Hot Honey

A jar of honey with a loaded honey dipper, and scattered crushed red pepper flakes on the counter.

This homemade hot honey recipe calls for just 3 ingredients and is SO EASY to make! Drizzle it on fried chicken, pizza, veggies, and more!

Course Condiments

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 5

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 70

Author Dorothy Bigelow

Equipment

Fine mesh metal strainer or good quality plastic
Mason jar with lid

Ingredients

1 ⅓ cup honey
¼ cup crushed chili flakes also known as red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Add the honey to a small saucepan and warm it over medium-low heat just until it warms and is very easy to stir.
Add in the crushed chili flakes and stir them in.
Reduce the heat to low and heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and allow to “steep” for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes have passed, place a fine-mesh strainer (metal preferred) over a bowl or measuring cup.
Pour the chili flakes and honey through the mesh strainer. The hot honey will collect in the bowl below, and the chili flakes in the strainer. You may need to carefully stir the honey and chili flakes to encourage the honey to flow through.
Note: If the honey is very thick, it will be difficult to strain. A brief re-warming over low heat should help the honey flow if needed.
Discard the chili flakes, and add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the honey. Stir gently to combine.
Transfer the honey to a clean mason jar and cover it with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Secure with a rubber band.
Allow the hot honey to cool to room temperature before adding a lid.
Store at room temperature for up to 6 months. Discard if there are any signs of spoilage.

Notes

Yield: About 1 cup of finished hot honey. Some of the honey will adhere to the chilies, so extra is used to ensure you still get a good-sized portion.

Storing hot honey: Because dried chilies were used (not fresh), the honey can typically be stored at room temperature. Using fresh ingredients introduces water, which can easily cause mold or other forms of spoilage. Store your hot honey at room temperature only if you followed the instructions and used dried chili flakes. Be sure to discard it if any mold, off-color appearance, unpleasant smell, or unusual flavor is present. Always use clean utensils when retrieving honey from the jar, and don’t “double dip.” Waiting for the honey to cool before adding a lid also reduces the risk of condensation/moisture, so do not skip that step.

Why apple cider vinegar? Apple cider vinegar prevents the honey from setting up too thick, making it easier to drizzle. The acidity balances the heat and flavor. We tested hot honey both with and without the apple cider vinegar, and taste testers agreed – it’s better with.

My honey crystallized. What do I do? Crystalized honey is a common issue, especially if it has been heated and then cooled again. Crystalized honey is typically fine to eat (as long as there are no signs of spoilage), and gently warming the amount needed will make the honey pourable once again.

Nutrition