The Surprising Truth About Commercial Honey Buns
When you unwrap a classic convenience store treat like a honey bun, you expect a soft, cinnamon-swirled pastry with a sweet, sticky glaze. The name suggests a core ingredient, but for most mass-produced brands, the use of real, liquid honey is minimal or nonexistent. Instead, manufacturers often rely on a combination of sweeteners to achieve that signature taste.
Deconstructing the Ingredient List
To understand what’s inside, you have to look past the branding and at the ingredient label. Many brands use a multi-pronged approach to sweetening. For example, a Jumbo Iced Honey Bun from Hostess lists 'Honey Powder (Honey And Maltodextrin)' among its ingredients. This is a key distinction. It’s not pure, liquid honey, but a powdered version that is part of a larger, highly processed mixture. Other listed sweeteners include sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, which provide the bulk of the sweetness and the sticky texture.
Honey vs. "Honey Flavor"
It's important to differentiate between actual honey and what a brand might use for a "honey flavor." While some brands claim to use a 'concentrate that contains real honey' in their secret formula, the final result is often a highly processed pastry. The flavor profile is achieved not just by the honey component but by the blend of other sweeteners, cinnamon, and artificial flavors. As food science has evolved, creating a product that tastes like honey without relying on the pure, natural ingredient has become common practice for cost-effectiveness and consistency.
The History of the Honey Bun
Despite its modern, processed form, the honey bun has a storied past. Howard Griffin is credited with developing the first commercial honey bun in Greensboro, NC, in 1954, by adding honey to a cinnamon roll recipe. His family's company, Griffin Baking Company, later sold to Flowers Foods. Over the decades, as the product transitioned from a fresh bakery item to a ubiquitous vending machine and convenience store snack, the ingredients evolved to favor shelf stability and mass production.
Homemade vs. Store-Bought
The stark contrast between a homemade and store-bought honey bun perfectly illustrates the ingredient differences. A homemade honey bun recipe will feature pure, liquid honey as a star ingredient, along with fresh butter, milk, and yeast. The result is a soft, tender bun with a rich, natural sweetness. Commercial varieties, in contrast, rely on cheaper alternatives and additives to extend shelf life and simplify production. This trade-off results in a different flavor profile and nutritional content.
Health Implications of Processed Snacks
Beyond the debate over real honey, it's crucial to acknowledge that commercial honey buns are ultra-processed foods. EWG's food scores often highlight these products for their high sugar and saturated fat content, along with a list of additives and preservatives like TBHQ. Excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods is linked to an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. While a treat in moderation is fine, these are not the products to turn to for the health benefits associated with natural, unprocessed honey.
Comparison Table: Homemade vs. Commercial Honey Buns
| Feature | Homemade Honey Bun | Commercial Honey Bun |
|---|---|---|
| Honey Source | Pure, liquid honey | Dried or powdered honey, part of a concentrate |
| Sweeteners | Honey, sugar | Dried honey, high fructose corn syrup, sugar |
| Processing Level | Minimal | Highly processed |
| Ingredients | All-purpose flour, yeast, milk, eggs, butter, cinnamon, pure honey | Enriched flour, palm oil, dextrose, corn starch, mono- and diglycerides, preservatives, and multiple artificial flavors and colors |
| Shelf Life | Short | Extended |
| Flavor | Rich, natural honey flavor | Sweet, sometimes artificial honey flavor from a blend of ingredients |
Conclusion
So, is there real honey in a honey bun? For many popular store-bought brands, the answer is a qualified "yes," but it’s typically in a powdered or dried form, blended with other sugars and ingredients, not the pure, liquid honey one might imagine. The true flavor and experience of a honey bun are found in homemade recipes, which use real, natural ingredients to produce a superior-tasting and less processed treat. When buying a packaged honey bun, you're enjoying a nostalgic snack cake, but you shouldn't expect the authentic benefits or flavor of fresh honey.
For more information on the ingredients found in processed foods, visit the EWG Food Scores website.
