Hot Honey Recipe

Hot honey is a modern American condiment with roots in Southern food traditions and the recent rise of pizza culture. The combination of honey and chili heat has existed informally for centuries in global cuisines, but hot honey as a named, bottled product emerged in the early 2000s in Brooklyn, New York. It is widely credited to Mike Kurtz, who in 2003 began drizzling chili-infused honey on pizza at Paulie Gee’s after being inspired by spicy honey he encountered in Brazil. The sweet-heat contrast quickly gained a cult following, leading Kurtz to launch Mike’s Hot Honey in 2010, which helped popularize the condiment nationwide. By the late 2010s and early 2020s, hot honey spread beyond pizza into fried chicken, biscuits, barbecue, and cheese boards, becoming a staple of contemporary American comfort food and one of the most searched and replicated recipes of the 2020s.

🔥 Hot Honey Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup honey (raw or regular)
• 1–2 tablespoons Crystal Hot Sauce or red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional, for balance)

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the honey and hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
2. Gently warm for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not boil.
3. Remove from heat and let steep for 10–15 minutes (longer = spicier).
4. Stir in apple cider vinegar if using.
5. Strain out pepper flakes (optional) or leave them in for extra heat.
6. Cool slightly, then transfer to a jar or squeeze bottle.

Storage

• Keep at room temperature for up to 1 month or refrigerate for up to 3 months.

🌶️ Variations

• Extra Hot: Add a sliced fresh chili (Fresno, jalapeño, or habanero).
• Smoky: Use smoked chili flakes or add a pinch of chipotle powder.
• Garlic Hot Honey: Add 1 lightly crushed garlic clove while heating, then remove.
• Waterless Method: Heat gently without adding any liquids beyond honey.

🍕 Perfect On

Pan broiled or fried chicken wings, pancakes and waffles, biscuits, cornbread, roasted vegetables, grilled meats, cheese boards, or drizzled over burrata.