Hot Honey
This Hot Honey recipe is a perfect balance of sweet and spicy that is a wonderful addition to countless appetizers, a glaze for grilled meat, or drizzled over your favorite pizza. The options are endless with this delicious sweet and spicy condiment. 
This homemade hot honey recipe is definitely a liquid gold condiment. If you know me at all, you know I love spicy food, and I especially love sweet and spicy mixed for a sweet heat that can bring totally new life to whatever you’re putting it on. This hot honey is a sweet and spicy condiment that adds a flavorful kick to everything from pizza and chicken fingers to roasted vegetables and a beautiful cheese board with your favorite dips. Made by infusing honey with chili flakes, it balances the natural sweetness of honey with the heat and depth of the chilies, creating a versatile topping or dipping sauce. This hot honey sauce is enhanced with apple cider vinegar to give it a tangy, complex flavor and spice level that can range from mildly spicy to fiery, depending on the amount of peppers used. A drizzle of hot honey offers versatility to savory dishes while offering a unique twist to desserts like ice cream or cornbread. A jar of hot honey makes a great small gift to give to friends and friends during the holidays. This hot honey is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, Paleo, and Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal, and if you replace the honey with zero-sugar honey, it will be Whole30 and Keto.
Why You Will Love This Spicy Hot Honey Recipe
- This easy hot honey recipe is quick to throw together and is made in less than 10 minutes.
- Three simple ingredients are needed and can be found at all local grocery stores.
- You can customize this easy hot honey to your desired heat level and make it just the way you like it.
- Make a double batch of hot honey in your favorite glass jar to be added to your pantry staples or put in small jars for a great gift idea.
- This recipe is Paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal and easily modifiable to be Keto and Whole30.
Ingredients You Will Need For This Hot Honey Recipe
- Honey: I prefer using raw honey for my recipes as it isn’t processed and thus keeps its health benefits and antioxidants. Basic clover honey can often contain extra sugar to preserve its consistency and to increase its shelf life. You can use zero-sugar honey if you want to make this Keto or Whole30 compliant.
- Red pepper chili flakes: Red pepper flakes are pretty hot, so if you prefer milder hot honey, you can use half of the dried chili flakes. The sweetness of the honey does help the heat level quite nicely, though.
- Apple cider vinegar: The apple cider vinegar enhances the flavor to give a delicious tangy taste that is added to the sweet and spicy and to help the flavors balance out. Check your labels to make sure you get apple cider vinegar with no added ingredients. You could also use red wine vinegar.
You can find a detailed list of ingredients in the recipe card below
How To Make This Hot Honey Recipe
- To make the hot honey sauce recipe, add the honey and chili flakes to a small saucepan on medium-high heat. Once the honey is gently bubbling, lower the heat and leave it to gently simmer (but not boil) for 3 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar. Do a quick taste to make sure your heat level is just where you want it.
- Pour into a small jar and transfer to the fridge to cool.
How Spicy Is This Hot Honey?
I would give this a 7/10 on the heat scale. It can be quite hot, especially after it sits for a few days. If you want to cut back on the heat, you can either cut the chili flake amount in half or, after cooking, strain the flakes out with a fine mesh strainer before storing the honey in your jar or glass container.
Can I Use Fresh Peppers For This Hot Honey Recipe?
Yes! Using fresh chili peppers is another way to control the heat in this simple hot honey recipe. You can use jalapeno peppers, habanero peppers, or your favorite peppers. Simply wash your peppers and slice them into thin slices. If you want to control the heat level, you can remove all or just some of the seeds and customize to your liking.
What About Leftovers?
When stored properly, homemade hot honey can last several weeks to a few months. Store your hot honey at room temperature in a clean, airtight container like a sealed glass jar or bottle to prevent moisture or air from getting in. Glass jars or squeeze bottles work well. Keep the honey in a cool, dark place (such as a pantry or cupboard). Honey doesn’t need to be refrigerated due to its low moisture content. Storing it in the fridge can cause it to crystallize faster. It will last for 1 to 3 months if kept in the proper conditions. A jar of honey can naturally crystallize over time, but this doesn’t affect its safety or quality. If your hot honey sits for a long time and crystallizes, simply place the jar in warm water and stir to dissolve the crystals.
What To Serve With This Hot Honey
From sweet to savory, this hot honey is extremely versatile:
- Serve this as a dip for chicken wings, fried chicken, or french fries.
- Enjoy it on a charcuterie board to drizzle over brie, goat cheese, or blue cheese, and then scoop with your favorite crackers or spread on a baguette for a delicious crostini.
- Drizzle the hot honey over your favorite roasted vegetables, like carrots, sweet potatoes, or Brussels sprouts.
- Enjoy it for breakfast over avocado toast, toast spread with peanut butter, or take your pancakes and waffles to take your taste buds to the next level.
- Finish it off with a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream for a delightfully unexpected flavor that is sweet, spicy, and creamy.
Here are a few recipes to serve with this hot honey:
- Panko Chicken Cutlets
- Spicy Honey Glazed Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
- Sheet Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Bacon & Red Onion
- Asian Grilled Salmon Skewers
- Balsamic Zucchini and Pepper Crostini
If you make this Spicy Honey Recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Hot Honey
Ingredients
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tbsp red pepper chili flakes
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Add the honey and chili flakes to a small sauce pan on medium high heat.
- Once the honey in gently bubbling, lower the heat and leave it to gently simmer (but not boil) for 3 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar. For a less spicy hot honey you can pour it through a sieve at this point to remove the chili flakes. Pour into a small jar and transfer to the fridge to cool
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