The short answer: for this hot honey recipe, warm 340 g (1 cup) of honey with 1 to 2 tablespoons of chili flakes over low heat for about 5 minutes. Do not let it boil. Take it off the heat, stir in 1 teaspoon of cider vinegar, steep for 30 minutes and strain it into a clean jar.
Hot honey is sweet, sticky and spicy at once. It is the drizzle that put honey on pizza, and it works on fried chicken, goat cheese and roast carrots too. Three ingredients, fifteen minutes. Below: the recipe, how hot to make it, ways to use it, how to store it, and five more infused honeys to try.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Time | 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes to steep |
| Heat | Low: warm, never boiling |
| Makes | About 340 g (1 cup) |
| Keeps | Months in a cupboard when strained and made with dried chili |
Ingredients
- 340 g (1 cup) runny honey, mild in flavour
- 1 to 2 tbsp dried chili flakes, or 3 to 4 small dried chilies, crushed
- 1 tsp cider vinegar
- A pinch of salt
Use a mild honey such as clover or wildflower so the chili stands out. Dried chili is the safe choice for a honey you keep in the cupboard. Fresh chili adds water and needs the fridge (see storage below).
How to make hot honey
- Combine. Put the honey and chili flakes in a small pan.
- Warm. Heat it on the lowest heat for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Small bubbles at the edge are the limit: do not let it boil.
- Season. Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the vinegar and salt.
- Steep. Leave it for 30 minutes. Taste it, and leave it longer for more heat.
- Strain. Pour it through a fine sieve into a clean, dry jar while it is still warm. Warm honey runs through much faster.
- Close. Let it cool, then close the jar.
For a very clear honey, strain it through the NOIDS Filter Set. It catches the fine chili seeds that slip through a kitchen sieve.
How hot will it be?
| Chili | Amount for 340 g honey | Heat |
|---|---|---|
| Korean gochugaru | 2 tbsp | Mild, fruity |
| Standard red pepper flakes | 1 tbsp | Medium |
| Dried chile de árbol | 3 to 4 chilies, crushed | Hot |
| Dried bird's eye | 2 chilies, crushed | Very hot |
Leave the flakes in the jar if you want it to keep getting hotter. Strain them out to fix the heat where it is.
How to use hot honey
- Drizzle it over pizza, especially with salami or pepperoni.
- Brush it on fried or roast chicken.
- Spoon it over goat cheese, feta or a cheese board.
- Toss roast carrots, sweet potatoes or Brussels sprouts in it.
- Drizzle it on cornbread or biscuits with a little cinnamon butter.
- Glaze salmon or pork chops in the last minutes of cooking.
5 more infused honeys
The method is the same: warm gently, never boil, steep, strain. Use 340 g of honey each time.
| Honey | Add | Use it on |
|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon | 2 cinnamon sticks, broken | Porridge, toast, tea |
| Vanilla | 1 vanilla bean, split | Yogurt, fruit, pancakes |
| Lavender | 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender | Scones, lemonade, ricotta |
| Rosemary | 2 dried rosemary sprigs | Cheese, roast chicken |
| Lemon | Zest of 1 lemon, dried for a day | Tea, salad dressings |
Common mistakes
- Boiling the honey: it darkens, loses its flowery taste and turns thick and tacky as it cools. Low heat only.
- Too much chili at once: heat builds as it steeps. Start with 1 tablespoon and taste after 30 minutes.
- A wet jar or spoon: water is what spoils honey. Keep everything dry.
- Straining cold: cold honey barely moves through a sieve. Strain it while it is still warm.
- Strong honey: dark honeys such as buckwheat fight the chili. A mild honey lets it shine.
How to store hot honey
- Dried chili, strained: a clean, closed jar in a cool cupboard. It keeps for months.
- Fresh chili, garlic or citrus juice: these add water. Keep that honey in the fridge and use it within 4 days.
- Crystals: if it turns grainy, stand the jar in warm water until it runs clear again.
- Babies: never give honey, plain or infused, to babies under 12 months.
Like spicy oils? Our chili oil uses the same chilies in a different way.
Questions
How do you make hot honey?
Warm 340 g of honey with 1 to 2 tablespoons of chili flakes on low heat for about 5 minutes, without boiling. Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar, steep for 30 minutes and strain.
Does hot honey need to be refrigerated?
Not when it is made with dried chili and strained: a cool cupboard is fine. Hot honey made with fresh chili belongs in the fridge and should be used within 4 days.
Why add vinegar to hot honey?
A little vinegar balances the sweetness and makes the chili taste brighter. You can leave it out.
Can I boil the honey to make it faster?
No. Boiling darkens honey, changes its taste and drives off water, so it cools thick and tacky. Keep the heat low.
Can I make hot honey without heating it?
Yes. Stir the chili flakes into room temperature honey and leave it for 3 to 5 days, then strain. The flavour builds more slowly but tastes just as good.
How long does hot honey last?
Strained hot honey made with dried chili keeps for months in a closed jar. Honey itself does not spoil easily when kept dry.
