This Hot Honey recipe is made with just 3 ingredients in 7 minutes. It’s ridiculously easy and so much cheaper than buying it at the store. Plus, you’re in full control of the spice level!
My family has been obsessed with hot honey since I first made hot honey chicken. They want to add it to EVERYTHING. I started buying it at the store, but that quickly added up, and I knew from that previous recipe how easy it would be to make it at home.
This hot honey recipe varies a bit from the hot honey used in that chicken recipe. I decided to use crushed red pepper instead of hot sauce to add the heat and skip the other spices. Crushed red pepper really infuses every bit of the honey, and it lends more control to flavor and spice levels. All of the other seasonings can always be added, but I wanted to keep this recipe to make a homemade hot honey with endless uses. Garlic powder is great on chicken but not so ideal on pancakes, ya know?
I love gifting hot honey to friends. It stores well for several months, which is ideal for gift giving, and it’s something that everyone loves. So keep this in mind for the next holiday season!
Why Everyone Should Try This Hot Honey Recipe
- Only 3 ingredients. Honey, crushed red pepper, and vinegar. That’s all you need to make hot honey at home (and way fewer ingredients than you’ll find on the labels of most brands).
- Full control of the flavor. Make this honey as hot (or not) as you’d like it. You can experiment with spicier peppers if you want extra heat or reduce the red pepper for a milder version. I included some additional ideas for customizing the flavor below.
- Stores well. This homemade hot honey recipe is shelf-stable and stores well for months. So you can go ahead and make a double batch so you never run out!
Key Ingredients
Here’s an overview of the 3 ingredients needed to make this recipe. The exact measurements can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Honey – Any honey works. Local honey is always a great idea and I’d personally avoid anything that has too much of a floral taste. But use what you have/what you love!
- Apple cider vinegar – A bit of vinegar helps thin the honey and the acidity also helps balance the sweetness.
- Crushed red pepper – Adjust the amount used based on your spice preference.
Can I Use Other Peppers?
Absolutely. The flavor and spice level of this hot honey recipe can be adjusted based on the peppers used. Crushed red pepper is the most common because most people have it in their cupboard and it has a kick but isn’t too wildly spicy. However, any dried pepper like dried ancho or guajillo can be used.
Fresh peppers, such as jalapenos or habaneros, can also be used. Just keep in mind that using fresh peppers will change the storage method for this, as the honey will no longer be shelf-stable.
How To Make Hot Honey
This recipe truly could not be easier to make. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Combine. Add all of the ingredients together into a small pot.
- Heat. Slowly heat until bubbles start popping up on the edges of the honey and it has thinned. Do not stir while waiting for the bubbles to appear.
- Enjoy. Strain the peppers, if desired, and then use immediately or transfer to a mason jar to thicken and cool.
Do I Need To Strain The Honey?
Not necessarily. I tend to leave my crushed red peppers in the honey, but some people prefer they were removed. There are two reasons for this. One, people want the honey to be smooth and two, the honey continues to increase in spiciness while the crushed red peppers remain in the honey. If you would like the crushed red peppers removed, simply pour them through a fine mesh sieve right as it comes off the stove and is still thin.
Recipe Tips & Variations
Here are a few tips for making homemade hot honey, as well as some variations.
- Don’t overheat. Heat the honey over low to medium heat. Once bubbles start appearing around the edges and the texture has thinned, it’s ready to be removed from the heat.
- Add salt. Depending on how you’re going to use the hot honey, you may want to add a pinch or two of salt to the mixture. I like to do this if I’ll be using it primarily with sweet flavors.
- Control the spice level. If you want hot honey that has a kick but isn’t too spicy, I recommend straining the honey to remove the red pepper as it will continue to increase the heat level over time. You can also start with less red pepper.
- Try other flavors. Feel free to experiment in add in any dried herb or seasoning of choice for a fun variation. Just be sure to use dried herbs and not fresh, as fresh ingredients will mean the honey needs to be stored in the fridge.
- Double the recipe. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to make multiple jars of hot honey. I like to do this when I want extra to gift and share with friends!
Ways To Use It
There are so many fun ways to use hot honey! It can be added to pretty much anything that needs a bit of sweet & spicy flavor.
It pairs very well with chicken, whether it’s as a sauce for wings, drizzled over fried chicken, or as a dip for chicken tenders.
Hot honey is also fantastic drizzled on freshly baked biscuits, toast, pizza and even on fluffy pancakes and waffles.
I love to add it to my charcuterie boards, too. There really are endless ways to use it!
How Long Does Homemade Hot Honey Last?
When stored properly, homemade hot honey can last for months. I still haven’t had it expire on me! Just keep it in an airtight container (I like mason jars best) and keep it in a cool, dry place where you’d normally keep honey.
Just keep in mind that if you adapted this recipe to add fresh ingredients, it may not be shelf-stable anymore.
Hot Honey Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces honey
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ Tablespoon crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a small pot, over low/medium heat.
- Slowly heat, without stirring, until little bubbles start popping up on the edges of the honey and the honey has thinned.
- Remove from the stove and you can either use it immediately, or if you would like it to thicken up a bit, place it in a mason jar, cover it, and let it rest for about an hour. Enjoy!
Last Step:
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