We’ve all seen the craze of hot honey brands popping up on the grocery store shelf…. at $15-ish a bottle I decided I needed to try my hand at making Hot Honey at home. Guess what, it’s super simple and only takes 2 ingredients; honey and red pepper flakes. Use it in cocktails or on food for a little sweet heat.

Once you make the hot honey it can be kept in an airtight container in your pantry for up to 3 months. Try it in a Hot Honey Margarita, you won’t be disappointed!

Table of Contents hide

1 2 Ingredients

2 Sicilian Pepper Flakes

3 Uses for Hot Honey

4 Some Like It Hot

5 Hot Honey Recipe

2 Ingredients

Honey – Any honey will work here. Since you are infusing the honey I would go with a less expensive honey, like the honey bear or store brand will work just fine.

Red Pepper Flakes – Any red pepper flakes will work, store brand, organic, etc….

Sicilian Pepper Flakes

If you like it super duper hot, these Sicilian Pepper Flakes will do the trick!

Uses for Hot Honey

Drizzle over Pizza: Add a drizzle of hot honey over your favorite pizza for a delicious sweet and spicy flavor contrast. Also excellent for dipping the crust!
Mix into Salad Dressings: Use hot honey as an ingredient in salad dressings to add depth of flavor and a touch of heat to your salads.
Glaze for Grilled Meats: Brush hot honey onto grilled meats such as chicken, pork, or shrimp during the last few minutes of cooking for a caramelized glaze.
Stir into Cocktails: Incorporate hot honey into cocktails like margaritas, whiskey sours, or even a spicy twist on a mojito for a unique flavor profile. We love this hot honey margarita too! (just be sure to incorporate the hot honey into the cocktail without ice first and then pour the drink over ice or the honey will solidify in the shaker with the ice)
Marinade for Wings: Create a marinade with hot honey, soy sauce, and garlic, then coat chicken wings before baking or grilling for a sticky, flavorful coating.
Drizzle over Fried Chicken: Elevate your fried chicken game by drizzling hot honey over crispy chicken pieces for a sweet and spicy finish.

Fried chicken sandwich with hot honey being drizzled over top

Mix into Dipping Sauces: Blend hot honey with mayo, mustard, or yogurt to create flavorful dipping sauces for fries, chicken tenders, or veggies. Amazing used in this Homemade Honey Mustard or Honey Butter!
Spread on Toast or Biscuits: Spread hot honey onto warm toast, biscuits, or cornbread for a sweet and spicy breakfast or snack.
Topping for Ice Cream: Drizzle hot honey over vanilla ice cream or gelato for a decadent dessert with a spicy twist.
Dip for Cheese: Pair hot honey with cheese boards, particularly with creamy cheeses like brie or goat cheese, for a delicious sweet and spicy contrast.
Glaze for Roasted Vegetables: Toss roasted vegetables with hot honey and a squeeze of lemon for a flavorful glaze that caramelizes in the oven.
Incorporate into Stir-Fries: Add a splash of hot honey to stir-fries for a touch of sweetness and heat that pairs well with savory ingredients.
Mix into BBQ Sauce: Enhance store-bought or homemade BBQ sauce by mixing in hot honey for added complexity and a spicy kick.
Garnish for Charcuterie Boards: Use hot honey as a drizzle or dip for charcuterie boards, complementing cured meats with its sweet and spicy flavor.

red pepper flakes and honey in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl

Some Like It Hot

Some super simple recipes you can sub in hot honey right away:

hot honey in a mason jar with a honey stick to the side and red pepper flakes on the cutting board

Hot Honey Recipe

A homemade version of the Hot Honey you see in all the grocery stores. Just need 2 ingredients to make this Hot Honey Recipe

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 2

Cook Time: 10

steep: 1

Total Time: 1 12

Servings: cup

Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

▢
Saucepan
▢
a jar or container with a lid for storage – mason jars work great!

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup honey
▢ 2 tablespoon (heaping) red pepper flakes - *see notes

Instructions

Place the honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
1 cup honey
Measure in the red pepper flakes… if you want it really hot add 3-4 tablespoon red pepper flakes!
2 tablespoon (heaping) red pepper flakes
Bring the honey to a light simmer, stirring occasionally.
Once the honey is at a simmer remove from the heat and let steep for 30 minutes to 2 hour. The longer it steeps the hotter the honey will be.
Using a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl strain the red pepper flakes from the honey. Leave the strainer over the bowl for a good 15 minutes to give the honey time to slowly drain from the red pepper flakes.
Transfer the honey to a clean container with a lid and use immediately or store for later use.
Can keep at room temp in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Using Hot Honey- can be used in drinks or on food:

Use to make a Hot Honey Margarita or other spicy cocktails (this Hot Toddy would be a great cocktail with Hot Honey!).
Dip pizza crust or drizzle over pizza.
Drizzle on chicken fingers or fried chicken and toss to coat.
Add to BBQ sauce, salad dressings, or meat marinades for a kick of heat.
Use as a garnish for cheeses (like goat cheese, cream cheese and brie) and charcuterie boards.
Glaze roasted veggies, especially brussels sprouts!
Sub for regular honey in this Honey Butter Recipe.

Recipe Tips and Notes:

EXTRA SPICY: For extra spicy hot honey use a Sicilian Pepper Flake!

Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!

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