If you’ve never tried hot honey, you’re in for a treat! This spicy-sweet condiment has taken kitchens by storm, adding flavor to everything from pizza and fried chicken to biscuits and even cocktails. The best part? You can easily make your own homemade hot honey with just a few ingredients, adjusting the heat level to your preference.
In this article, you’ll learn how to create a delicious hot honey recipe in just minutes. We’ll also explore the ingredients, step-by-step directions, serving ideas, and great variations for those who like to experiment with spicy honey. Let’s get started!
Ingredients for Hot Honey
To make your own batch of hot honey, you only need a few simple ingredients:
- Honey: Any honey will work, but clover honey or a mild local variety works best. Supporting local honey farms helps bees thrive, and you’ll taste the difference in your homemade hot honey.
- Hot Peppers: Choose between dried red pepper flakes or fresh chiles like jalapeño, serrano, or habanero. Dried peppers will give your hot honey a longer shelf life.
- Vinegar (Optional): Add a splash of apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar to balance the sweetness and give your spicy honey a tangy kick.
- Optional Seasonings: You can customize your hot honey by adding lime juice, salt, or dried herbs.
Pro Tip: Fresh peppers require refrigeration for storage, but using dried peppers allows you to store your hot honey at room temperature.
How to Make Hot Honey: Step-by-Step Directions
Making hot honey at home is quick and simple. Just follow these steps to make your own homemade hot honey:
- Simmer the Honey and Peppers:
- Combine your honey with red pepper flakes (or fresh chiles) in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium until the honey just starts to simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent burning and to infuse the peppers into the hot honey evenly.
- Rest to Infuse:
- Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture rest for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the peppers to infuse heat into the honey, creating that perfect spicy honey flavor.
- Taste and Adjust:
- Taste your hot honey with a clean spoon. Want more heat? Add extra peppers or let it infuse longer. For a milder flavor, add more plain honey to balance out the spice.
- Strain the mixture (Optional):
- Strain the honey through a fine mesh strainer to remove the peppers. Leaving them in will increase the heat over time, so it’s your choice whether to remove them or not.
- Add Vinegar (Optional):
- Stir in vinegar to give your spicy honey a tangy, balanced flavor.
- Store and Enjoy:
- Pour your hot honey into a clean jar. If you use dried peppers, you can store your homemade hot honey at room temperature for up to 3 months. If using fresh peppers, refrigerate your hot honey, which will last for about a week.
Serving and Storage Tips
With your jar of hot honey, the possibilities are endless! Here are some ideas for serving your homemade hot honey:
- Drizzle it on pizza for a sweet and spicy kick.
- Add it to fried chicken or wings for a mouth-watering glaze.
- Pour over warm biscuits or cornbread for a sweet-salty treat.
- Use it on roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes for extra flavor.
- Mix it into cocktails like a hot toddy or mojito for a unique twist of spicy honey.
Store your hot honey in an airtight jar. If you use dried peppers, your spicy honey lasts up to 3 months at room temperature. If you use fresh peppers, keep the hot honey in the fridge, which will stay fresh for about a week.
Hot Honey Recipe Variations
Want to try different versions of your hot honey recipe? Here are some variations to customize your spicy honey:
- Use Fresh Chiles: Experiment with jalapeños, habaneros, or Thai chiles to achieve different heat in your homemade hot honey.
- Swap in Hot Sauce: If you’re short on time, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce (like Frank’s or Cholula) instead of peppers. This makes for a quicker hot honey recipe.
- Add Lime Juice: For a citrusy twist, replace vinegar with lime juice. This version of hot honey should be refrigerated.
- Sprinkle in Salt or Herbs: Customize your hot honey further by adding a pinch of salt, black pepper, or dried herbs like rosemary or thyme.
- Try Different Peppers: Dried peppers like ancho, pasilla, or chiles de árbol can create a more complex flavor in your spicy honey.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is hot honey made of?
Hot honey is typically made from honey and hot peppers, either fresh or dried. Some versions of the hot honey recipe also include vinegar or lime juice to add a tangy note to the spicy honey.
2. How long does hot honey last?
If you use dried peppers in your hot honey recipe, your spicy honey will last for up to 3 months at room temperature. If you use fresh peppers, refrigerate your hot honey and consume it within a week.
3. Can you make hot honey with fresh peppers?
Yes! You can use fresh peppers like jalapeños, habaneros, or serranos in your hot honey recipe. Just remember that honey made with fresh peppers needs to be stored in the fridge.
4. What do you use hot honey on?
Hot honey works great on various foods, such as pizza, chicken wings, biscuits, vegetables, and cocktails.
5. Does hot honey need to be refrigerated?
If your hot honey is made with dried peppers, it doesn’t need to be refrigerated and can be stored at room temperature. However, if you use fresh peppers, you should keep your spicy honey in the fridge.
Conclusion: Make Your Own Hot Honey Today!
Now that you’ve learned how to make your own hot honey recipe, it’s time to explore its endless culinary uses. Whether drizzled over pizza, paired with fried chicken, or stirred into cocktails, this sweet and spicy condiment will elevate your favorite dishes.
For a deeper dive into the health benefits of honey, check out this article on raw honey benefits by Healthline. Honey isn’t just tasty—it’s packed with nutrients that enhance flavor and health.
Additionally, suppose you enjoy experimenting with homemade condiments. In that case, you might want to explore other creative recipes like Crab Brulee or get inspired by new dessert ideas such as No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Snickers from Elijah’s Recipes. These internal links provide more ways to explore unique, delicious flavors in your kitchen.
With this versatile hot honey recipe and these additional resources, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of combining sweet and spicy for unforgettable meals.