Easy Hot Honey Recipe

hot honey in a small jar with red pepper flakes around it dripping off spoon

This easy hot honey recipe combines sweet raw honey, red pepper flakes, and apple cider vinegar for the perfect balance of sweet heat. The texture is smooth and drizzle-ready with just enough spice to wake up your favorite foods. It takes only minutes to make and keeps well for adding flavor to everything from biscuits to pizza. It's an easy way to keep a homemade condiment on hand for everyday meals and gatherings

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword easy, sauce, spicy, sweet

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 4

Steep 10

Total Time 16

Servings teaspoons (about 1 cup)

Calories 22

Author Gina Dickson

Ingredients

1 cup honey use a good-quality raw honey
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes and seeds crushed, adjust to taste
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Warm The Honey

Add the honey to a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula.
1 cup honey
Warm gently for about 4 minutes — do not let it boil. Honey should be heated to around 95–104°F (35–40°C) to avoid burning or losing nutrients.

Add The Heat

Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes. Continue to stir and heat for another minute.
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes and seeds

Add Vinegar

Stir in the apple cider vinegar and cook for 1 more minute.
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Steep

Remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture steep for 10 minutes so the flavors infuse. For a hotter honey, allow it to steep for 30 minutes.

Strain (optional)

Pour the hot honey through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean jar or bottle.
Press down on the solids to extract every drop.
Tip: Leave the flakes in if you want an extra spicy version, but note it will continue to get hotter over time.

Notes

Storage Instructions

Store hot honey in a clean glass jar at room temperature for up to 3 months. Keep it away from direct sunlight.
If the honey thickens, warm it gently in a bowl of warm water or microwave briefly until it loosens.

Nutrition