What happens when you mix honey, food science and a little friendly competition? You get HoneyCrunch, a crispy blondie brittle with a delicate hint of lavender that just snagged first place at the American Society of Baking’s (ASB) Product Development Competition, sponsored by the National Honey Board.
The ASB’s Product Development Competition is a launchpad for the next generation of food scientists. Each year, students get the chance to flex their creativity and showcase their baking skills to industry experts. This year’s challenge? Create an innovative grab-and-go product with honey as the primary sweetener.
This unique brittle features honey as the star ingredient, making up a whopping 39% of the formula. University of Massachusetts Amherst students Madeline Murphy and Nicholle Kirsten Tan developed the new product, winning first place at the ASB’s BakingTECH 2025 in Orlando.
What Makes HoneyCrunch So Special?
Most brittle leans heavily on sugar, but Madeline and Nicholle thought differently. They crafted a thin, crispy treat that lets honey shine, balancing it perfectly with egg whites, gluten-free flour and oat flour. The result? A sweet, airy and ridiculously snackable brittle with just the right amount of crunch.
We had the pleasure of judging this year’s Product Development Competition, and HoneyCrunch was one of the most innovative products we’ve seen. Madeline and Nicholle nailed the innovation part of this competition, as well as the presentation, and everyone at BakingTECH came away impressed with their technical and marketing expertise.
Other Finalists Shine with Honey Cookies
While HoneyCrunch took the top spot, two other teams wowed the judges with their honey-powered creations:
- Second Place: Cornell University’s prOATS!: A protein-packed, gluten-free oat cookie featuring a boost of caffeine and an innovative honey coating.
- Third Place: Oregon State University’s Garden Box Cookies: A pollinator-themed cookie with a delicious honey caramel drizzle that celebrates the hardworking bees behind every drop of honey.
Thank you to all the teams from around the United States that entered this year’s competition. We’re excited to sponsor the competition again next year, so stay tuned for a new challenge and a new opportunity to innovate!