EDUCATION
Deliciously Easy Hot Honey Recipe (Perfectly Sweet & Spicy!)
9 minutes
Essential Takeaways
Hot honey is a sweet and spicy condiment made by infusing honey with chillies, perfect for drizzling on everything from pizza and fried chicken to desserts and salads.
Making your own hot honey at home is easy, cost-effective, and fully customisable. You control the heat level and flavour variations, ensuring it suits your exact taste.
Choosing premium Manuka honey for your hot honey recipe ensures a richer flavour experience, unmatched purity, and quality you can trust - elevating your homemade version far beyond store-bought alternatives.
Imagine a drizzle of luscious honey, paired with just the right amount of spice… A combination that instantly elevates and enhances your meals.
Hot honey, a sweet and spicy condiment made by infusing quality honey with chillies, is a popular hit among foodies, chefs, and wellness enthusiasts alike for its unique flavour and versatility.
The good news? Making your own hot honey at home couldn’t be simpler. Doing so allows you to perfectly tailor the sweetness and spice levels to your preferences while using premium-quality ingredients.
When you use Manuka honey (instead of general supermarket honey), you're not only crafting a delicious condiment but ensuring purity, rich depth of flavour, potential health benefits, and trusted authenticity in every spoonful.
Let’s dive into exactly how you can create and enjoy your own homemade hot honey.
In this hot honey recipe article, we cover:
What is Hot Honey?
Hot honey is simply honey infused with chillies (either fresh peppers or dried flakes) - creating a sweet yet spicy condiment.
Its popularity has soared in recent years, because it effortlessly transforms ordinary dishes into something special.
Drizzle it over pizza or roasted vegetables, add it to your cheese platter, or even mix it into cocktails or desserts. The possibilities are endless, and each spoonful delivers a delightful balance of sweetness and heat.
Why Make Hot Honey at Home?
Making hot honey at home comes with some distinct advantages:
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You're in complete control of the flavour: you choose the type and amount of chillies, making your hot honey exactly as mild or fiery as you like.
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100% natural: preparing hot honey yourself means no artificial additives or preservatives - just pure, natural ingredients.
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Cheaper: it’s also far more cost-effective than store-bought varieties, which can carry a premium price tag.
But perhaps most importantly, using a high-quality raw honey (like Manuka honey) adds extra flavour and natural goodness, ensuring your homemade creation stands apart from anything found on supermarket shelves.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make your delicious hot honey, you'll only need a few simple ingredients:
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1 cup of pure Manuka honey.
You can use other types, but we recommend using Manuka. It provides a rich, velvety base that elevates every drop. Plus, if you buy UMF™-certified Manuka honey, you can guarantee that it’s pure, raw, and packed with beneficial compounds. -
1–2 tablespoons red chilli pepper flakes or fresh sliced chillies.
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Optional: 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice for a slight tang.
This also helps to extend the shelf life. -
Optional: consider adding other flavours to tailor it to your specific preferences, such as garlic, citrus zest, rosemary, cinnamon, or smoked paprika.
Keep it simple, or get creative. The base is solid either way.
Easy Homemade Hot Honey Recipe (Step-by-Step Instructions)
Step 1: Gently warm your Manuka honey
In a small saucepan, warm the honey over a low to medium-low heat. Keep the temperature below 37°C if you want to preserve its natural enzymes.
Be careful not to boil it. Manuka honey’s beneficial enzymes and compounds begin to break down above approximately 37°C. Keeping the heat gentle helps retain these natural benefits.
Step 2: Add your chillies
Stir in your chosen chilli flakes or fresh chillies. You have two options here:
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For a quick infusion, raise the temperature up to a light simmer, and infuse for 3–5 minutes.
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Or if you’re taking the low-and-slow route and maximising health properties, let it steep at room temp for 20–30 minutes or longer.
Step 3: Cool and strain
Once it’s infused to your liking, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly. Strain your hot honey through a sieve into sterilised glass jars. Removing the solid chunks is especially important if you're using fresh chillies, to maintain optimal freshness and avoid spoilage.
Step 4: Enjoy!
Done. You’ve just made your first batch of hot honey. Now it’s time to add it to your culinary creations!
Delicious Variations & Customisations
Hot honey is incredibly versatile, and part of the fun is customising it.
If you're looking to adjust heat levels, consider milder chillies like jalapeño, ancho, or guajillo for subtle warmth, medium peppers like cayenne or serrano for balanced heat, or fiery options like habanero or ghost peppers for extra spice.
To further elevate the flavour, you can add garlic for savoury depth, smoked paprika for a smoky twist, or cinnamon and rosemary for warm, aromatic notes. Citrus zest, particularly lemon or orange, can lend a refreshing brightness which is great for salads.
Or if you'd prefer an alternative to apple cider vinegar, lime juice adds a tangy freshness, or you might even swap in a dash of your favourite hot sauce for instant complexity.
Tips for Making the Perfect Hot Honey Every Time
The key to successful hot honey is patience and gentle heat. Avoid boiling the honey to preserve its quality, taste and beneficial properties.
If you're using fresh chillies, always strain the finished product thoroughly to ensure it lasts longer and stays fresh.
Remember, you can always add more spice, but reducing it after the fact is tricky - so start small, taste as you go, and adjust accordingly. A controlled, incremental approach helps you achieve the perfect sweet-spicy balance tailored exactly to your preferences.
How to Use Hot Honey in Everyday Meals
By this point, you might be wondering how this delicious ingredient can be used in your kitchen… Here are some ideas:
Burgers and sandwiches
Drizzle hot honey onto grilled chicken sandwiches, burgers, or pulled pork for a sweet-spicy layer that cuts through richness.
Crispy halloumi or feta
Add a splash to pan-fried halloumi or baked feta to balance the saltiness with heat and sweetness.
Popcorn or roasted nuts
Toss freshly popped popcorn or roasted almonds with hot honey for a spicy-sweet snack.
Flatbreads and wraps
Use it as a finishing drizzle on flatbreads with goat cheese, rocket, and caramelised onion.
Cornbread or savoury muffins
A little hot honey spread over warm cornbread or savoury muffins adds surprising depth.
Roasted or grilled fruit
Hot honey pairs beautifully with grilled peaches, pineapple, or figs for a sweet and spicy dessert or side.
Baked brie or camembert
Pour your hot honey over baked soft cheeses and add nuts for a luxurious appetiser.
Avocado toast
A light drizzle of hot honey cuts through the creaminess of avocado toast, adding a sweet touch of spicy goodness.
Smashed potatoes or roast kumara
Adding hot honey brings an irresistible, sticky finish to crispy, roasted spuds or kumara (sweet potatoes).
Glazes for meat or plant-based proteins
Mix with mustard, soy sauce, or vinegar for a simple glaze on roast chicken, lamb, or tempeh that your family or guests will love.
Ramen or noodle bowls
Swirl a spoonful of hot honey into broth or drizzle over noodles for a flavour kick.
Dipping sauce base
Combine hot honey with mayo, yoghurt, or tahini for a spicy dipping sauce for wedges, tempura, or spring rolls.
How to Store Your Hot Honey
Storing your homemade hot honey properly ensures you can enjoy it at its best.
If you've used dried chillies, keep it at room temperature in sterilised, airtight jars. It should last up to three months this way.
Fresh chillies, however, require refrigeration, which will keep the hot honey safe for around one to two weeks.
If your honey crystallises over time (which is perfectly natural), gently warm the jar in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water, stirring occasionally until it returns to its liquid form.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does heating honey destroy its health benefits?
Heating Manuka honey above around 37°C can destroy some of the beneficial enzymes. If maximising the health benefits is important to you, keep your infusion temperatures low and do it slowly.
Can hot honey go bad?
Yes. Hot honey made with fresh chillies should be refrigerated and used within two weeks. With dried chillies, it can last up to three months at room temperature.
Can I leave chillies in the honey?
If using dried chillies, you can leave them in without issue. Fresh chillies should be strained to avoid spoilage (unless you’re planning to use the honey in the next few days or week).
Is hot honey gluten-free and vegan?
It’s naturally gluten-free. Strict vegans often avoid honey as it’s made by bees, but vegetarians tend to include it in their diet.
Why Choose Manuka Honey for Your Hot Honey
Not all honey is created equal. Manuka honey brings a bold, earthy sweetness that regular honey can’t match.
When you buy UMF™-certified Manuka honey, you’re also guaranteed to get a product that is:
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Raw and unpasteurised
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Non-GMO, pure and free from additives or preservatives
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Sourced and packaged in New Zealand
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Independently tested to the strictest standards worldwide.
Want to learn more about UMF™? Read this article.
Explore Premium Manuka Honey from New Zealand Honey Co.
Ready to elevate your hot honey game?
Experience the depth, purity, and flavour that only premium Manuka honey can offer. Perfect for drizzling, gifting, or levelling up your kitchen creations, our honey is as versatile as it is delicious.
Shop our UMF™-certified range of raw Manuka honey here.
Unsure which grade is right for you? Take the quiz here.
Your wellness journey starts with a spoonful a day.
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