Honey Hot Sauce Recipe (2 Ingredients, 1 Minute)
Delicious and like all of the recipes on this site, excellent taste and easy to prepare. Janice
This honey hot sauce is a quick, sweet-and-spicy condiment made by warming honey with chili crisp. It takes 1 minute, uses just 2 ingredients, and works as a hot honey sauce for drizzling, glazing, or dipping.
What to expect
This is one of the easiest homemade hot honey recipes you’ll ever make. With just 2 simple ingredients, it delivers a sweet heat with great texture and only takes 1 minute to make. And better than a store-bought version, I think.
It’s different from many of the hot honey recipes online because you are:
- not cooking it on the stove
- not straining it so it has a wonderful crunchy texture (the crunchy bits in the chili crisp are a delicious twist on the more usual smooth sauce)
- only using 2 ingredients (unless you choose to add a few variations)
- getting all the additional flavors in chili crisp, including crispy garlic and shallot bits, chili peppers and various spices.
If you like the idea of hot honey but want something faster, crunchier, and more versatile, this version is worth trying.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
- Honey: Any kind of honey will work for this recipe. I prefer pure local honey, or at least honey that is not made with corn syrup. See FAQs for more info on honey.
- Chili crisp: I buy it in a jar at my local Asian grocery store, but many mainstream grocery stores and Amazon carry it now. Check out FAQs on the best brands to buy. You can also make it yourself with this homemade chili crisp recipe by Chili Pepper Madness.
Variations to try
- For smokiness, add a pinch of smoked paprika or ground chipotle
- Add 2-3 teaspoons of butter before microwaving the hot honey for extra richness. Many recipes contain a lot of butter. I don’t find it necessary.
- Add a small splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to balance the sweet honey.
- Stir in a little sour cream or mayonnaise to make a creamy dipping sauce.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon and/or salt for extra flavor.
- Experiment with different types of honey – clover honey, wildflower honey, orange blossom.
How to make homemade hot honey sauce
What to serve with honey sauce
Hot honey sauce works as a drizzle, glaze, or spicy-sweet condiment. It adds instant flavor to both savory dishes and simple snacks.
Enjoy a drizzle of hot honey on:
- biscuits
- goat cheese or ricotta spread
- cornbread
- hummus
- pizza
- baked brie
- corn on the cob
- french fries
- grilled peach halves
- roasted vegetables
Or use it as a spicy condiment or glaze for:
- chicken wings – try these hot honey chicken wings with 5 ingredients.
- roast or grilled chicken
- baked salmon – or on these salmon bites.
- sandwiches
- charcuterie board
Recipe FAQs
Any honey will work, but raw or minimally processed honey has the most flavor. Most grocery store honey is pasteurized, meaning it has been heated and some nutrients are lost. Labels like “natural,” “organic,” or “pure” do not necessarily mean raw, so check carefully if that matters to you. Source: Healthline.
Prolonged high heat can reduce some of honey’s beneficial properties. Warming it gently for a few seconds in the microwave, as in this recipe, is fine. Use short bursts and avoid overheating.
Honey has an extremely long shelf life and does not spoil. Raw honey may crystallize over time, but it is still safe to eat. To liquefy it, place the jar in warm water or microwave in a microwave-safe container for 10 to 15 seconds, using short bursts.
Chili crisp, also known as chili oil flakes or chili crunch is a popular condiment in many Asian cuisines. It typically consists of fresh chili peppers, garlic, shallots, and various spices infused with oil and fried until crispy. It adds heat, flavor, and texture to dishes.
Bon Appétit editors recommend the top 10 chili crisps in a jar. Favorites are Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisps (crunchy and spicy but not too spicy), Mẹ’s Way Chili Sauce (includes fish sauce), Momofuku Chili Crunch (very hot, crunchy, umami with some sweetness). Check the ingredients if you are vegetarian (some contain fish sauce, anchovies or dried shrimp).
Yes. The terms are often used interchangeably. Both refer to a sweet-and-spicy sauce made with honey and chili heat and used for drizzling, glazing, or dipping.
More recipes for condiments and sauces
- 5-minute herb sauce
- sriracha aioli
- 5-minute cranberry orange relish
- savory peach sauce
- peach chutney
- fruit salsa
Here’s a full list of our sauces, dressings, jams and condiments.
We use this hot honey sauce most often on chicken, pizza, roasted vegetables, salmon, and cheese boards.
Please leave a 5 star rating ***** with a comment in the recipe card below if you like the recipe, Thank you so much!
Honey Hot Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey, any kind
- 2 tablespoons chili crisp, Note 1 (or more or less to suit your heat preference)
- pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
- MAKE HOT HONEY SAUCE: Combine honey and chili crisp in a small microwave-safe cup or pyrex measuring cup. Start with less chili crisp, taste and add more to the heat level you prefer. To make it more liquidy, place in microwave and heat on high for 10-15 seconds. Add a few more seconds if needed. Note 2 for other heating options. For certain uses (like tossing with crispy wings), heating is not necessary.
Recipe Notes
- Chili crisps: Buy them at an Asian grocery store or on Amazon. Some good brands are: Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisps (crunchy and spicy but not too spicy), Mẹ’s Way Chili Sauce (includes fish sauce), Momofuku Chili Crunch (very hot, crunchy, umami with some sweetness). Or make them yourself with this homemade chili crisp recipe by Chili Pepper Madness if you like.
- Other heating options: Instead of the microwave you can place your glass bowl in hot water to loosen up the hot honey. Or warm it on the stovetop on medium-low heat in a small saucepan for a couple of minutes. Keep in mind you don’t have to heat the hot honey. For example, if using on baked wings, just toss it with the hot wings.
- Variations
- For smokiness, add a pinch of smoked paprika or chipotle peppers (or ground chipotle)
- Add 2-3 teaspoons of butter before microwaving the hot honey for extra richness. Many recipes contain a lot of butter. I don’t find it necessary.
- Add a small splash of apple cider vinegar or lime juice to tame the sweetness.
- Mix in a little sour cream or mayonnaise for a creamy dipping sauce.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon and/or salt for extra flavor.
- Experiment with different types of honey – clover honey, wildflower honey, orange blossom.
- Use spicy hot honey sauce on: fried chicken, baked wings, salmon, biscuits, corn on the cob, cornbread, roasted vegetables, goat cheese or ricotta spread, baked brie, fries, and sandwiches.
- Make ahead: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 months. It can also be stored at room temperature, but that will depend on the ingredients in the chili crisp. I would use the fridge to be safe. To loosen it up, microwave it for 10-15 seconds.
Delicious and like all of the recipes on this site, excellent taste and easy to prepare.
Thanks Janice! Much appreciated!