This hot honey recipe is easy to make with 3 simple ingredients! Sweet, spicy, and a little tangy, it's perfect for whisking into sauces and drizzling over pizza, roasted veggies, and more.
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This hot honey recipe has earned a permanent spot in my pantry. Quick and easy to make with 3 ingredients, it’s sweet and spicy, with a subtle tangy flavor. I love whisking it into salad dressings to give them a little kick, drizzling it over pizzas, and slathering it on baked goods like cornbread and biscuits.
In case you’re not familiar, hot honey is honey infused with fresh or dried chile peppers, often with some vinegar mixed in too. I started cooking with it about 10 years ago, when the brand Mike’s Hot Honey turned me (and a lot of other people) on to how delicious this sweet and spicy condiment is.
I’ve gotten my fair share of store-bought, but once I learned how to make hot honey at home, I didn’t look back. This recipe requires just a few minutes of hands-on prep, and I love that you can adjust the heat level to taste.
Hot Honey Ingredients
You need 3 simple ingredients to make this hot honey recipe:
- Honey, of course! Any kind of honey will work here, but I personally love a golden or amber-colored one like clover honey. Your honey needs to be smooth and runny for this recipe. If it’s crystallized, soak the jar in a pot of warm water to loosen it up.
- Crushed red pepper flakes – I like making hot honey with red pepper flakes because I always have them in my kitchen. They give this recipe a delicious mild heat.
- Apple cider vinegar – It adds a subtle tangy kick that balances the honey’s sweetness.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Recipe Variations
- Add a dash of hot sauce. For my spice lovers! If you taste the hot honey after it infuses and still want it hotter, stir in a little hot sauce, like Tabasco or Frank’s. Because spice levels vary from sauce to sauce, I always start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more to taste.
- Use fresh chiles. Thinly sliced fresh chiles like jalapeños, Fresnos, or habaneros can be used in place of the red pepper flakes in this recipe. I find that fresh peppers (even of the same kind) can vary quite a bit in spice level. If your peppers are very spicy, just 1 to 2 will work well in this recipe. If they’re milder, or if you’d like a spicier honey, use more. Strain them out of the honey before storing.
How to Make Hot Honey
This recipe has three simple steps:
- Warm the honey and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the honey is very gently bubbling around the edges, about 2 minutes. If you stir it, it should have a runnier texture than it did at room temperature. If it still feels thick, reduce the heat to low and warm it for a bit longer. Do not bring the honey to a boil.
- Infuse. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to infuse until the honey reaches your desired heat level. I usually let it infuse for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Strain. Stir in the vinegar, then pass the honey through a fine mesh strainer to remove the chile flakes.
You have two main ways to increase the heat level: adding more spice and letting the honey infuse for longer. I find that 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes infusing for 20 to 30 minutes creates a nice mild heat. If I want it hotter, I’ll add hot sauce from here. You also don’t have to strain out the red pepper flakes, letting the honey continue to infuse so it becomes spicier over time.
If it gets too spicy at any point, simply stir in some more regular honey.
Ways to Use Hot Honey
Hot honey is such a versatile condiment to keep on hand!
- Whisk it into salad dressings like my lemon vinaigrette, apple cider vinaigrette, or honey mustard dressing.
- Slather it on baked goods like cornbread or biscuits.
- Drizzle it over roasted veggies like roasted Brussels sprouts or butternut squash.
- Serve it on top of creamy dips like whipped ricotta and whipped feta.
- Try it on pizza. I love it on one with roasted tomatoes and basil!
How do you like to use it? Let me know in the comments!
Storage
Hot honey keeps well in an airtight container at room temperature for several months. Note: If you add hot sauce that needs to be refrigerated, store the hot honey in the fridge instead.
More Spicy Condiments to Try
If you love this homemade hot honey recipe, try one of these spicy condiments next:
Hot Honey
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, stir together the honey and red pepper flakes. Place over medium-low heat and cook for 2 minutes, or until the honey is gently bubbling around the edges. If you stir it, it should have a thinner consistency than it did at room temp.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes. Taste and decide if you’d like the honey to infuse longer for a spicier flavor, keeping in mind that it will taste milder after you strain it and the red pepper flakes are removed. Stir in the apple cider vinegar.*
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Pass the honey through the strainer to remove the red pepper flakes, then transfer to an airtight container or jar.
- Allow to cool completely, then cover. Store at room temperature. Hot honey keeps well for several months.
