Ask Chef Dennis

  • Recipe Index
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • About
×
Home » Recipes » Condiment Recipes

Best Hot Honey Recipe

Published: Feb 7, 2025 by Chef Ryan Littley

23
SHARES
Facebook23PinterestFlipboard
Jump to Recipe Listen to the Post
Pinterest Hidden ImagePinterest Hidden ImagePinterest Hidden Image

If you’re looking for a spicy-sweet sauce that will rock your world, look no further. Our hot honey is made with simple ingredients, and the best part is that you can control the heat level by adjusting the ingredients to your taste preference.

Hot honey in a glass jar with a spoon coming out of the jar.


 
Table of Contents:
  • Audio Player
  • Ingredients to Make Hot Honey
  • What type of Honey should I use?
  • How to Make Hot Honey
  • Recipe FAQ’s
  • More Recipes You’ll Love!
  • Recipe: Best Hot Honey Recipe

Audio Player

Our spicy, hot honey takes minutes to make and is the perfect balance of spicy and sweet, creating a spicy condiment you’ll find many uses for.

Hot honey with fried chicken tenders on a white plate.

Hot honey is the perfect spicy-sweet condiment to serve as a dipping sauce for fried chicken tenders, chicken wings, chicken nuggets, and many of your favorite foods.

*Making your own homemade hot honey allows you to control the heat level and ingredients while avoiding preservatives found in some store-bought versions.

Ingredients to Make Hot Honey

Ingredients to make the reicpe.

Start by gathering the ingredients needed to make our Homemade Hot Honey recipe. In culinary terms, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into “Everything in its Place.”

Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.

What type of Honey should I use?

There are many different types of honey to choose from, but I always tell people to use their favorite honey.

I always keep a jar of local honey in my pantry, as it helps with my seasonal allergies. Mild or neutral-flavored honies, like clover honey, and wildflower honey are good choices.

Orange blossom honey will add a nice citrus and floral undertones to the sauce. Raw honey has a more complex flavor and the taste will vary depending on what type you choose. That being said whatever type of honey your local grocery store has in stock will work just fine.,

You can also use maple syrup to make the sauce, but it will change the flavor a bit.

How to Make Hot Honey

Collage showing how to make the recipe.
  • Add the unsalted butter to a sauce pot and heat over medium heat until melted.
  • Add the honey and hot sauce to the melted butter and whisk together to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until bubbly.
  • Add the kosher salt, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper to the mixture and lower the heat to simmer.
    *Let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.
    *For best results, let the sauce sit for at least two hours before using, allowing time for the flavors to combine.

When ready to use, you can reheat it in a small saucepan or use it at room temperature.

Hot honey with fried shrimp on a white plate.

I love serving hot honey with fried shrimp and fried fish bites. It’s also a great dipping sauce for fried cauliflower bites and fried zucchini sticks.

Hot honey in a glass jar with a spoon coming out of the jar.

Store the hot honey sauce refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two months. If you love this sauce as much as we do, double or triple the recipe. You’ll want to keep a jar in your fridge at all times!

Recipe FAQ’s

What type of hot sauce should I use?

The easy answer is your favorite hot sauce. But I recommend using a hot sauce with a vinegar base, like Frank’s Red Hot, Louisiana hot sauce, and Cholula hot sauce.

What can I use hot honey for?

It can be used as a dipping sauce for fried chicken, fried and shrimp. Drizzled on ice cream, biscuits and cornbread, served with cheese and charcuterie boards and even incorporated into cocktails.

What can I do if my hot honey is too spicy?

That’s easily remedied. Add more melted butter and/or honey to the sauce to dilute it, thus reducing the heat.

More Recipes You’ll Love!

  • Nashville hot sauce in a glass jar with a black spoon.
    Nashville Hot Sauce
  • Chipotle pepper sauce in mason jar with spoon coming ut of the jar.
    Creamy Chipotle Pepper Sauce
  • buffalo sauce in a glass bowl
    Buffalo Sauce Recipe
  • Peri-Peri Sauce in a glass jar with a spoon coming out of the jar.
    Peri Peri Sauce

Hot honey in a glass jar with a spoon coming out of the jar.

Best Hot Honey Recipe

Chef Ryan Littley
Hot honey is a spicy sweet sauce made with simple ingredients that makes a delicious dipping sauce for chicken or a condiment for sandwiches.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Listen to the Post
Prep Time 2 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 17 minutes mins
Course condiment, Sauce
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 169 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter if you use salted butter, eliminate the salt from the recipe.
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper -optional

Instructions
 

  • Add the unsalted butter to a sauce pot and heat over medium heat until melted
  • Add the honey and hot sauce to the melted butter and whisk together to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until bubbly.
  • Add the kosher salt, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper to the honey mixture and lower the heat to simmer. Let the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from the heat and set aside until needed. For best results, refrigerate the sauce for at least two hours, allowing time for the flavors to combine.
  • When ready to use, reheat the sauce in a small pan.
  • Use our hot honey for dipping sauce for chicken wings, tenders, french fries, or add it to your favorite sandwich as a condiment

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 0.4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 336mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 761IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!

Comments

    5 from 1 vote

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Henry T says

    June 16, 2025 at 12:32 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe I made some fried chicken and your cornbread recipe and used this hot honey on both of them. Yummmm! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley says

      June 16, 2025 at 3:39 pm

      You’re welcome and I do love my hot honey!

      Reply


My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

More about me →

Fan Favorites

  • overhead view of barbecued half racks of baby back ribs on a white platter
    Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
  • sliced meatloaf with the rest of meatloaf on a white platter
    Classic Meatloaf Recipe with Zesty Glaze
  • shredded cabbage mixed with coleslaw dressing in a glass bowl.
    Easy Homemade Coleslaw Recipe
  • Banana bread sliced on a cutting board.
    Banana Bread Recipe
  • chicken parm with pasta on a white plate
    Chicken Parmesan Recipe
  • seasoned crispy chicken legs on a foil wrapped tray
    Baked Chicken Legs

Featured In

Collage showing where Ask Chef Dennis has been featured.

Footer

↑ back to top

INFO

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

SUBSCRIBE

Sign Up Today and start getting my easy-to-make restaurant-quality recipes!

CONTACT

  • About
  • Contact

© 2009-2025 · Ask Chef Dennis · 30 N. Gould Street, STE 7204, Sheridan, Wyoming, 82801

Proud Member of:
Mediavine Publisher Network

Let's Get Social

Pinterest Facebook Flipboard Instagram YouTube LinkedIn

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.