Skip that hack—here’s the proper way to measure sticky ingredients without the mess!

I’m all for a good cooking hack, but sometimes what circulates on social media is just off. As a trained chef and recipe developer, I can spot a kitchen hack gone wrong from a mile away. These are the hacks that cut corners or ignore key details, often leading to messy results. I don’t always blame the person sharing them—they might just not know better or haven’t done their homework. But these posts drive me crazy because I want you to succeed in the kitchen. Recently, a popular measuring hack has been circulating online, and I’m here to clear things up and explain why it doesn’t work as promised.

What’s the Viral Measuring Hack for Sticky Ingredients?

Measuring sticky ingredients like honey, molasses, and maple syrup can be a hassle—those gooey substances always stick to the spoon or cup, making cleanup a pain. The viral hack claims to solve this by pressing a dry measuring spoon or cup into the dry ingredients, creating a ‘well.’ So, for example, when you need a tablespoon of honey, you would press the spoon into a flour mixture to form an indentation, then add the honey into that. The idea is that it’s less messy than trying to scoop the sticky ingredient out of a measuring spoon. But, unfortunately, this trick isn’t as effective as it seems.

Why You Should Skip the Viral Sticky Ingredient Measuring Trick

1. The Measurement Isn't Accurate

When you press the measuring utensil into the dry ingredients, you’re using the outer surface to form the indentation. This doesn’t match the size of the inside of the utensil, meaning you'll likely end up with more of the sticky ingredient than you need. This can throw off your recipe, especially when baking, where accuracy is key to the final result.

2. The Sticky Ingredients Are Not Properly Mixed In

Another issue with this hack is that recipes typically don’t call for wet ingredients to be added directly to dry ingredients like this. Usually, wet and dry ingredients are kept separate until they’re combined later. Imagine trying to mix thick, sticky honey into a dry flour mixture—it won’t blend evenly, leaving clumps behind in your dough or batter.

The Proper Way to Measure Sticky Ingredients Without the Mess

The simplest fix for this issue is to lightly coat your measuring tool with nonstick cooking spray before adding your sticky ingredient. The spray creates a smooth barrier, allowing the ingredient to slide right out without leaving any mess behind. This trick works wonders for sticky sweeteners like honey, molasses, corn syrup, and maple syrup, as well as thicker ingredients like peanut butter.

The Takeaway

This is one hack that’s worth skipping. The next time you need to measure something sticky, just spray your measuring utensil with a bit of nonstick spray or oil, then add your ingredient. It will slide out with ease, leaving your tool clean and ready to go.