Best Substitutes for Honey

Out of Honey? Here are the best alternatives that work in cocktail recipes.

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Original Ingredient

Honey

Other Rich, floral nose with warm sweetness, beeswax, and wildflower complexity. Palate is viscous and lusciously sweet with nectar depth and subtle fruitiness. Long, soothing finish with golden warmth.

Recommended Substitutes

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Honey syrup

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

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Agave Syrup

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

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Maple syrup

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

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Sugar syrup

Use as a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted.

General Substitution Tips

  • Match the alcohol level: a 40% spirit needs a similarly strong replacement or adjust volume.
  • For liqueurs, dilute spirits + simple syrup can replicate sweetness and proof.
  • Citrus substitutions: lemon and lime are mostly interchangeable at a 1:1 ratio.
  • For bitters, Angostura is the most neutral substitute for most other aromatic bitters.