You can eat food-grade honeycomb, including the honey and its beeswax cells. Start with a small piece and chew it slowly, either on its own or with another food. The National Honey Board recognises comb honey as an edible form of honey. (1)
Here, "honeycomb" means real honey held in the wax cells made by bees. It does not mean the crisp, aerated confectionery also called honeycomb in Australia.
For a first taste, think of honeycomb as a finishing ingredient: something to notice in a small bite, rather than something to stir invisibly through a whole dish.
What is edible honeycomb?
Bees use wax to form cells in which they store honey. Comb honey is sold with those cells intact, instead of having the honey extracted from them. (1) (2)
Buy a product specifically sold for eating from a food supplier or beekeeper. Do not assume that decorative beeswax, old hive material or a piece collected from a wild nest is suitable food.
Read the packaging to understand what you have bought. A piece of honey-filled comb and a jar of liquid honey containing a piece of comb are different presentations, even though both allow you to taste the comb.
Can you eat the wax?
Yes, the beeswax in edible comb honey can be eaten with the honey. Its texture is different from liquid honey, so try a modest bite first. (1)
Chew slowly. If you do not enjoy the waxy texture, you do not need to swallow the remaining wax. Honeycomb is a food to enjoy, not a challenge or a supplement with a required dose.
Do not confuse edible comb with wax intended for candles or craft use. The fact that beeswax has other uses does not make every beeswax product a food product.
How to serve honeycomb for the first time
Place the food-grade comb on a small plate and use a clean knife to cut a little piece. Taste it before adding other ingredients so you can decide how much you would like.
For a shared board, place the comb on a separate dish with its own clean serving utensil. This keeps it easy to portion and prevents crackers, cheese or other foods being pushed into the storage container.
Offer the comb as an option rather than assuming every guest enjoys the texture. A little liquid honey alongside it gives people another way to try the pairing.
Five simple ways to eat honeycomb
The following are serving suggestions, not kitchen-tested recipes with fixed quantities. Adjust to taste and follow the storage and handling requirements of the other ingredients.
1. On toast with ricotta
Spread ricotta over toast and add a small piece of honeycomb. Try a little lemon zest or a light sprinkle of cinnamon as a variation. Begin with less comb than you think you need; you can always add another small piece.
This is a useful introduction because you can compare a bite of toast with and without the comb, rather than letting honey overwhelm the whole slice.
2. Alongside a cheese board
Put the comb in a shallow dish beside the cheese, not directly on top of every portion. Try a little with one cheese at a time and decide which pairing you prefer.
Add bread or crackers according to the dietary needs of your guests. Keep allergen-containing foods and serving utensils separate where necessary.
3. With plain yoghurt and fruit
Spoon plain yoghurt into a bowl, add prepared fruit and finish with a small piece of comb. Taste before adding any other sweetener.
For easier eating, divide the comb into small pieces across the surface rather than placing one large block in the centre. This makes the texture a deliberate part of each bite.
4. As a dessert garnish
Use a small piece on a serving of ice cream, baked fruit or another finished dessert. Add it at serving time so people can see what it is and choose whether to eat the wax.
It is worth trying the dessert without comb first. An already very sweet dish may need only a tiny accent, or none at all.
5. On a breakfast tasting plate
Set out toast, fruit, plain yoghurt and a small amount of comb separately. This lets you experiment without turning the whole breakfast into a honey-heavy dish.
For a honey comparison, offer a little liquid honey too. Compare the eating experience rather than assuming the less processed-looking product must be nutritionally superior.
Can you put honeycomb in tea or use it in baking?
You can choose to experiment, but liquid honey is usually the more practical option when your aim is simply to sweeten or measure an ingredient. The wax is an additional component, and it may not produce the texture you want.
Our suggestion is to reserve honeycomb for serving and use liquid honey in recipes developed for it. For substitutions in baking, see baking with honey.
Is honeycomb healthier than regular honey?
Its intact structure is not, by itself, evidence of a health advantage. It still contains honey. Avoid treating it as sugar-free, as a diabetes treatment or as a way to obtain a guaranteed medical benefit.
The National Honey Board describes comb, liquid and crystallised honey as different forms. The form of the product is a separate question from the evidence needed for a health claim. (1)
For a closer discussion, read is honey good for you?.
Storage and serving precautions
Follow the supplier's storage instructions and keep the container clean and closed between uses. Serve a small amount separately rather than repeatedly exposing the whole pack to crumbs or other foods.
Once honeycomb is served with yoghurt, cheese or another perishable food, handle the dish according to that food's requirements. Honey is not a reason to ignore the storage directions on the other ingredients.
Never give honeycomb to babies under 12 months, because it contains honey. (3)
If you have been told to avoid honey or have reacted to it before, ask your clinician before trying comb honey. Choose textures appropriate to the person eating it; a chewy piece is not suitable for everyone.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to swallow the beeswax?
No. The wax in food-grade comb is edible, but you can discard the chewed wax if you do not enjoy it.
Is honeycomb the same as honeycomb candy?
No. This guide is about beeswax cells filled with honey, not aerated sugar confectionery. Check which product a recipe is asking for.
Should I wash honeycomb before eating it?
Use a food-grade product as directed by its supplier. It should not need rinsing as part of serving. Use clean utensils and avoid introducing water into the storage container.
Can I use a large piece instead of a small drizzle of honey?
You can portion it to taste, but a visually interesting piece is not automatically a small serving. Start modestly and add more only if you enjoy it.
The takeaway
Start small, choose food-grade comb and make its texture part of the experience. Toast, yoghurt and a simple cheese board are easy places to discover how you like to eat honeycomb.