How to Make the Best Hot Honey🌶️
- Gwen Earnshaw
- Nov 6
- 3 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
You know when you stumble across something in the kitchen that’s so good, you wonder how you ever lived without it?
If you’re a fan of sweet-heat flavour combinations, hot honey is about to become your new best friend. It’s simple to make, endlessly versatile, and a wonderful way to elevate everyday meals into something a little special.
It all started when I drizzled some over pizza (yes, pizza!). Sweet, spicy, tangy – it was an absolute revelation. Since then, I’ve been pouring it over just about everything I can think of, from cheese boards to roasted veggies. And the best part? You don’t need to heat the honey at all, which means it keeps all its natural goodness – the enzymes, antioxidants, and floral notes that make raw honey so special.
If you’d like to try this recipe with the very best Honey, gathered by our Native Irish Honeybees - it is available for order here.
What I Use To make my Hot Honey
It’s ridiculously simple – just three ingredients:
500g Raw honey – the star of the show. The better the honey, the better the hot honey.
½ tsp Dried chilli flakes – easy to find in most supermarkets.
10mls Apple cider vinegar – to balance the sweetness.
Step 1: Choosing Your Chilli Flakes 🌶️
Supermarkets often have a variety of dried chilli flakes, each with its own heat level. Here are three of the most common:
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes – Medium heat (usually around 30,000–50,000 Scoville Heat Units). A popular and readily available choice that adds warmth without overpowering.
Aleppo Pepper Flakes – My own favourite - Mild to medium heat (about 10,000 SHU). Fruity and slightly tangy, with a gentler kick.
Bird’s Eye Chilli Flakes – Hot (50,000–100,000 SHU). These bring serious fire, so use sparingly if you’re new to spicy foods!
Step 2: Method
Gently warm the Apple cider vinegar (ACV) in a small pan.
Add your chosen chilli flakes and stir well.
Let rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.
Add the raw honey, stir, and let cool.
Strain (if you like it smooth) or leave the flakes in for extra kick.
Pour into a clean jar and let it infuse for a few days, giving it a little shake whenever you remember. And there you have it - by the end of the week, it’s infused and ready to drizzle– homemade hot honey!
Delicious Ways to Use Your Hot Honey
One of the joys of hot honey is how many dishes it complements. Here are some popular (and a few surprising) ways to enjoy it:
Pizza – my latest discovery, and it’s a game-changer! The sweet heat drizzled over gooey cheese and crisp crust is unreal.
Fried chicken – comfort food gets a sticky, spicy upgrade.
Cheese boards – drizzle over a tangy cheddar, brie, goat’s cheese, or even blue cheese.
Roasted vegetables – carrots, squash, and sprouts all love a little honey heat.
Breakfast – swirl into yoghurt, oats, or over buttered toast for a morning pick-me-up.
Why Use Honey from a Real Beekeeper?
When you make hot honey, you’re not just adding spice – you’re unlocking layers of flavour that only high-quality raw honey can provide.
It takes 12 honeybees their entire lifetime to make just one teaspoon of honey. This makes a remarkable representation of the bees' hard work, considering their average lifespan is only about six weeks.
All honey is created equal.
Raw honey from my own and other small-scale beekeepers is produced with care, usually straight from the hive and minimally filtered. It is still full of natural enzymes, antioxidants, and subtle floral flavours that you won’t get from (often) adulterated supermarket blends.
That means your hot honey won’t just be spicy – it will have depth, character, and a richness that makes every drizzle special. It’s this purity that makes the heat of the chilli shine instead of overwhelm.
This recipe does not over-heat the honey, and avoids destroying the goodness and flavour.
If you’d like to make your own batch, you can order jars of my raw honey directly here. Trust me, once you’ve tasted hot honey made this way, you’ll always want a jar ready in your kitchen!
Thanks for reading and if do you do give this recipe a try please give this post a like and comment - I'd love to hear what you think.
If you'd like to hear more about what I've been making, our honeybees and countryside life, then please join me to receive my regular subscriber email "Three Lovely Things."
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