This Easy Hot Honey Recipe takes just 3 simple ingredients and about 7 minutes to make a spicy-sweet condiment you’ll want to drizzle on everything… fried chicken, pizza, biscuits, even vanilla ice cream! Made with sweet honey, red pepper flakes, and a splash of vinegar, this homemade hot honey recipe is budget-friendly, endlessly adjustable, and so much cheaper than store-bought versions.

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Hot Honey

Y’all… hot honey is all the rage right now! You can’t walk through the grocery store without seeing a jar of hot honey on an endcap, and everyone from pizza places to fried chicken joints is singing the praises of hot honey.

But have you seen the price on those little bottles?? Mike’s Hot Honey is what I see most often but $$$.

Here’s the best part… with just 3 simple ingredients and 7 minutes, you can make your own hot honey sauce at home. It’s actually ridiculous how easy it is, and you can adjust the spice level to exactly how you and your family like it.

That perfect balance of sweet heat is what makes this stuff so addictive. It’s sweet honey first, with a little kick of heat that sneaks up on you at the end. So good!!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s SO easy. Two minutes of prep, five minutes on the stove, done.

You control the heat level. Want less heat? Use fewer chili flakes. Want it fiery? Add more! Store-bought hot honey gives you one option… homemade lets you make it yours.

It’s a pantry staple that makes a great gift. A jar of homemade hot honey with a cute ribbon makes the perfect gift for a teacher, a neighbor, or anybody who loves a spicy condiment.

Tools Needed

Small Pot (a small saucepan works perfectly)
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Fine-mesh sieve (optional… more on that below!)
Mason Jar or other airtight container for storing

Ingredients

You only need 3 simple ingredients for this spicy honey recipe:

Honey – use real honey, not pancake syrup! Any type of honey works… clover honey from the grocery store, local honey, whatever you have. Good-quality honey makes good-quality hot honey.
Apple Cider Vinegar – just a splash of vinegar balances the sweetness and gives it that little tang that makes you go back for more.
Crushed Red Pepper – the same red pepper flakes you shake on pizza! You may also see them labeled as chili flakes or dried chili pepper flakes… they’re all the same thing.

Find the full recipe with ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make Hot Honey

This comes together so fast, so have your jar ready before you start!

Combine all the ingredients in a small pot over medium low heat.

Slowly heat, without stirring, until little bubbles start popping up on the edges of the honey and the honey has thinned. Don’t let it come to a full boil… low and slow is the way to go here.

Remove from the stove. You can use it immediately, or put it in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and let it rest for about an hour to thicken back up. Enjoy!

That’s it. I told you it was easy!

Pro Tips

Use good quality honey for the best results! Bonus points if you can find local honey.
Keep the heat at medium-low heat or lower. Honey scorches easily, and burnt honey is not the sweet heat we’re going for!
I tend to leave my crushed red peppers in the honey, but some people prefer them removed. There are two reasons for this. One, some folks want the honey perfectly smooth, and two, the honey keeps getting spicier the longer the flakes sit in there. To remove them, simply pour the honey through a fine mesh strainer right as it comes off the stove while it’s still thin.
Start with less heat than you think you want. You can always make your next batch spicier, but you can’t take the heat back out! A little bit goes a long way.
Use a clean jar for storing… a sealed glass jar keeps it fresh the longest.

Variations

Fresh peppers – want to experiment with fresh chiles? Sliced jalapeno peppers or other fresh chili peppers will work, but fresh chilis add moisture, so plan to strain them out and use the honey a little faster. Dried chiles are the easy way for long storage.
Cayenne pepper – a pinch of cayenne along with the red pepper flakes gives a smoother, hotter burn.
Extra tang – a few drops of your favorite hot sauce adds a unique flavor along with more heat.
Not a honey family? This method also works with maple syrup for a spicy maple drizzle… yum!

Serving Suggestions

Okay, this is my favorite part. Here are the best ways to use your hot honey:

fried chicken wing being dipped in hot honey

Drizzled over fried chicken, chicken wings, or chicken fingers (this is THE classic combo for a reason!)
On pizza… especially pepperoni!
Over cream cheese with crackers for the easiest appetizer ever
On a charcuterie board or cheese board… it’s gorgeous drizzled over brie
Over warm biscuits or cornbread
On vanilla ice cream (don’t knock it till you try it!!)
Whisked into salad dressings or used as a dipping sauce for egg rolls and pizza crusts
Stirred into iced tea, or into a hot toddy when you’re feeling under the weather

Honestly, once you have a jar of hot honey in the pantry, you’ll find yourself adding a drizzle of hot honey to all your favorite foods.

Storage Instructions

Store your hot honey in an airtight glass container (I like mason jars best!) and keep it anywhere you normally keep your honey… a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Room temperature is perfect. No need to refrigerate!

This will keep for many months. Do not place it in the freezer.

FAQ

What kind of honey should I use? Any real, regular honey will do! There are lots of different types of honey out there, and this recipe isn’t picky. Regular clover honey from the store works great, and local raw honey from the farmers market is wonderful too. Just grab whatever half-used cup of honey is hiding in your pantry and get started.

Is hot honey good for you? Honey does have some natural health benefits, especially raw local honey. Keep in mind that heating raw honey can reduce some of those benefits, so this recipe is more about the flavor than the health perks… and that’s okay with me!

How spicy is it? With the amounts in the recipe card, it has a gentle kick of heat… noticeable but not overwhelming. You can reduce the crushed red pepper for less heat or add extra to really turn it up. The spice level is completely up to you!

Can I double the recipe? Absolutely! Just keep the same ratios, use a slightly bigger pot, and watch for those little bubbles around the edges.

Do I have to strain out the pepper flakes? Nope! Leaving them in means the heat level keeps building over time, which I love. Prefer it smooth and steady? Strain the flakes out with a fine mesh strainer while the honey is still warm and thin.

More Easy Recipes You’ll Love

I really hope you love this easy recipe as much as we do at our house. It’s one of those pantry staples that makes everything a little more fun… and once you see how simple it is, you’ll never pay for the fancy bottles at the store again!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tried this recipe? Please take a moment to leave a comment and a star rating below… it helps me grow my blog, and I’d be so grateful!