This Hot Honey Recipe is easy to make at home using only 2 ingredients. The sweet and spicy combo elevates any dish - Drizzle it on pizza, fried chicken, wings, cheese, or even ice cream!
Jump to:
What is hot honey?
Hot honey is a sweet and spicy condiment made by infusing honey with chili flakes. The natural sweetness of the honey balances perfectly with the heat from the peppers, creating a bold, flavorful drizzle that’s perfect on everything from pizza and fried chicken to cheese boards and even ice cream.
Why make hot honey at home instead of grabbing a store-bought bottle? Because you get to choose a high-quality, natural honey and control the heat level exactly how you like it. It’s simple, customizable, and so much better than anything from the store.
Reasons to love
- Made with just 2 simple ingredients
- Customize the heat to match your spice level
- Drizzle it over everything—from pizza and fried chicken to cheese, veggies, and even ice cream
- Also makes a beautiful homemade food gift for the holidays
How to make hot honey at home?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
Add the honey and red pepper flakes into a glass jar and give a good stir. Place it in a pot filled with some water and let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes over medium heat.
As it heats, the honey will melt and infuse with the chilies, absorbing their flavors. Carefully remove the jar from the water bath, stir well, and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once fully cooled, seal the jar with a lid.
It is as simple as that!
👩🍳 🌶 Like it more spicy? Place the sealed jar on a windowsill for 4 to 5 days to let the flavors infuse even further.
Ways to use hot honey
It's so delicious that I often catch myself licking it straight off the spoon! Here are some creative ways to add a sweet and spicy kick that will elevate any dish:
- Drizzle it over a hot pizza, especially with a tangy cheese like goat cheese pizza or with peppery arugula.
- Make whipped hot honey butter - Beat ½ cup of butter for 1 minute, using an electric beater, until creamy. Add 3 tablespoons of spiced honey, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Beat for about one minute. Enjoy it on toasts or anything your heart desires!
- Toss hot fried chicken or wings or make a dipping sauce my mixing the hot honey with some soy sauce and vinegar.
- Place a bowl in your fruit and cheese platter, any cheese board or top it over hot baked brie, as we did in the baked brie with puff pastry recipe.
- It is unbelievably good drizzled over vanilla or coconut ice cream.
- Spread the DIY spicy honey on warm biscuits like the cream biscuits or jalapeno cornbread muffins.
- Stir some spicy honey into your hot tea!
- Drizzle over fresh fruit slices like watermelon, pineapple, or peaches.
- Spread on sandwiches, especially with chicken or cheeses.
- Try using it in your favorite recipes as a replacement for regular honey, like in the honey roasted carrots and parsnips
- Transfer into small glass jars, tie with a pretty ribbon and hand it out to your friends, neighbors and family for a unique homemade edible gift.
Want To Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below, and we’ll send the link straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get more creative recipe ideas every Sunday!
Hot Honey Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes increase or decrease based on your spice level
Instructions
- Add the honey and red pepper flakes into a glass jar and give a good stir.
- Fill a pot with water until it reaches about 1 inch in height. Place the pot over medium heat, then carefully set the glass jar inside, making sure it doesn’t touch the sides of the pot.
- Allow the water to come to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes. As it heats, the honey will melt and infuse with the chilies, absorbing their flavors.
- Carefully remove the jar from the water bath, stir well, and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once fully cooled, seal the jar with a lid.
- The honey is ready to use immediately, or you can place it on a windowsill for 4 to 5 days to let the flavors infuse even further.
- If you prefer to strain out the chili flakes before using, place the jar back in the water bath for a few minutes to re-liquefy the honey. Once it’s warmed, strain the honey into a separate jar and seal.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Frequently asked questions
If you don't have red pepper flakes, then it is easy to make at home using dried whole chillies.
1. Choose medium-spiced dried chilies like cayenne, Thai red chilies, or chile de árbol for a balanced heat.
2. Remove the stems from the dried chilies.
3. Add them to a food processor and pulse until they’re coarsely crushed — you're looking for flakes, not powder.
4. Store in an airtight jar and keep in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.
👉 Tip: Be careful not to over-process — the texture should be coarse and flaky, not finely ground.
Absolutely! However, because fresh chilies contain moisture, spicy honey made with them isn't shelf-stable and should be used right away or within 1–2 weeks. The added moisture increases the risk of spoilage or fermentation, so it’s important to store it in the fridge.
Want that fresh chili flavor but a bit more longevity? You can gently infuse the honey with fresh peppers, strain them out well, and refrigerate the honey to help extend its shelf life.
More Honey Recipes to Try
- Crispy honey sriracha chicken is sweet and spicy with a touch of sourness! It is delicious served with all your Asian rice or noodle dishes.
- Honey roasted carrots and parsnips is ready in 30 minutes and make an easy yet elegant side dish for both weeknights and holidays like Thanksgiving.
- Baked brie in puff pastry and hot honey is an elegant holiday appetizer. The rich, melty cheese, wrapped in golden, buttery pastry, paired with sweet and spicy hot honey, creates an irresistible bite that's sure to impress at any gathering.
- Ground chicken stir fry is a quick and easy 20-minute dinner. The sweet and spicy honey sriracha sauce makes it irresistibly delicious with rice.
- This Quinoa and Black Bean Salad with honey lime cumin dressing is a perfect way to use up leftover quinoa and makes an excellent make-ahead salad.
- Crave-worthy pumpkin croissants infuses buttery, flaky pastry with the rich flavors of honey, pumpkin and almond flour. Easy & scrumptious!
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Kitchen at Hoskins on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Leave a Reply