How to Measure Honey, Syrup & Sticky Ingredients

Sticky sweeteners are frustrating to measure. Pour honey into a cup and a stubborn film stays behind — sometimes a full tablespoon of it — so your recipe ends up short and your cleanup is a mess.

Trick 1: oil the cup

Before measuring, lightly coat the inside of the measuring cup or spoon with a neutral oil or a quick spray of cooking spray. The honey, molasses, or syrup slides straight out, leaving almost nothing behind. If your recipe already uses oil or melted butter, measure that first in the same cup, then the sticky ingredient — the residue does the coating for you.

Trick 2: warm it slightly

Cold honey is thick and slow. A few seconds in the microwave, or standing the jar in warm water, makes it far more fluid and easier to measure and pour. Do not overheat it — gentle warmth is enough.

Sticky ingredient weights

• 1 cup honey = 340 g
• 1 cup maple syrup = 322 g
• 1 cup molasses = 340 g
• 1 cup corn syrup = 328 g
• 1 cup peanut butter = 258 g

These are dense — heavier than water — so do not be surprised by the numbers. Convert any amount with the honey, maple syrup, or molasses converters.

One more tip

For peanut butter and other thick spreads, press firmly into a dry measuring cup to remove air pockets, then scrape it out with a flexible spatula. Or — you guessed it — weigh it.