becky
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure policy to learn more.
Thank you for supporting this blog!
Infused with spicy chili peppers, this homemade hot honey recipe makes a nice addition to both sweet and savory dishes!
What Is a Hot Honey Recipe?
If you haven’t tried it, hot honey is honey infused with chili peppers, and sometimes vinegar or other spices. The combination might sound strange, but trust me, it just works! The sweetness of the honey and the heat of the peppers come together to create the perfect combination of sweetness and heat.
While there are plenty of commercially made hot honeys available (Mike’s is probably the best-known brand, but there are numerous artisanal options as well) it’s easy to make your own hot honey at home.
Below is an easy hot honey recipe, along with some tips and tricks on how to make hot honey, and how to use it!
How to Make Hot Honey
To make homemade hot honey, simply combine store-bought honey, fresh peppers, and dried peppers in a saucepan, warm the mixture on the stovetop, simmer (the longer the mixture simmers, the hotter your honey will be!) and cool.
After cooling, strain the infused honey through a mesh sieve to remove the peppers, and voila! You’ve made your own hot honey.
Uses for Homemade Hot Honey
Hot honey boasts a plethora of applications, from pastry to pizza. For instance, you can:
- Replace regular honey (try it in a chocolate recipe for a classic chocolate-and-chili pairing!)
- Add it to just about any dish where you’d like an extra kick of heat.
- Make cocktails, like a spicy margarita or hot honey bee’s knees.
- Stir it into marinades, sauces, salad dressings, and vinaigrettes.
- Brush it on fish, chicken, chicken wings, or roasted vegetables.
- Add a drizzle of hot honey to homemade pizza.
- Serve a dish of hot honey on a charcuterie board or cheese platter.
- Use it for dipping French fries, onion rings, potato wedges, veggie nuggets, or chicken nuggets.
- Try it on bread, corn muffins, or (American) biscuits. (Even pancakes, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous!)
Gifting Homemade Hot Honey
A jar of this spicy honey sauce makes a lovely gift, too! Package your creation in a glass mason jar tied with a bow of ribbon or raffia, and gift alongside a nice box of crackers or a loaf of homemade bread.
Be sure to include storage instructions (hot honey should be stored in the refrigerator), and don’t forget to warn the recipient that this honey is, in fact, HOT!
Using This Spicy Sauce Alongside Other Recipes
Hot honey makes a great addition to homemade pizza. For recipe inspiration, check out my buffalo cauliflower pizza recipe, which includes a honey drizzle. I think this hot honey would taste great on my grilled peach and goat cheese pizza, too!
Hot honey also pairs nicely with a slice of fresh bread. Try serving it alongside my soda bread with cheddar and herbs.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
As written, this recipe makes a VERY hot honey. However, you can adjust the spiciness to fit your tastes. Do so by choosing less spicy peppers, or using just 1-2 of each pepper, rather than three. (Conversely, you can add up to 5 fresh and/or dried peppers, if you prefer an especially fiery honey!) You can also lower the hotness factor by reducing the amount of time you allow your honey to simmer on the stovetop.
This hot honey recipe yields about 400 grams, or enough to fill a mason jar about halfway full. You can easily double, triple, or even quadruple this recipe to prepare a larger batch. Just adjust your pepper quantities accordingly.
You’ll want to make sure you have a fine mesh strainer on hand. A standard-size colander (like the kind you’d use for draining pasta) just isn’t fine enough to strain out the peppers, and you’ll end up with seeds or bits of pepper stem in your hot honey.
Other recipes you might enjoy for pairing with homemade hot honey:
Buffalo Cauliflower Pizza
Grilled Peach and Goat Cheese Pizza
Baked Veggie Nuggets
Cheese Pizza Rolls
Fig, Goat Cheese, and Onion Galette
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Hot Honey
- Total Time: 20 minutes (+ cooling time)
- Yield: 400 grams honey 1x
Description
A hot honey recipe featuring sticky honey infused with spicy chili peppers. An easy-to-make condiment which elevates both sweet and savory dishes!
Ingredients
450 grams honey (1 1/8 cups, or a 16-ounce bottle)
3 dried chiles de arbol
3 fresh hot peppers (I used habanero, jalapeño, and long green chile)
Instructions
Thoroughly wash the fresh peppers. Remove the stems, and chop each pepper into 2-3 chunks. Remove the seeds if desired. (Seeding the peppers will result in a less spicy honey.)
In a small saucepan, combine the honey, chopped fresh peppers, and dried peppers. Gently warm the mixture, and simmer gently over low heat for 15 minutes, or longer. (The longer the mixture simmers, the hotter your honey will be!)
Remove saucepan from heat and allow honey mixture to cool thoroughly.
Strain the honey through a mesh sieve to remove the peppers.
Store hot honey in a mason jar or other airtight container. Hot honey will keep well in the refrigerator for up to two months.
Notes
As written, this recipe makes a VERY hot honey! However, you can adjust it fit your tastes. Do so by choosing less spicy peppers, or using just 1-2 of each pepper, rather than three. You can also lower the hotness factor by reducing the amount of time you allow your honey to simmer on the stove.
Recipe yields about 400 grams of hot honey, or enough to fill a mason jar about halfway full. This recipe is easily doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled! Just adjust your pepper quantities accordingly.
You’ll want to make sure you have a fine mesh strainer on hand while making hot honey. A standard-size colander (like the kind you use for draining pasta) is simply not fine enough to strain out the peppers.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sauces, Jams and Chutneys
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Sweets