This 3-ingredient hot honey is sweet, spicy, and incredibly easy to make. No cooking is required: it comes together in minutes with pantry staples and adds a bright hit of sweet heat to everything from pizza and fried chicken to roasted vegetables and grilled meats. Once you make a batch, you’ll want a jar in the fridge at all times.
I first tasted hot honey on a pepperoni pizza and was hooked. You can buy commercial brands, but they tend to be pricey. After trying a few jars, I started making my own. Early batches used fresh chiles from my garden — jalapeños and serranos for medium heat, or scotch bonnet and habanero for a fiery kick. When the peppers were no longer available, I developed the simple version below using hot sauce and red pepper flakes. It’s now my go-to: easy, reliable, and flavorful.
Ingredients
- Honey — Use your favorite honey. Local, unfiltered raw honey is great when available and supports local beekeepers. Clover is common, but blossom-specific varieties (apple, orange, etc.) work well too.
- Hot sauce — Choose a vinegar-based hot sauce; the tang balances the sweetness. Frank’s RedHot is a favorite, but Louisiana-style, Tabasco, Cholula, or similar brands all work.
- Dried red pepper flakes — Crushed red pepper adds texture and extra heat. Any dried chili flakes or cayenne will do.
How to make this hot honey recipe
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until combined, then transfer the mixture to a sealed jar. Store at room temperature in the pantry or in the fridge if you used fresh chiles. That’s it — ready in about five minutes.
How to use hot honey
This spicy-sweet sauce is versatile. Here are popular uses:
- Dip: Serve as a dipping sauce for fried chicken tenders, fries, or any fried snacks.
- Vegetables: Use as a glaze for roasted vegetables like beets or sweet potatoes in place of plain honey.
- Pizza: Drizzle over pepperoni, prosciutto, or other savory pizzas for contrast.
- Chicken: Spoon over fried chicken, grilled thighs, or wings to elevate the dish.
- Seafood: Toss grilled shrimp in hot honey or use it in place of regular honey in salmon recipes.
- Bread and biscuits: Drizzle on cornbread, biscuits, or muffins for a sweet-spicy finish.
- Drinks: Stir into hot tea, hot chocolate, or cocktails as a flavored syrup substitute.
- Cheese board: Serve with baked brie or a charcuterie board as a sweet-spicy condiment.
- Vinaigrette: Whisk into a dressing for salads to add balanced heat and sweetness.
- Dessert: A tiny drizzle over vanilla or chocolate ice cream is surprisingly delicious.
- Gifting: Hot honey keeps well and makes a thoughtful homemade gift when bottled neatly.
Tips and variations
- Adjust spice level: Start with less hot sauce and fewer red pepper flakes, taste, then increase if needed. If it becomes too spicy, add more honey to mellow it.
- Fresh chiles: If using fresh peppers, thinly slice them and warm them gently with the honey in a small saucepan until it simmers. Remove from heat, cool, then strain out solids before bottling. A splash (about 1 tablespoon) of apple cider vinegar brightens the flavor.
- Dried chiles or powders: Substitute red pepper flakes with cayenne, chili powder, or chipotle powder. You can also steep dried peppers (guajillo, ancho, pasilla, or chipotle) in warmed honey and strain, adding a little vinegar if desired.
- Storage: Store sealed in a glass jar in a cool, dry pantry for up to 3 months. If made with fresh chiles, refrigerate and use within two weeks.
Want more homemade spicy condiments?
If you grow or buy hot peppers, try experimenting with other sauces such as mango-habanero or a simple cayenne pepper sauce. For a sweeter option, pepper jelly is another great way to preserve and enjoy spicy fruit flavors.
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a rating in the comments and share any tweaks you made — feedback is appreciated. Thank you for visiting!
Recipe
Hot Honey Recipe
Equipment
- ½ pint jars & lids
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce (Louisiana-style or your favorite vinegar-based sauce)
- ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Combine honey, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Transfer to a sealed jar and store. Use within three months if stored at room temperature; refrigerate if made with fresh chiles.
Notes
- Spice level: Adjust hot sauce and red pepper flakes to taste. If too spicy, add more honey to mellow it.
- Fresh chiles: Warm sliced fresh chiles gently with honey, simmer briefly, cool, strain, and jar. Add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar if you like extra brightness.
- Dried chiles: Substitute flakes with cayenne, chili powder, or chipotle, or steep dried peppers in warm honey and strain.
- Storage: Sealed in a pantry for up to 3 months; refrigerate and use within two weeks if prepared with fresh chiles.