Make this easy Hot Honey Recipe to add a sweet and spicy kick to all your favorite dishes! This recipe takes less than ten minutes on the stove start to finish, plus you only need 4 simple ingredients. With red pepper flakes and your favorite fresh peppers, make it as fiery or mild as you like and drizzle it on just about anything!
Homemade spicy honey truly outshines what you buy at the store - even Mike's Hot Honey. Check out all of our other Hot Honey Recipes for more ideas to use this spicy condiment at home.
Today we bring you the best homemade hot honey recipe! We've tested many versions of this recipe with different kinds of chili peppers, vinegars, and cooking methods to make sure it's exactly right every time.
We have written lots of recipes with spicy honey, but this one is particularly good drizzled on these Easy Brie Bites or this Homemade Pizza with Bacon and Arugula. Or try our most popular hot honey sauce recipe!
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Why this recipe is the best
- It has a well-rounded flavor (thanks to a bit of vinegar)
- You can adjust the heat level to your taste
- You can make it with or without red pepper flakes mixed in
- It's only 4 ingredients and less than 10 minutes
Ingredients for sweet and spicy honey
This recipe is essentially chili-infused honey. Ingredient quantities are in the recipe card below, but here are a few noteworthy tips.
- Honey: Our favorite place to buy this pantry staple for a good price is Sam's or Costco, but whatever is at your local grocery store will work well.
- Red pepper flakes: Dried chili flakes add some nice color to the honey. You can leave them in, strain them out, or skip them all together.
- Fresh peppers: This is where the real spice and flavor comes from! We suggest using at least one or two kinds of chili peppers. Our favorite combo is habanero peppers and jalapenos, but fresno chilis, thai chilis, ghost peppers, or serranos are good too. The spicier your pepper is, the spicier the honey will be. Check the Scoville Scale to know how spicy you want to go.
- White wine vinegar: We prefer this vinegar because it has a gentle flavor but still balances the sweetness of the honey. You can substitute with apple cider vinegar for a slightly stronger taste.
Helpful tools for making spicy honey
These are some of our favorite kitchen tools when we're making this recipe.
Mesh Strainers (3 Sizes)2 Qt Saucepan with LidMeasuring Cups and SpoonsRegular Mouth 16 oz Mason Jars
How to make hot honey
As you begin, keep in mind that you can easily double or triple the recipe to make more. It will take a little bit longer for it to heat up, but otherwise the recipe can be followed as written.
*The following links are affiliate links to products we recommend for making this recipe.
Start by slicing the stems off of your fresh chilis, then slicing them into thick pieces. Leave the seeds in because they will impart the most spice.
Next, add the honey, red pepper flakes, and sliced chilis into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until small bubbles form on the edges of the pan, stirring occasionally to help it heat evenly.
Once the bubbles form, remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Don't skip this - it's where all the flavor infuses into the honey.
Next, stir in the vinegar. Then use a strainer to remove the red pepper flakes and sliced peppers. Cool and store in a sealed glass jar or airtight container.
Best hot sauce for hot honey
Hot sauce - such as siracha, Frank's RedHot, or Cholula - is not the best option to make spicy honey. It overpowers the flavor of the honey and leaves you with a strong vinegar taste. Instead, it's best to use fresh chili peppers to add layers of flavor for the perfect sweet and spicy taste.
Uses for hot honey
There are practically endless ways to use up this condiment! Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Drizzle over fried chicken or chicken wings.
- Use on top of cream biscuits, breakfast toast, or dinner rolls.
- Use a dipping sauce for breaded chicken fingers or chicken nuggets.
- Swap your maple syrup for a spicy twist on fried chicken and waffles.
- Add extra to these Brie Bites - next level delicious.
- Serve with this cast iron cornbread or this jalapeno cheddar cornbread.
- Add a drizzle to these baked sweet potatoes or these crispy smashed potatoes.
- Add to a snack board or charcuterie board.
- Brush on grilled corn.
- Try it on pizza! (Trust me … it's amazing!!)
- Make honey glazed bacon
- Try it instead of the maple glaze on these chicken sausage appetizers.
- Drizzle onto popcorn or roasted nuts.
- It's a great gift in a food basket.
- Try it on roasted beets for a fun new side dish!
FAQ
Heat-infused honey should be stored in an air-tight container or jar with a sealed lid. Store it at room temperature, preferably in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
As long as it is stored properly, a jar of spicy honey will last many months. If your honey crystalizes after awhile, it is still safe to eat. Simple reheat it gently to help restore the texture.
You can make spicy honey with any chili pepper you like. For spicier honey, choose hot peppers like habaneros or ghost peppers. For more mild honey, choose jalapenos or serranos. You can remove the seeds for less spice, or increase the number of peppers for more spice.
Tips and tricks
- Don't get the honey too hot or it may change color and texture.
- Don't skip the infusing step! This is where the flavor comes from.
- Adjust the spice level by changing the amount and kind of peppers you use.
- Spray your measuring cup and strainer with a tiny bit of non-stick cooking spray to encourage the honey not to stick.
More recipes with honey
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Simple Hot Honey Recipe (Fast and Easy to Make!)
Equipment
- Glass jars or airtight container
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey
- 2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 2-3 fresh chili peppers (such as habaneros, jalapeños, serranos, Fresno chilis, or Thai chilis) stems removed and sliced thickly
- 2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Instructions
- Add the honey, red pepper flakes, and sliced chilis into a small saucepan.small saucepan Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until small bubbles form on the edges of the pan, stirring occasionally to help it heat evenly.1 cup honey, 2 tablespoon red pepper flakes, 2-3 fresh chili peppers (such as habaneros, jalapeños, serranos, Fresno chilis, or Thai chilis)
- Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes to infuse.
- Stir in the vinegar. Strain the honey into a glass jar or airtight container and discard the peppers and flakes. *Optional: You can scoop the pepper slices out but leave the red pepper flakes if you want the texture they add.2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- Allow the honey to cool (it will thicken as it cools, but will still be a bit looser than regular honey). Store in a cool, dry place.
Notes
- Don't get the honey too hot or it may change color and texture.
- Don't skip the infusing step! This is where the flavor comes from.
- Adjust the spice level by changing the amount and kind of peppers you use.
- Spray your measuring cup and strainer with a tiny bit of non-stick cooking spray to encourage the honey not to stick.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Beverly Farkus says
how to store and how long will it be good?
Misty says
Hi Beverly! You should store this honey in an airtight container or jar at room temperature (I keep mine in my pantry). As long as it is stored in a sealed container at an average room temperature, it should last several months. Please feel free to read the FAQ section in this post for even more details, if that is helpful. Hope this helps!
Dan says
Drizzled this over pizza! Delicious!
Danielle says
That is one of our favorite ways to eat it as well!