Hot Honey Recipe

Have you heard of hot honey? You may have spotted the popular brand Mike’s Hot Honey at the grocery store and grabbed a bottle to try.

This sweet and spicy condiment has taken the culinary world by storm in recent years, and it’s easy to see why.

Hot honey is a wonderful infusion of honey and crushed red peppers with a touch of apple cider vinegar. It makes the best sauce for all your favorite foods.

Drizzle a little over your favorite kind of pizza or use it as a dipping sauce for any leftover crust. 

This spicy honey is amazing on homemade biscuits, brussels sprouts, corn on the cob, fried chicken and waffles, roasted carrots, bacon, or over a piece of buttered toast.

Stir a spoonful into a cup of warm tea or swirl it into a cocktail or latte. 

I love to serve some in a little jar on a charcuterie board. It tastes great with some cheese and crackers.

It’s also perfect drizzled over my baked brie with apricot jam for a kick of heat!

Use hot honey anywhere you’d use regular honey but want a spicy twist.

Hot Honey Ingredients

Our honey recipe uses a few simple ingredients and comes together quickly, making it a breeze to whip up!

Honey:  I prefer to use local honey because of its variety of flavors. Use your favorite brand to make it your own!

Crushed Red Pepper: Also known as dried chili flakes, these tiny pepper seeds give the honey its signature heat. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also use fresh chili peppers like jalapeños, serranos, scotch bonnets, or habanero peppers depending on the heat level you’re looking for.

Vinegar: I use apple cider vinegar to cut through some of the honey’s sweetness, but you can leave this out if you prefer a purely sweet heat.

How to Make Homemade Hot Honey

Place the honey, chili flakes, and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan and heat over low-medium heat. 

Simmer until the honey thins out and just begins to get small bubbles around the edge of the pan. 

Remove from heat and let the honey steep for 20-30 minutes, or longer for an extra kick of spice. 

If you prefer a smoother finish, pour the honey through a mesh strainer to remove the chili flakes.

Tips and Variations

For a honey with a slight smoky flavor, try using Guajillo chili flakes. Their heat is perfectly balanced. Not too spicy to overpower the flavor, and they pair beautifully with the sweetness of the honey.

You can even infuse the honey with fresh peppers instead of dried for a vibrant twist.

Another fantastic option is to use your favorite hot sauce. Just add a tablespoon or two to the honey as it simmers, and let the flavors blend together beautifully.

Storage

A batch of hot honey stores well in the cabinet for about 6 months.