Our 4-ingredient hot honey sauce is spicy, sticky and mildly sweet. It’s an incredibly versatile condiment—perfect for drizzling over chicken, salmon, pizza, roasted vegetables, sandwiches, or using as a dip, glaze, or finishing drizzle.
The Best Hot Honey Sauce
This hot honey balances warmth and sweetness with a garlic-forward note for depth. It takes only minutes to make on the stovetop and keeps well for quick use throughout the week. Because it uses pantry-friendly ingredients, it’s easy to scale up when you want more for meal prep or gifting.
What is Hot Honey?
Hot honey is simply honey infused with spicy peppers and aromatics. The heat comes from chiles or red pepper flakes, and a touch of acid—often apple cider vinegar—brightens and balances the sweetness. Different peppers will yield different flavor profiles and heat levels, making this a highly adaptable condiment.
What to use hot honey on
This hot honey works as a dip, glaze, spread, or finishing drizzle. Great pairings include:
- Air fryer hot honey chicken
- Crispy coconut chicken tenders
- Crispy baked chicken thighs
- Dry-rubbed wings
- Naan or breakfast pizza
- Cast-iron pizza
- Grilled chicken or roasted salmon
- Charcuterie boards, roasted vegetables, or fried cheese
Hot Honey Sauce Ingredients
You only need four ingredients to make a bright, flavorful hot honey:
- Honey (clear, filtered honey recommended)
- Red pepper flakes or minced Thai chiles (with seeds for extra heat)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Garlic cloves, sliced
Ingredient notes: choose a neutral, clear honey rather than raw honey if you want a longer liquid texture. Adjust the amount and type of pepper to control heat—use fewer flakes for a mild sauce or add jalapeño, cayenne, or Thai chiles for stronger heat.
Try it on: Hot honey chicken—crispy, saucy and full of contrast between sweet and spicy.
How to Make Hot Honey
Making hot honey is quick and straightforward—about five minutes from start to finish.
1. Combine ingredients and heat
Place the honey, red pepper flakes or minced chiles, apple cider vinegar, and sliced garlic in a small saucepan. Stir to combine and warm over medium-high heat until the mixture reaches a gentle boil. This helps the flavors infuse into the honey.
2. Remove from heat and rest
Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture sit briefly so the chiles and garlic continue to infuse the honey while it cools slightly.
3. Strain and store (optional)
Pour the hot honey into a clean mason jar. You may leave the chiles and garlic in the jar for stronger, evolving flavor or strain them out for a smooth sauce. Allow it to cool, then seal with a lid.
Top Tips
- Use clear, filtered honey: raw honey will crystallize faster and may cloud the texture. Filtered honey stays liquid longer for easier drizzling.
- Buy local where possible: local, additive-free honey can provide a brighter, more complex flavor.
- Pick your pepper: red pepper flakes and Thai chiles give a direct, punchy heat. For milder or different flavor notes try jalapeño, cayenne, or smoked chiles.
- Adjust acidity: a small amount of apple cider vinegar brightens the sauce and balances the sweetness—don’t skip it unless you want a purely sweet result.
- Scale up: triple the recipe to have a larger jar on hand for dressings, glazes and marinades throughout the week.
FAQs
What is hot honey made of?
Hot honey is honey infused with spicy peppers and often aromatics like garlic and a splash of vinegar. The spice level varies with the type and amount of pepper you use.
What does hot honey taste like?
Expect a sweet base from the honey with warming, lingering heat from the peppers and a bright note from the vinegar. Garlic adds savory depth if included.
What pairs well with hot honey?
Hot honey pairs beautifully with fried or roasted chicken, pizza, salmon, roasted vegetables, cheese (fresh and fried), sandwiches, and as a finishing drizzle on grain bowls or salads.
Storage
Store hot honey in a clean jar with a lid in a cool, dark place. If made with filtered honey it will remain pourable for longer. Keep refrigerated only if you prefer a chilled texture—note that refrigeration can accelerate crystallization. Stored at room temperature in a cool pantry, this sauce will keep for up to two weeks. If the honey crystallizes, warm the jar gently in a bowl of warm water to return it to a liquid state.
Recipe Details
Servings: 6 (approx.)
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey (not raw)
- 4 teaspoons red pepper flakes, or 6 Thai chiles, minced with seeds
- 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
Instructions
- Add the honey, red pepper flakes or chiles, apple cider vinegar, and sliced garlic to a small saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Heat over medium-high heat and bring to a gentle boil, then remove from heat. Allow to sit briefly to let the flavors infuse.
- Pour into a clean mason jar. Let cool, then cover and store in a cool, dark place for up to two weeks. Optionally strain out solids for a smooth sauce.
Nutrition (approx. per serving)
Calories: 178 kcal • Carbohydrates: 48 g • Protein: 0.4 g • Fat: 0.2 g • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 47 g
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guide only.
More Sauce Ideas
If you enjoy making condiments at home, try other favorite sauces such as chimichurri, burger sauce, homemade BBQ sauce, stir-fry sauce, or a green goddess dressing to expand your flavor repertoire.