Name: Hot Honey Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2-3 tablespoons hot chili flakes ((or use crushed dried chilies, or 1-2 fresh hot chilies, sliced)); 1 cup honey; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ((optional))

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Make hot honey at home in just 10 minutes with fresh or dried chili peppers. Adjust the heat from mild jalapeño to scorching Carolina Reaper, exactly to your level. Better than store-bought and incredibly easy. Perfect on pizza, fried chicken, biscuits, and more.

Homemade Hot Honey

If you like a bit of "sweet" with your heat, Hot Honey is going to be a new wonderful surprise. Many people like their sweets, but when you're a chilihead like me, even those need a little blast of warmth to fully satisfy.

When you douse hot sauce on pretty much anything, there's nothing like a bit of heat infusion to kick things up a notch.

That's exactly what this hot honey recipe is - an infusion. Like many other liquids, honey can be infused with all sorts of different ingredients and flavors.

It lends itself to many different things, though, being me, I am partial to chili peppers. Of course.

You've probably heard of brands like Mike's Hot Honey. It's great to buy some at the grocery store, but it's also fun to make it on your own, and so much fresher.

Let's talk about how to make hot honey at home, shall we?

Hot Honey Ingredients

Chili Peppers. You can use either fresh hot peppers or dried hot peppers or hot chili flakes to make hot honey. You can use any spicy chili peppers to your preferred heat level.
Honey. Use your favorite brand. Works with any types of honey.
Vinegar. I prefer apple cider vinegar for its tangy flavor. Vinegar is optional, but it does help for longer keeping.

How to Make Hot Honey - the Recipe Method

Add the peppers and honey to a small saucepan or pot. Heat to medium low heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes to infuse them with the pepper flavor and heat. You can simmer longer if you'd like. Do not allow the honey to boil.

This recipe works with fresh chili peppers or with hot chili flakes or other dried hot peppers.

Making hot honey with both fresh and dried hot peppers

Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar (if using). If using fresh peppers, strain the honey into a jar through a fine mesh strainer. If using dried peppers, strain only if desired.

Cool and store in an airtight glass container. Makes 1 cup.

Use as needed. It's wonderfully sweet and spicy.

BOOM! Your hot honey is ready to serve! It's very easy to make. I love easy. Go and make yourself some spicy honey! I know you want to.

Hot honey in a jar with chili flakes next to a jar of strained hot honey

Recipe Notes & Tips

You can also make hot honey with either dried OR fresh peppers. It works either way. Crushed red pepper flakes are easy to find. I used a combination of crushed chili flakes and fresh pods.

Adjust the Heat Level. You can easily use fewer peppers for a milder infusion, or use hotter peppers to really bring the heat.

Also, consider adding a few splashes of your favorite hot sauce.

Save the Fresh Peppers. It is best to strain out fresh peppers for safe keeping. You can use these hot peppers for deserts or cocktails, as they are essentially "candied" or "honeyed", and quite delicious.

Hot honey made with dried peppers and chili flakes can remain unstrained. The choice is yours if you'd prefer to strain it for a smoother honey.

Best Chili Peppers for Making Hot Honey

I used both fresh habanero peppers and spicy dried red peppers for my infusion, Hawaiian Hots in particular. I like them for their heat and flavor.

However, you can use any type of chili pepper you'd like to make hot honey. Try making it with milder peppers, like jalapenos or mid levels like cayennes or serranos for less heat. If you'd like some REALLY SPICY hot honey, make this with either fresh or dried ghost peppers, 7 Pot peppers, scorpion peppers, or even the Carolina Reaper.

Fresh and dried hot peppers for making Hot Honey

Talk about some heat. Habaneros will give you a good level of heat, though. Be warned.

What To Serve with Hot Honey?

Hot honey is outstanding on many different dishes. Here is list of ideas you might try:

Fried chicken. This is a favorite for many people. Drizzle a bit of your spicy honey over freshly fried chicken and you'll fall in love with it.
Chicken and Waffles. Spoon it over chicken and waffles for some added kick, or oven fried or baked chicken wings for a pop of sweet heat. Hot honey wings are delicious!
Seafood. This is my personal favorite. Think of recipes like Hot Honey Salmon or Hot Honey Glazed Shrimp. Drizzle it onto seared scallops or use it as a dipping sauce.
Vegetables. Grilled, pan seared, roasted, steamed, it doesn't matter. Try Hot Honey Roasted Carrots or Hot Honey Roasted Pumpkin.
Biscuits & Cornbread. Match made in heaven right here. Drizzle on these jalapeno-cheddar biscuits or jalapeno cornbread.
Ice Cream. Drizzle a little over the top of a scoop of vanilla. Wonderful.
Cocktails. Use it anywhere you'd use regular honey. Consider pairing it with whiskey or making a hot toddy. So many ways you can go with this.
Honey Mustard. Swirl a bit of your hot honey with a spicy mustard and you have a homemade spicy honey-mustard.
Protein Shakes. Squirt in a teaspoon so it doesn't taste like cardboard. They often lack flavor.
Hot Water with Lemon and Honey. There are health benefits to this concoction. Why not add the benefit of extra zing?

Think of it as an easy finishing sauce, but also a simple glaze, like my hot honey glazed ham recipe. Or as your very own honey hot sauce. Try it with my candied bacon recipe. YUM.

Storing Hot Honey

Store hot honey in a sealed glass jar or container at room temperature in a cool, dark place. A pantry is ideal. It will last 3 months or longer this way.

You can store it in the refrigerator, but it may become crystalized. If this happens, gently warm the hot honey in a water bath or in the microwave to loose it up.

Hot honey made with fresh peppers is more perishable, and should be stored in the refrigerator. Hot honey made with dried peppers can be stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container for 3 months or longer.

That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your spicy hot honey. Go ahead and whip up a batch and fill some bottles. They make great gifts, too.

I love this stuff. Enjoy!

This Recipe Is In our Cookbook - FLAVOR MADNESS

Did you know that you can find this recipe in our new cookbook FLAVOR MADNESS? It's waiting for you on PAGE 87.

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

Hot honey with lots of chili flakes dripping from a spoon

If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.

Hot Honey Recipe

This hot honey recipe is easy to make with honey and fresh or dried chilies, the perfect sweet and spicy condiment for biscuits, pizza, and more!

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Course: Appetizer, hot sauce, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: condiment, habanero, honey, recipe, spicy

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 10

Calories: 22kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: teaspoons

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4.94 from 49 ratings

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Ingredients

2-3 tablespoons hot chili flakes (or use crushed dried chilies, or 1-2 fresh hot chilies, sliced)
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional)

Instructions

Add the peppers and honey to a small pot. Heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes to infuse them with the pepper flavor and heat. Do not allow the honey to boil.
Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar (if using). If using fresh peppers, strain the honey into a jar. If using dried peppers, strain only if desired.
Cool and store in an airtight glass container. Makes 1 cup.

Video

Notes

Hot honey made with fresh peppers is more perishable, and should be stored in the refrigerator. Hot honey made with dried peppers can be stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.

It is best to strain out fresh peppers for safe keeping. You can use these hot peppers for deserts or cocktails, as they are essentially "candied" or "honeyed", and quite delicious.

Hot honey made with dried peppers and chili flakes can remain unstrained. The choice is yours if you'd prefer to strain it for a smoother honey.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 22kcal Carbohydrates: 6g Protein: 0.1g Fat: 0.05g Saturated Fat: 0.01g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g Sodium: 6mg Potassium: 10mg Fiber: 0.1g Sugar: 6g Vitamin A: 99IU Vitamin C: 0.04mg Calcium: 2mg Iron: 0.1mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is hot honey?

Hot honey is honey that's been infused with fresh or dried chili peppers to create a sweet and spicy condiment. It's wildly versatile as a drizzle, a glaze, a dipping sauce, or anywhere you'd normally reach for plain honey but want a kick of heat.

What's the difference between hot honey and chili honey?

They are the same thing. Hot honey, chili honey, chilli honey, and spicy honey all refer to the same pepper-infused condiment. The name just varies by region. "Chilli honey" is more common in the UK and Australia, while "hot honey" is common in the US.

Can I make hot honey without vinegar?

Absolutely. Vinegar adds a slight tang and helps extend shelf life, but the recipe works perfectly without it. If you skip it, your honey may be slightly sweeter and will still taste fantastic.

How long does hot honey last?

Hot honey made with dried peppers or chili flakes will keep for 3 months or longer stored in an airtight glass jar at room temperature in a cool, dark spot. Hot honey made with fresh peppers is more perishable. Store that version in the refrigerator. If it crystallizes, just gently warm it up and it'll loosen right back up.

Can I make hot honey in the microwave?

Yes. For a quick version, combine your honey and chili flakes in a microwave-safe glass and heat in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until warmed through. No stovetop required. This method works best with dried peppers or flakes, not fresh.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 3/28/26 to include new information and FAQs. The recipe itself was not changed.

Hot Honey Recipe (Fresh or Dried Chili Peppers)