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My keto honey recipe yields thick and sweet ‘honey’ made with NO bee pollen or actual honey! Made with 4 ingredients and only 1 gram of net carbs per serving.
Need more keto pantry staples? Try my keto maple syrup, sugar-free caramel syrup, and keto simple syrup next.
I grew up on honey and toast. It was my go-to breakfast, snack, and late-night treat.
When I first went keto, I thought that meant I’d have to say goodbye to both bread and honey. Thankfully, the opposite has proven to be true.
Is honey allowed on keto?
Traditional honey is very high in carbohydrates, making it unsuitable for a keto diet. However, with a few simple substitutions, you can make sugar free honey that tastes like the real deal AND stay in ketosis!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- It tastes like real honey! I use a super secret ingredient (hint: it’s honey flavoring) to give it the true taste of honey.
- The consistency of honey. It’s golden brown, and the texture is thick, smooth, and pourable.
- Versatile. I could eat low carb honey by the spoonful, but it’s even better drizzled over keto pancakes or keto biscuits, and it works perfectly in baking.
- Low calorie AND low carb. I’m talking 15 calories and 1 gram of net carbs per tablespoon of honey!
Ingredients needed
- Xanthan gum. Thickens the honey and helps make it pourable and sticky.
- Water. You want the water to be warm, not boiling.
- Sugar free brown sugar. I used homemade brown sugar substitute, but golden monk fruit sweetener, erythritol, or allulose can also work.
- Honey extract. The key ingredient! This extract gives a strong honey flavor while remaining keto-friendly.
How to make sugar free honey
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Dissolve xanthan gum. In a small bowl, add half the warm water and xanthan gum. Whisk until the xanthan gum has mostly dissolved.
Step 2- Simmer. Add remaining warm water and keto brown sugar to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then add the xanthan gum and whisk well. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until thickened.
Step 3- Add honey extract. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the honey extract. Allow it to cool completely, transfer it to a sterilized jar, and refrigerate.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Be patient. The honey will still look thin once it’s removed from the heat, but it’ll continue to thicken as it cools, and even more so once it’s refrigerated.
- Use a good quality honey extract. It makes a difference!
- Make it spicy. Add 1-2 teaspoons of red chili flakes for a sweet and spicy moment.
- Adjust the sweetness. Taste the honey toward the end of the cooking process and use that time to add more sweetener if needed.
Storage instructions
To store: Any remaining zero sugar honey substitute should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one month.
To freeze: Freeze honey in a freezer-safe container for up to six months.
More recipes for using low carb honey
Keto Honey
Ingredients
- 2 cups water warm and divided * See notes
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 cup keto brown sugar or allulose
- 1 1/2 tablespoon honey extract
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add half the warm water and xanthan gum. Whisk very well, until the xanthan gum has mostly dissolved.
- Add the remaining warm water and keto brown sugar into a small saucepan and place it over medium heat. Once it begins to boil, add the xanthan gum mixture and whisk very well. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until it has thickened.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the honey extract. Allow the honey to cool completely, before transferring to a container or sterilized jar and refrigerating it until it has thickened further.
How much is considered to be a serving, please?
Thanks!
Hi Arman, when I go to the Amazon link it says it doesn’t post the honey extract to my address (in Australia). But I know you’re in Australia too. So what alternative do you suggest please?
Hi Arman, I have really missed cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet with honey. I have found promising keto recipes for both on your site. Hurrah! I’ m so glad to have found your recipes. Thanks so much, Carla in Oregon, USA. 🌲🌲🌲
Hi! Thanks for the recipe! Will this work in hot tea? Or is it best as a spreadable?
Best as a spreadable, but I don’t see why you can’t add some to tea.
For the honey extract, does it matter if its water soluble or oil soluble?
In your notes you say not to use erythritol as it may leave the honey gritty.
Just letting you know that brown swerve is made with erythritol.
Hi there! Have you tried allulose? We use our homemade keto brown sugar made with allulose 🙂
Why is it so hard now to save to PINTEREST? I used to be able to just touch the picture
Still works that way.
Made this keto honey today.
I didn’t have any honey extract so i skipped that and the “honey” tastes quite good anyway.
It didn’t thicken as much as i was expecting but it does the job. I used it to make a poppy seed filling and it worked great. And hopefully it will work in my keto hamantaschen dough too 😀
Thank you!
I used the recommended sweetener, but I used the LorAnn’s Super Strength Honey Flavoring and this is what the ad says: “A little goes a long way! LorAnn’s super strength flavors are three to four times the strength of typical baking extracts.
When substituting super strength flavors for extracts, use ¼ to ½ teaspoon for 1 teaspoon of extract.”
Do you think 1 1/2 tablespoons was too much?
Hi Sharon! I think it depends on which batch of extract you get- mine needed the full 1.5 tablespoons but if you got a potent one, 1 teaspoon may be fine.
I used Swerve Brown Sugar. The Honey flavoring seemed super strong, could 1 1/2 tablespoons have been too much?
Hi! I just finished creating this wonderful substitute for the real honey that I can no longer have. It smells divine, I used all of the suggested ingredient brands, but I notice that it has a slightly bitter aftertaste? It’s not bad, but I was wondering if I did something wrong, or if it can be corrected somehow? Thanks!
Hi Sharon! What sweetener did you use?
You are simply brilliant my man Arman! Thanks much for sharing this. I know I will enjoy using it.
Hi!
Love your site!
My question: in your nutritional facts you state
Carb 1
Fiber 1
Isn’t the fiber deducted from the carb count???
Thank you
Carol
Your site isn’t allowing me to post. Says I already asked this question, however just got this email today????
Hi Carol! Yes 0 net carbs 🙂