Why did my honey harden? How do I re-liquify it?

A phenomenon unique to raw, unprocessed honey that some new customers are often unaware of is that it will crystallize over time - and that’s a good thing! Crystallization is actually nature’s way of preserving the taste and quality of the honey over long periods of time.

Crystallization is a spontaneous process where the natural sugars in honey (glucose and fructose) will bind together and begin to form little crystals which can make your honey thicker and harder. Sometimes this change happens quickly, and sometimes it takes longer. Temperature, humidity, exposure to sunlight, and other factors all influence when the process begins and how long it will take. It’s still perfectly safe to eat once it crystallizes, but it’s not as easy to use once it hardens.

Thankfully, the honey can be returned to its liquid state with very little effort. Prepare a container of hot water and put your bottle of honey inside. In a short time time it will return to its liquid state. 120-130 degrees is an ideal temperature for the water, and be sure to fully submerge the bottle for the best results. With time, the honey will crystallize again but reheating it with the same hot water bath technique will once again return it to it to liquid form.