Hot Honey takes your basic honey to the next level by infusing it with chili peppers! Made with just 3 simple ingredients, it's a deliciously versatile sauce or dip that adds a pop of sweet heat to any of your favorite foods!

Hot honey!!! When you know... you know. And once you try this recipe you'll never go back!

Ingredients

Honey - I used 1 cup of local honey. The great thing about this recipe is that honey is easy to store and never goes bad, so you can feel free to double the recipe and always have hot honey on hand.

Dried chili peppers - Depending on where you live and where you shop, dried chili peppers are not always easy to find. If you're unable to find them at your local grocery store, I would suggest visiting a spice shop or a Mexican or Asian grocery store, as dried peppers are more often used in different ethnic cuisines. (I used dried arbol chiles from Amazon Fresh.)

Apple cider vinegar - 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar right at the end gives the honey the perfect balance of flavors and acidity.

How to make Hot Honey

It's important to note that the exact instructions may change a bit depending on what type of dried chiles you use AND how hot you want it to be. Regardless, the basics will be the same:

1. Chop the chili peppers to expose the seeds (that's where the heat is!)
2. Add honey and chopped peppers to a small saucepan. 
3. Bring the mixture to simmer over medium heat. Do not boil. Once simmering, reduce the heat slightly, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Test the honey for flavor and heat and add more chiles if desired.
4. Once honey has reached desired flavor, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in vinegar.
5. Strain into a glass jar to remove the peppers and seeds. 
6. Cover and store at room temperature.

Recipe variations

When researching how to make the perfect hot honey, I looked at a number of different recipes and tried a few of them. In the end, I think that using dried chiles and infusing the honey produces the best results. If you're unable to find dried chiles or would like to try a different method, here are some other ideas:

• Stir your favorite hot sauce into the honey, tasting as you go, until it reaches your desired spice level. Amounts will vary depending on which type of hot sauce you use.
• Use a combination of fresh and dried chili peppers
• Use any type of vinegar
• Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes

Storage tips

Leftover hot honey can be stored in a jar or squeeze bottle at room temperature... basically forever! If honey starts to crystallize, simply run the bottle under warm water or place it in a bowl with warm water until it's smooth and runny. A simple tip to slow the crystallization process is to find a slightly warmer place to store it in.

What to eat with Hot Honey

• Crispy Chicken Nuggets
• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
• Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
• Air Fryer Cheese Curds
• Air Fryer Onion Rings
• Air Fryer Shrimp
• Salmon Patties