Is Golden Syrup the Same as Honey?

Our answer

Honey and golden syrup are both liquid sweeteners but they are not the same ingredient. Golden syrup is a very thick liquid sweetener which is a by-product of the sugar refining process. It is an inverted sugar so it tends to retain moisture and resists crystallization and is very useful in making when you want to make very moist cakes (such as gingerbreads) and slightly chewy cookies.

Honey is also an inverted sugar but honey tends to have a very distinctive flavour and so can affect the taste of the finished dish. It is also quite expensive when compared with golden syrup. Lyle's Golden Syrup is the most popular brand and is available in several countries. If you can't find golden syrup then corn syrup is the best substitute. Generally we would suggest light corn syrup though for sticky gingerbread cakes you can use dark corn syrup if you prefer.