious but very, very sticky. Cooks can’t resist the uniquely sweet amber goo, whether it comes from bees who have indulged in a field of clover or alfalfa, but when it comes to cleanup time, most wish there was an easier way. Dried honey, which is processed from the golden, sticky stuff into a dry, pourable product, is the answer.

Dehydrated, or dried, honey is offered in flaked form, as granules, or as a powder. It’s not only useful because it’s easy to clean up after use but because the drying agents make it stable and gives it a long shelf life of a year or more. As a relative newcomer to the food manufacturing and packaging world, its potential is vastly underexplored.

A honey bee.
A honey bee.

It isn’t possible to find a product that is pure. The dehydration process requires processing materials to help the dried material maintain its pourable personality because it is high in fructose and would otherwise tend to clump. In addition, ingredients such as sugar syrup and maltodextrins are found in most dried honey products, although some manufacturers dispense with any sweeteners other than the honey itself. In most cases, however, there is between 50% and 70% actual honey in commercially available dried honey.

To keep the dehydrated honey from caking up, soy flour or wheat starch is often used. Alternatives are bran, lecithin, and calcium stearate. These additives contribute to the drying process as well as providing a certain amount of bulk.

Honey can be dehydrated into flakes, granules, or powder.
Honey can be dehydrated into flakes, granules, or powder.

The higher the percentage of honey in a dried honey product, the more strongly the honey flavor will come out. The less bulk or filler added to dried honey, however, the more expensive it will be. In order to produce dried honey with consistent flavor, manufacturers favor using a mix of types of honey.

There are a number of approaches to creating a dried honey product. Some manufacturers employ a process that involves spraying a liquid honey concoction and then drying it. Others use a drum roller method. Freeze drying, vacuum drying, and microwave drying are also being explored.

The physical differences between dried and natural honey means they aren’t readily interchangeable. In commercial food production, it is used in peanut butter honey products, in potato chips, and frozen dough as well as other products. It’s found in rubs and coatings for meats and other foods as well as in seasonings and dry bakery mixes.

Discussion Comments

burcinc

@turquoise-- Dried honey is expensive but I think it's sweeter. This means that you need less dried honey than regular honey to sweeten your tea. So it lasts longer.

turquoise

@fify-- I hope you bought real, air-dried honey and not a sugar product marketed as honey.

Unfortunately, honey is not very conducive to drying, it crystallizes right away. So most of the dried honey products on the market are not really honey, they're sugar. Check the ingredients list of the product you have.

There are a few real honey products. These manufacturers use a special air-drying method to make their dried honey. The only downside is that this real, dried honey is too expensive for most people.

fify

I bought a packet of dried honey a few days ago. This is the best thing ever! I only use honey in my tea and I was tired of dealing with regular honey. Dried honey is so much easier to use, it's much like sugar. It tastes good too. I'm so glad I found this product.

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    • A honey bee.
      By: artist_as
      A honey bee.
    • Honey can be dehydrated into flakes, granules, or powder.
      By: Africa Studio
      Honey can be dehydrated into flakes, granules, or powder.