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Sweet with a kick, learning how to make hot honey will be the flavour boost you didn’t know you needed. Whether you’re drizzling it over crispy fried chicken, pizza, roasted veggies, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this spicy-sweet condiment takes everything up a notch.
In this post, you’ll learn exactly how to make hot honey at home – no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, and all the flavour. This guide will tell you how you can customise it and different ways to serve it too.
Table of Contents
What Is Hot Honey?
Hot honey is honey that’s been infused with chillies to create a sweet, spicy condiment. It gained popularity thanks to brands like Mike’s Hot Honey, but making your own at home is incredibly easy and much more customisable. Whether you prefer a mild warmth or a full-on fiery finish, this guide will help you create the perfect batch.
Ingredients
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Honey – use a mild, runny honey. I wouldn’t use the fanciest honey you own as the flavour is going to pimped from the spice rather than the notes of the honey.
Chilli flakes (red pepper flakes) – this adds the heat to the hot honey. Chilli flakes vary in spice levels, so try one and see or use your usual favourite.
Vinegar – this adds a tang to the honey and balances the sweetness. White wine or apple cider vinegar works well.
Variations
- Garlicky hot honey: Add 1 crushed garlic clove during heating.
- Smokey hot honey: Use smoked paprika or chipotle flakes along with the chilli flakes.
- Citrus zing: Add orange or lemon zest when infusing for 10 minutes to intensify flavour.
- Fresh chilli: I have also used fresh chilli peppers in the past. Just chop them up finely with the seeds and infuse as if dried flakes. Then strain out. This provides heat and a sharpness that makes it a little different.
Here’s how to make hot honey
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Add honey and red pepper flakes to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Don’t let it boil, you just want it to gently simmer.
TWO: Let it gently bubble around the edges for 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
THREE: Remove from the heat and let sit 10-15 minutes to intensify flavour.
FOUR: Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a clean jar. This is optional if you like the chunkier chilli pieces and flakes but up to you. Cool completely, then store in a jar for up to 3 months.
How to use hot honey
Hot honey is versatile and belongs in your cupboard year-round. Try it:
- Drizzled over crispy fried chicken or chicken tenders.
- On margherita pizza, chicken flatbreads or a ricotta & courgette galette
- Paired with cheese boards (brie + hot honey = perfection)
- Over roasted vegetables like roasted carrots or pan-fried Brussels sprouts
- Tossed through crispy chicken wings.
- Drizzled over a dip, such as whipped ricotta, for a spicy, sweet twist.
How to store
To store: hot honey lasts around 3 months in a cool, dry place in a sealed jar.
Crystallised honey? Sometimes the natural sugars can harden over time which hardens the honey. To solve this, warm the jar gently in a bowl of hot water or in short bursts in the microwave (without the lid) to soften it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Mix honey with chilli flakes or hot sauce and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours. It won’t have the same depth of flavour, but it’s still good. It’s quicker to heat it and do it that way if you don’t have 24 hours.
Use fewer chilli flakes for mild heat. You can also add chilli in stages and taste as you go so you don’t go too far in the first instance.
Sometimes the natural sugars can harden over time which hardens the honey. To solve this, warm the jar gently in a bowl of hot water or in short bursts in the microwave (without the lid) to soften it.
Other recipes you might like
I love sweet and savoury recipes, so you could drizzle hot honey over my ham & cheese croissant bake or my brie and cranberry pastries. It’s also delicious over my camembert wreath.
Side Dishes
Marinated Mozzarella Balls
Side Dishes
Whipped Brown Butter with Roasted Garlic
Side Dishes
Garlic Labneh
If you tried to make hot honey, do leave a rating and a comment. We’d love to hear how you got on.
How to make Hot Honey
Ingredients
- 340 g honey, 1 cup
- 2 tbsp chilli (red pepper) flakes
- 1 tsp white wine or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp chilli powder, optional for extra heat
Instructions
- Add honey and red pepper flakes to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Don't let it boil, you just want it to gently simmer.
- Let it gently bubble around the edges for 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Remove from the heat and let sit 10-15 minutes to intensify flavour.
- Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a clean jar. This is optional if you like the chunkier chilli pieces and flakes but up to you.
- Cool completely, then store in a jar for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The simplest hot honey recipe I’ve found! It’s delicious too, I loved the addition of the vinegar.