Being a bona fide condiment collector and aficionado, I was stoked when my colleague Jessicka requested that I investigate and write about “hot honey”, which is making its rounds in the gastronomic blogosphere. I love the combo of both sweet and heat, so this incredibly simple recipe was a surefire winner for me. Simply put, it’s an infusion of chili peppers in honey (and a dash of vinegar), then strained.

Legend has it that it became popularized by a Brooklyn pizzeria, after one of the chef’s visited a pizza shop in Brazil where they had jars full of hot honey for drizzling on slices. Pizza seems like the obvious place to start using this tasty condiment. I haven’t tried it on all of these, but allegedly hot honey is also tasty on stir-fries, eggs, ice cream, cocktails, granola, cornbread, biscuits, and on and on. My personal favorite is using it in a peanut butter, hot honey, basil, and banana sandwich (recipe below). Be sure to check out the “pro tips” section for additional ideas! Have you tried this hot honey? If so, what have you been drizzlin’ it on?

The Most Basic Hot Honey Recipe

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 cup honey, preferably local
• 3 Tbsp. organic chili flakes
• 1 tsp. organic apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Pour honey and chili flakes into a small saucepan.
2. Turn heat on medium-low and bring to a small simmer.
3. Stir and gently simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
5. Stir in apple cider vinegar until dissolved.
6. Strain into container of choice (I like dispensing it in flip cap bottles).
   
   

P-Triple-B Hot Honey Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 slices organic bread
• 2 Tbsp. organic peanut butter
• 1/3 organic banana
• 2 Tbsp. hot honey
• 5 leaves fresh organic basil

Directions

1. Spread both slices of bread with peanut butter.
2. Chop banana and place on one piece of bread in an even layer.
3. Drizzle honey all over the sliced bananas.
4. Top with a layer of basil leaves.
5. Lay other piece of bread, peanut butter side down, on top.

Pro Tips

• Try other chili peppers! Our organic bird’s eye chilis are fantastic for hot honey! Or, for a hint of smokiness, try organic smoked chili flakes.
• Not only can you use hot honey as a condiment for many foods, but you can also use it as an ingredient in lots of recipes! Try it in fermented hot sauce, honey mustard or barbecue sauce.
• Everyone has vastly different tolerances for spicy foods. Pay attention to the Scoville heat units (SHU) of the particular pepper you’re using. We list SHUs in our product profile descriptions.  We also have a handy reference guide to chili powders. 
• Since you’re cooking the honey to some degree or another, you’ll be losing some of the health benefits. I look at hot honey as more of a delightful condiment than an outright health food. I do, however, recommend you buy the highest quality local honey you can afford in order to support our smaller-scale beekeepers.
• A note on shelf life: It should be indefinite. The ingredients by nature are self-preserving.
• If it solidifies to a degree, just heat it up again!
• WARNING: After simmering, this stuff will be hot (in two ways) and sticky. Avoid getting it on you at all costs, especially in more sensitive areas. I’d even consider wearing gloves!

Want more Sweet herbal preparations?

Learn How to Make Herb-Infused Honey

You may also enjoy:

How to Make Herbal Electuaries
Sweet & Spicy Chipotle-Honey Caramel Corn Recipe
How to Make Homemade Herbal Lozenges