The Fastest Way To Make Hot Honey When You Don't Want To Go To The Store

Honey is often regaled as the "nectar of the gods," a well-earned moniker given its heavenly sweetness and little (if any) human contribution. However, after the bees do their thing, there's plenty of room for mere mortals to put their marks on this sticky, marvelous mess of nature — including the fairly recent trend of hot honey. 

While some purists snub anything altering honey's sweet simplicity, hot honey is often the exception. That's largely because the encroaching ingredients likewise come from pure nature, albeit with a spunkier, spicier persona. Even better, it's quite easy (and quick) to make your own at home. For some straightforward tips on doing that, we reached out to an expert on stirring up deliciousness, Lindsay Baruch, the author of the "Something Delicious" cookbook. She knows a thing or two about hot honey, sharing recipes on her website for the likes of hot honey Brussels sprouts and hot honey barbecue ribs. Baruch readily doles out suggestions for making hot honey using everyday ingredients and offers us some pointers as well.

"To make a simple hot honey at home, all you really need is your honey of choice and spice of choice," says Baruch, "which can be red chili flakes, whole chili pepper, or jalapeño, or your favorite hot sauce." But regardless of which chilies you choose, the process isn't quite as simple as stirring in the hot stuff and letting it sit. According to the cookbook author, a more intense infusion process gives the best results. "Warm the honey with the chilies over medium-low heat to infuse," she instructs. "Let it cool, and [then] store."

Making hot honey at home gives more control over the spice, and pretty much anything goes when choosing the peppers. As for the best type of chilis to complement honey, Baruch leaves that open, subject to preference and spice level. "You can use red chili flakes, fresh chili, Aleppo pepper, smoked chili, or even hot sauce," she adds. There are, however, a few other things to keep in mind.

Baruch recommends avoiding particular hot ones, such as a dried whole guajillo or pasilla pepper, unless it's already in powdered form. "It may add too much bitterness and dryness to the honey," she explains. Additionally, the storage method for homemade hot honey is affected by which type of chilies you use; store at room temperature if using dried ones, or chill for up to a month or so in the refrigerator for fresh chilies.

Beyond simply drizzling it over toast, scones, pancakes, and even sweet and spicy pizza, hot honey serves as a transformative ingredient in many recipes and food preparations. A Tasting Table dish from recipe developer Michelle McGlinn offers a Middle Eastern take on hot honey and pomegranate-glazed salmon, which can be adapted for grilled chicken or steak strips. Additionally, Baruch shared in an Instagram post a tasty way to mix hot honey with whipped Brie cheese, adaptable per your own imagination: handheld appetizers, dipping, or even as a sticky-sweet condiment.