Honeycomb Recipe - melissassouthernstylekitchen.com (2024)

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This crisp and airy Honeycomb Recipe is a deliciously simple candy to make. The honey toffee-like flavor and spongy texture melts in your mouth. You can enjoy it with or without melted chocolate on top or straight from the pan broken into random pieces.

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Easy Honeycomb Recipe

What is honeycomb candy? It’s a light and airy candy that’s made with honey and sugar and combined with baking soda. The baking soda creates a reaction that causes it to foam. It’s one of those fun candies that has a plethora of names, sometimes called honeycomb toffee, seafoam, sponge toffee, hokey pokey and beyond. It has a sugary honey flavor with an airy texture that can be broken into random pieces or cut using a sharp knife into more uniform shapes. It naturally crumbles when cutting so random sizes should be expected. How to make Honeycomb Candy: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

  • Honeycomb Mixture – Add sugar, water, corn syrup, and honey to a medium size heavy bottomed saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Whisk to combine. Heat over medium heat cooking until clear and the the mixture reaches 300°F.
  • Remove from the heat and whisk in baking soda, vanilla and salt. The mixture will foam up, whisk just until fully incorporated.
  • Use a rubber spatula to carefully push and pour the mixture into the prepared pan. (Don’t spread or press down the mixture or it will deflate the bubbles.)
  • Let the candy cool completely then remove it from the pan using the parchment.
  • Break into individual random pieces by hand or using a sharp knife.
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How to Make the Best Honeycomb Candy Recipe

  • Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Honeycomb Candy: Light corn syrup, honey, granulated sugar, water, vanilla extract, salt and baking soda.
  • Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A 4 quart heavy bottomed saucepan, measuring cups and spoons, an 8 x 8 inch pan, parchment paper, a whisk, candy thermometer and a rubber spatula.
  • Choose a heavy bottomed pot that’s deep enough to contain the mixture when it foams up. When in doubt go a bit larger than smaller. You don’t want it to overflow.
  • When pouring the mixture into the prepared pan don’t be tempted to press down and spread the mixture or it can deflate the bubbles. Try to pour it evenly into the pan, then gently shake the pan to spread.
  • You can dip or drizzle this honeycomb recipe with melted chocolate. When doing so, the topping shouldn’t be like a sauce but rather something that would be able to dry and is stable at room temperature.
  • To clean the pan, fill with warm water and let sit. This should dissolve what’s left behind. If it’s still stubborn, place the pot onto the stovetop and bring to a boil. This will soften any drips left behind and clean-up will be a breeze.
  • To make the optional chocolate topping : In a double boiler over simmering water melt 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips with 1 1/2 teaspoons of solid vegetable shortening (or coconut oil) stirring until completely smooth. Once the honeycomb is completely cooled and set, gently spread the warm chocolate on top and let dry. Then remove from the pan using the parchment paper and use a sharp knife to cut or break into pieces.
  • Store Honeycomb in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
  • I don’t recommend freezing or refrigerating honeycomb candy.
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More Easy Candy Recipes to Make

Candy isn’t just limited to the holiday season there’s something sweet and satisfying about making it for gift giving and special occasions. More candy recipes you may also like to try:

  • Toffee Peanut Clusters are certain to become a family favorite.
  • Enjoy these Bourbon Pecan Pralines as a decadent sweet Southern treat.
  • You can tint these Easy Cream Cheese Mints in any color to suit the occasion.
  • Sweet and Salty Potato Chip Clusters are impossible to resist.
  • Brown Sugar Walnut Fudge (Penuche) is a creamy delight.
  • These cute as a button Turtle Pretzels are always a winning option.
  • Believe It Or Not Candy Bars from Karo Syrup.
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Honeycomb Recipe

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Cooling time30 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Candy, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy-honeycomb-candy, honeycomb-candy

Servings: 12 servings (may vary)

Calories: 95kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt OR table salt

Instructions

  • Line an 8 x 8 baking dish or large pie dish with parchment paper, leaving at least 1 inch overhang.

  • Add sugar, water, corn syrup, and honey to a medium size heavy bottomed saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Whisk to combine. Heat over medium heat cooking until clear and the the mixture reaches 300°F.

  • Remove from the heat and whisk in baking soda, vanilla and salt. The mixture will foam up, whisk just until fully incorporated.

  • Use a rubber spatula to carefully push and pour the mixture into the prepared pan. (Don't spread or press down the mixture or it will deflate the bubbles.)

  • Let cool completely then remove from the pan using the overhang parchment.

  • Break into individual random pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. (See the Cook's note for optional chocolate topping instructions.)

Notes

  • To make a Chocolate Topping : In a double boiler over simmering water melt 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips with 1 1/2 teaspoons of solid vegetable shortening (or coconut oil) stirring until completely smooth. Once the honeycomb is completely cooled and set, gently spread the warm chocolate on top and let dry. Then remove from the pan using the parchment paper and use a sharp knife to cut or break into pieces.
  • Please note: Nutritional data should always be considered an estimate as it can vary depending on how the finished product is divided.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 0.01g | Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 188mg | Potassium: 2mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.02mg

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Honeycomb Recipe - melissassouthernstylekitchen.com (2024)

FAQs

Why is my honeycomb chewy not crunchy? ›

Chewy honeycomb happens when the mixture hasn't been cooked for long enough. This is most common when you don't use a sugar thermometer. If you don't heat the mixture to 149°C the sugar won't achieve the brittleness required for that crumbly, crunchy texture.

Why add vinegar to honeycomb? ›

White vinegar – one of the things that makes this candy unique is the light and airy texture of the toffee. We have the vinegar, in part, to thank for that! Vinegar reacts with the baking soda in the recipe to form little bubbles of carbon dioxide that give the honeycomb candy its airy, crisp texture.

Can you overcook honeycomb? ›

Choose the best honeycomb

It's all good unless the melted sugar is cooked for too long, when it will burn and the bitterness detracts from the acid-sweet pleasures expected. If you undercook it, it will not set properly.

Can you eat the chewy part of honeycomb? ›

You can eat the whole honeycomb, including the honey and waxy cells surrounding it. The raw honey has a more textured consistency than filtered honey. In addition, the waxy cells can be chewed as a gum. Honeycomb is a natural product made by bees to store their larvae, honey, and pollen.

Why does my honeycomb taste bad? ›

If the sugar is in a hard ball stage, it should be firm to the touch, and harder to mould as it cools down. The colour is also a good indicator, the mixture should be an amber colour. If it's any darker than that, it means your sugar is too hot and the honeycomb will taste burnt and bitter.

Are honeycomb and cinder toffee the same thing? ›

Honeycomb candy is known by many names.

Honeycomb toffee, sponge toffee, cinder toffee and hokey poke are just a few. Often though, it is simply referred to as honeycomb. The exact origin of this light yet rigid candy is disputed almost as much as the various names.

What to do with failed honeycomb? ›

Instead, if it is enjoyable as is, I would suggest just eating it as a toffee like candy. Otherwise, chalk it up to experience and watch the temperature more closely next time. I have a batch of gooey toffee now too. So im just either enjoying it as is or adding bit or chunks of it to my coffee or ice cream.

What is the waxy stuff on honeycomb? ›

Beeswax is the substance from which honeycomb is made. It's the material that composes the walls of the honeycomb, allowing those beautiful little hexagons to form and fill with honey.

What to do with leftover honeycomb? ›

MIX AND MATCH
  1. COMB WITH CHEESE. Pair your honeycomb with any type of cheese you'd like for a quick snack or a party tray. ...
  2. SPREAD ON BREAD. Because of the unique texture of the comb, your honey will easily spread over your toast in a thick layer without the drip. ...
  3. REINVENT YOUR SALAD. ...
  4. COMB IN BATTER. ...
  5. SIMPLY COMB.

Is honeycomb good for you? ›

Honeycomb contains antioxidants that are believed to boost your immune system and reduce inflammation. It also has antibacterial properties that can help fight off infections. And let's not forget about its delicious taste and natural sweetness, making it a perfect substitute for processed sugar.

Why did my honeycomb collapse? ›

Get your sugar types and ratios wrong and the honeycomb collapses or turns sticky. Use too much or too little baking soda and the light and airy puff collapses on you or doesn't even materialize. Luckily, we've got chemistry and science to help us out here and problem solve the art of making honeycomb.

Can you eat honey straight from the honeycomb? ›

It is 100% edible, though the texture is not for everyone. In fact, eating raw honeycomb is one of the best ways to get the most health benefits from your honey. Honey in the honeycomb is in its rawest form, so it will have the most enzymes, vitamins, and minerals of any type of raw honey.

Why is my honeycomb candy chewy? ›

The baking soda (also known as bicarbonate of soda) heats up and when it does that, it releases a gas that gets trapped in the caramelized honey and sugar. This results in bubbles that resembles actual honeycomb from bees! Why is my Honeycomb Candy chewy? This is a result of the mixture not cooking long enough.

Do you spit out the wax from honeycomb? ›

The easiest way to enjoy honeycomb is to carve out a spoonful, or slice a thin sliver with a knife and enjoy as is. The wax is chewy and edible, although some people prefer to spit it out like gum. It is a guilty-free pleasure.

Is honeycomb supposed to be crunchy? ›

Honeycomb is a crunchy, airy candy with a sweet honey flavor.

Why is my toffee chewy and not crunchy? ›

Don't hurry this gradual transformation; syrup that doesn't reach 300°F, or close to it, will make candy with timid flavor and chewy (not crunchy) texture. Think you can save time by bringing the syrup to a full rolling, popping boil in order for it to darken more quickly? Think again.

Why is my honeycomb still sticky? ›

Honeycomb is essentially hot toffee blended with a little bicarbonate of soda to make it bubble and foam. The mistake most first timers make is to take the syrup off the heat too soon. This makes the honeycomb sticky and doesn't allow it to set correctly.

Is honeycomb supposed to be hard? ›

you add baking soda. This baking soda fizzes and expands the sugary liquid into an airy mass. Simply leave it to cool and it will set into a hard, crunchy but light texture. Honeycomb doesn't get its name from the fact that it's made with honey (even though you can make it with honey).

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