Hot Honey: Sweet Heat in Every Drizzle
By the time I started making hot honey, my collection of preserves was growing out of control. Strawberry rhubarb jam, yellow plum jam, onion jam, relish, peach bourbon jam—you name it. My laundry room looked like a tiny corner store. But with summer’s harvest winding down, I found myself wondering what to make next.
From Hot Peppers to Hot Honey
It started with my plan to pair each preserve with one of the horses at Rumsar Ranch. Tad, our spirited stallion, was still unmatched. His bold personality called for something equally daring, but I was stuck on what to make. The last of my summer harvest was staring at me from the counter: a pile of slightly wrinkled hot peppers, not quite at their prime but still salvageable. They weren’t exactly jam material, but a friend had recently shown me how to dry them into homemade chili flakes.
When I mentioned my dilemma to my sister, she suggested hot honey. I’d never tried it before, but the idea intrigued me. With a little guidance from my pepper-savvy friend, I learned how simple it was to make. Honey, chili flakes, a touch of heat, and a splash of apple cider vinegar—a few basic ingredients came together to create a condiment that’s sweet, spicy, and surprisingly versatile.
The Recipe: Hot Honey (Makes 1 Cup)
Total Time: 7 minutes
Ingredients:
2-3 tablespoons hot chili flakes
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
Infuse the Honey
Add the chili flakes and honey to a small pot. Heat gently over low heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes to infuse the honey with the pepper’s flavour and heat. Be careful not to let the honey boil.
Add the Vinegar
Remove the pot from heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar. Using a cheesecloth, strain the honey into a container with a spout (like a measuring cup) to remove the chili flakes.
Tip: Save the strained chili flakes—they're now candied and make a delicious topping for pizzas, meats, and sandwiches!
Cool and Store
Transfer honey to an airtight glass container, let cool before you put a lid on. Store at room temperature.
Lessons from the Kitchen
The Right Jars for the Job
One of the most fun parts of this project was finding the perfect jars to package the hot honey. I stumbled upon these adorable 3 oz hex jars on Amazon, complete with bee charms and honeycomb sticks. They were perfect for small gifts—especially for my coworkers at Christmas—but a little too small for my Rumsar Ranch project. Eventually, I found the ideal 6 oz hex jars, which worked beautifully for Tad’s pairing. Packaging matters, and these jars gave the hot honey an extra special touch that made it feel like a gift worth giving.
A Warning About Chili Flakes
Now, let’s talk about the chili flakes. I used a mix of our dried hot peppers and store-bought chili flakes. Sounds simple enough, right? Wrong. With such large quantities, the chili dust became a volatile, invisible irritant that turned my kitchen into ground zero for coughing, sneezing, and streaming eyes. Add heat, and it’s practically kitchen chemical warfare. Take it from me: don’t stick your face anywhere near the steam or think you’ll "give it a quick whiff." Trust me, it’s not worth it. Wait until everything cools down before getting too curious.
Despite the coughing fits, the end result was worth it. The honey’s heat sneaks up on you with just the right amount of kick, making it the ultimate addition to pizza, cheese boards, and more.
A Perfect Match for Tad
Hot honey was an obvious choice for Tad, our spirited stallion with a bit of a quick trigger (he’s now gelded, but his personality remains). If Tad had a voice, he’d be your quintessential finance bro—blue eyes, trust fund, and a slightly overconfident swagger. The sneaky heat of this honey fits him perfectly: bold, energetic, and always ready to surprise you.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
Hot honey is the ultimate condiment for adding a sweet and spicy twist to just about anything. Drizzle it over pizza, use it in marinades, pair it with cheese, or mix it into salad dressings. It’s quick, easy, and doesn’t require canning, making it an excellent project for beginners and seasoned preservers alike.
Have you tried making hot honey before? What’s your favourite way to use it? Let me know in the comments below!