The trend for honey lovers nowadays is honey powder. What is it, and is it different from raw honey?
What is Honey Powder?
A honey powder is just honey in granular form. It is pulverized or powdered honey. In the process of transforming this golden syrup into powder, raw honey is first dehydrated to remove all the moisture in the syrup.
Dehydrated honey is then ground into a fine powder. Finally, stabilizers (usually maltodextrin) are added.
Maltodextrine is a digestible carbohydrate commonly used as a food ingredient in processed foods. Made from vegetable starch, it is absorbed by the body as glucose.
Approved by the USFDA, maltodextrine has been recognized as a safe food ingredient with no limitation as to its use “other than current good manufacturing practice.”
Pure honey is transformed into a powdered product with all its honey flavors and benefits.
|
Our Top Pick
|
Runner Up
|
Also Great
|
|
Primary Rating:
4.6
|
Primary Rating:
4.6
|
Primary Rating:
3.6
|
|
$24.99
|
$24.00
|
$18.99
|
What does Real Honey Powder look like?
Is it really honey? We get curious how our common honey, which is in liquid form, can turn into a powder.
Similar to corn flour in texture and appearance, the honey powder looks like any other powdered baking ingredient. Some powdered honey has granular textures, just like sugar, and with a bit of a crunch to them.
Honey in powder form may take on a variety of colors depending on the honey source. Light-colored honey would create a white powder. Dark-colored honey would yield a powder that is creamy yellow in color.
How to Make Honey Powder the DIY Way
Ready to make your own homemade honey powder? Here’s how you can turn your golden syrup into golden dust.
Drying the Honey
On parchment paper, spread pure natural honey into a thin layer. Ensure that you are spreading honey thinly and evenly. It would allow for the honey to dehydrate at the same rate.
Place the parchment paper in a dehydrator. Set the dehydrator to a low temperature, at the lowest degree. If possible, set it at 107°F (42°C). Set the time for 24 hours and allow your honey to dehydrate.
Check back from time to time to ensure that your honey is not yet burning, as it could cause some of the honey’s beneficial qualities to dissipate.
At the end of the set time, the honey should be dry and hard. It should have lost its stickiness, too.
Grinding Dried Honey
Exposure to air would cause the honey sheet to absorb some humidity and become sticky again. So, it is important that you move in a fast but careful way here.
As it is thinly spread on the parchment, it should look like a thick sheet. Picking up the dried honey could cause it to break into shards of honey easily.
Remove every piece of honey shards and place them on a food processor or grinder.
Storing Honey Powder
Once the honey is finely grounded, immediately transfer it to an airtight container. Then, store it in a cool, dry place.
If you plan on storing as much ground honey for the long term, use maltodextrin to stabilize it and make it less absorbent of water or moisture. But, for home use, dehydrate only as much as you need for the next two or three uses.
Benefits of Using Honey Powder
Why use honey powder when you can use pure liquid honey? Well, there are a few reasons why many would resort to using dried honey.
Mess-Free
As we all are familiar with it, liquid honey is sticky. It can easily be spilled and would be hard to clean up after.
On the other hand, powdered honey is less messy. It can easily be transported and used anywhere. You can stash a few teaspoons in a small ziplock and carry it with you anywhere to add to your coffee and tea instead of sugar.
Despite the difference, the powdered form likewise dissolves easily and evenly.
Great Sugar Substitute
Both powdered and liquid honey are great substitutes for sugar. But powdered honey is easier to bring anywhere.
Honey powder is best for baking. Many bakers are particular about using honey instead of sugar. However, there are recipes that are detailed as to their moisture content.
Adding honey in liquid form may cause the batter to be extra soggy, which can ruin how the recipe would turn out. In cases like this, powder honey would be the best solution.
Substitute sugar on cookie mixes to add chewiness to your favorite snack. Honey in dehydrated form and pulverized could also be a great sweetener in dry rubs.
More Affordable than Other Sweeteners
Sugar substitutes and sweeteners are costly compared to sugar itself. Yet, many people are willing to spend the extra bucks for sugar substitutes for their healthier benefits.
One of these sweeteners that could be a little bit more expensive than sugar is honey. And yet, compared to other sweeteners, honey powder can be way less expensive. A teaspoon of honey powder provides as much sweetness as four teaspoons of sugar or its substitute.
Healthy Option
Honey powder, just like pure honey, contains Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Zinc, Potassium, Magnesium, and many other essential elements. All these aid in promoting wellness.
Also, compared to sugar, honey has a lower glycemic index (GI). It can aid in reducing the complications of diabetes. Using this to sweeten cereal, tea, coffee, and even baked goods would be a healthier option for many.
Does not Crystallize
Regular honey, in its natural form, crystallizes over time. While there are remedies to keep honey from crystallizing faster, this is a natural process that cannot be prevented.
Powdered honey, on the other hand, never crystallizes. When your honey powder has been stabilized, there is also no fear of it getting lumpy or hard.
Long Shelf-Life
Powdered honey has a longer and excellent shelf life. Of course, that is if you observed keeping it in a really tightly-closed container.
When you have stabilized your dry honey and stored it properly, you can rest assured that it won’t go bad for years.
Where to Buy Honey Powder
With the interest people are showing in honey powder, there are now several online options for buying this product.
Here are our top picks for the best honey powder in the market.
Our Top Pick
Runner Up
Also Great
Final Thoughts
The finer the honey, the better would be your dry honey. If you plan on storing powdered natural honey, choose a honey of better quality. If you are into a specific flavor or looking for a specific honey benefit, then grab a bottle of your favorite honey type and use it to make honey powder.
It is also important to store your honey powder in an airtight container to keep it for a long time.
Some people want to be creative and add some flavors to their powdered honey. Add cinnamon or other spices to give your dry honey a unique honey flavor.
Sprinkle on hot and cold cereals and mix them with milk for a healthier breakfast meal. Add more flavor to your coffee or tea by adding a teaspoon of this golden powder. Or sprinkle on baked goods to give them a twist.
Powdered honey makes a great ingredient in any recipe. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your new must-have staple to keep your pantry complete.