What Is Hot Honey? How to Use It on Pizza, Chicken and Cheese

The first taste of hot honey is a little confusing. It’s sweet, then a slow warmth builds at the back of your throat, then the sweetness comes back and you reach for another bite. That push and pull is why it took over pizza shops and fried-chicken menus, and why a bottle now lives in so many kitchens.

Quick answer: Hot honey is honey infused with chili peppers, so it tastes sweet first and spicy after. It’s made by gently warming honey with dried chilies or chili flakes, letting them steep, and usually straining them out; some versions add a splash of vinegar. It’s best drizzled on pizza, fried chicken, cheese, roasted vegetables and biscuits. At home, use dried peppers rather than fresh, which add water that can spoil the honey.

What is hot honey made of?

Just two things, in its simplest form: honey and chili peppers. The peppers’ capsaicin, the compound that makes chilies hot, dissolves into the honey and gives it a slow, warming burn.

Recipes vary. Some use mild chilies for a gentle glow, others habanero or ghost peppers for real heat. Some add a little vinegar for brightness. Ours is raw, unfiltered local honey infused with organic chili peppers.

Where did hot honey come from?

Cooks in many places have paired honey and chili for a long time, from Southern fried chicken to Italian chili honey on cheese. The modern craze is usually traced to Brooklyn pizza maker Mike Kurtz, who tasted chili-infused honey on pizza in Brazil, started drizzling his own version on pies at Paulie Gee’s in Brooklyn around 2010, and later turned it into Mike’s Hot Honey. Since then, hot honey has become a standard on pizza menus across the country.

How do you use hot honey?

Hot honey works wherever salt, fat or crunch need a sweet-hot finish.

• Pizza. The classic: drizzle it over pepperoni or soppressata pizza right out of the oven.
• Fried chicken. On chicken and biscuits, chicken sandwiches or wings.
• Cheese. With burrata, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, aged cheddar or pecorino. See honey and cheese pairing.
• Charcuterie. On salami and prosciutto.
• Roasted vegetables. Brussels sprouts, carrots, sweet potatoes and squash.
• Breakfast. On biscuits, cornbread, fried eggs or avocado toast.
• Glazes. Mix with soy sauce and garlic for salmon, or with mustard for pork.
• Drinks. Stir into a margarita or a hot toddy for a kick.

How do you make hot honey at home?

1. Pour 1 cup of honey into a small saucepan.
2. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of dried chili flakes, or 2 to 4 dried whole chilies, split.
3. Warm over the lowest heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Don’t let it simmer; you just want it warm enough to infuse.
4. Turn off the heat and let it steep for 30 minutes to an hour, tasting as you go.
5. Strain out the peppers, or leave a few in for looks. Stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar if you like a brighter flavor.
6. Store tightly closed at room temperature.

A safety note: stick to dried peppers. Fresh chilies add water and are low-acid, which can let honey ferment and, in rare cases, allow Clostridium botulinum spores to grow. If you use fresh peppers, refrigerate the honey and use it within a week or two. And remember that heating raw honey this way reduces its natural enzymes, so it won’t be raw anymore; that’s a fair trade for flavor.

Frequently asked questions

Is hot honey actually spicy?

It depends on the peppers. Most hot honey has a gentle to moderate heat that builds slowly. Taste a drop before you drizzle.

Does hot honey need to be refrigerated?

No, if it’s made with dried peppers. Keep it tightly closed at room temperature. Homemade hot honey with fresh peppers should be refrigerated and used quickly.

Does hot honey crystallize?

Yes, like any real honey. Set the bottle in warm water to loosen it. See crystallized honey.

What’s the difference between hot honey and infused honey?

Hot honey is one kind of infused honey, made with chili peppers. Other infused honeys use herbs, flowers or spices. Read our infused honey guide.

Can kids have hot honey?

Children over 1 year old can, if they like the heat. Never give honey of any kind to babies under 12 months.

Sources

• National Center for Home Food Preservation, guidance on low-acid infusions.
• Mike’s Hot Honey, company history (Brooklyn, New York).

A drizzle of hot honey turns plain pizza into something people talk about. Grab a bottle of ours at the Honey House, and see what it does for Friday night.