Smoky Hot Honey Recipe
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Jump to RecipeThis smoky hot honey recipe is sweet, spicy, and full of amazing flavor! This easy condiment is ready in just 15 minutes, and makes a fantastic glaze, condiment, or dipping sauce.
Start by simmering honey with jalapeno peppers, spices, and lemon juice, and you have a delicious hot honey with a great smoky flavor. Its simple to make and has just 5 ingredients – and you can make it as hot (or mild) as you prefer.
Want more tasty honey recipes? Try our honey jalapeno cornbread, or honey lemon fruit salad, or our super popular peach bruschetta with honey!
We love a good sweet and spicy condiment, and this smoky hot honey is super versatile and great on almost anything. I love drizzling this honey on plum ricotta toast, goat cheese pizza, and tossing it with crispy baked tofu with cornstarch for a yummy addition to dinner.
Infusing honey with spices (and delicious bold flavor from the fresh jalapeno peppers) is a great way to elevate your next meal! You can enjoy this smoky hot honey from breakfast to dinner. It’s also a great way to use extra honey you don’t know what to do with – as beekeepers, we always have extra stored up.
Why This Recipe Works
- The perfect combination of flavors: sweet, hot, and a touch of smoky flavor!
- It’s easy to make – heat everything in one sauce pan and strain.
- Made with only 5 simple ingredients you can get at your grocery store.
- It’s a super versatile condiment you can enjoy all day long.
- Tailor your heat – add more jalapeno peppers for a spicier honey, or less for a more mild flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Honey – you can use any variety of honey you have on hand. This recipe is actually amazing for elevating bland honey, as you add a lot of flavor by simmering it with the spices.
- Jalapeno peppers – I used 2 medium sized jalapeno peppers, with the seeds. IT gave me a medium-hot flavor, but you can use more or less peppers if desired.
- Smoked paprika – a little spice gives this honey a really great taste!
- Lemon juice – a bit of fresh lemon adds a tanginess to the honey, and breaks up the sweetness with some acidity.
- Black pepper – for a little added kick!
Substitutions and Additions
- Try different peppers – habaneros, Thai chilis (like we use in our Thai hot sauce), or even dried peppers or chili flakes can give hot honey a great flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar is a great substitute if you don’t have fresh lemon juice.
- If you can’t find smoked paprika 2-3 drops of liquid smoke makes a good alternative if you want a smoky flavor.
- For a vegan version, you can use agave nectar in place of honey.
How To Make Smoky Honey
Step 1: In a medium saucepan, add the honey and heat over low heat.
Step 2: Add in the jalapeno peppers, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Step 3: Allow the honey and pepper mixture to simmer until bubbles start to form around the edges. Remove from heat and allow the honey to cool for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Place cheesecloth over a jar and pour the honey into the cheesecloth until it strains.
Step 5: Serve the strained honey as a condiment, a dipping sauce, or drizzle over your next meal!
Recipe FAQs
Hot honey is honey that has been infused with peppers and spices, then heated and strained. It’s great as a condiment on pizza, fried foods, bruschetta, or toast.
I like fresh jalapeno peppers, which add an amazing taste when simmered into the honey. You can add dried chilis or chili flakes instead.
Add extra hot honey to a airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.
Pro Tips
- For a spicier honey, you can add an additional jalapeno pepper, or try a different variety like habanero peppers instead.
- For a less spicy honey you can remove the seeds from the jalapeno peppers, or use only one pepper in the recipe. Or substitute a less spicy pepper like fresh poblano peppers.
- I chose to strain the jalapeno seeds out of the honey, but you can remove the peppers by hand and leave the seeds in (and skip the straining).
More Delicious Honey Recipes
- Hot Honey Chili Crisp Recipe
- Honey Pesto
- Arugula Pear Salad Recipe with Honey Vinaigrette
- Honey Garlic Sauce Without Soy Sauce
- Air Fryer Bok Choy with Honey Sesame Sauce
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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Smoky Hot Honey
Equipment
- saucepan
- Cheesecloth
- Jar
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey
- 2 jalapeno peppers sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoons lemon juiced, about 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add the honey and heat over low heat.
- Add in the jalapeno peppers, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Allow the honey and pepper mixture to simmer until bubbles start to form around the edges. Remove from heat and allow the honey to cool for 15 minutes.
- Place cheesecloth over a jar and pour the honey into the cheesecloth until it strains.
- Serve the strained honey as a condiment, a dipping sauce, or drizzle over your next meal!
Notes
- For a spicier honey, you can add an additional jalapeno pepper, or try a different variety like habanero peppers instead.
- For a less spicy honey you can remove the seeds from the jalapeno peppers, or use only one pepper in the recipe. Or substitute a less spicy pepper like fresh poblano peppers.
- I chose to strain the jalapeno seeds out of the honey, but you can remove the peppers by hand and leave the seeds in (and skip the straining).
-
- Try different peppers – habaneros, Thai chilis (like we use in our Thai hot sauce), or even dried peppers or chili flakes can give hot honey a great flavor.
-
- Apple cider vinegar is a great substitute if you don’t have fresh lemon juice.
-
- If you can’t find smoked paprika 2-3 drops of liquid smoke makes a good alternative if you want a smoky flavor.
-
- For a vegan version, you can use agave nectar in place of honey.
Nutrition
Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!
