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Hot honey pizza recipe with bourbon and smoked paprika glaze on a crispy mozzarella crust.

Easy Hot Honey Pizza Recipe

Brenda Venera
A bold, restaurant-style hot honey pizza featuring a crispy crust, salty pepperoni, pickled jalapeños, and a smoky bourbon-infused honey drizzle for the ultimate sweet-heat balance.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting and Pickling Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 slices
Calories 385 kcal

Equipment

  • Pizza stone or Baking steel
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Small saucepan

Ingredients
  

Quick-Pickled Jalapeños:

  • Jalapeños
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • Garlic cloves, optional
  • Oregano, optional

Pizza & Assembly:

  • Pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
  • 1 28-ounce can whole-peeled tomatoes, such as Bianco Di Napoli
  • 8 grams kosher salt
  • Fresh mozzarella, to taste
  • Pepperoni, to taste
  • Quick-pickled jalapeños, to taste
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Parmigiano reggiano and honey, for serving

Instructions
 

Pickle the jalapeños and prep the sauce

  • Slice the jalapeños thinly and place them in a heat-safe container.
  • In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper, and optional aromatics to a boil. Pour the boiling liquid over the jalapeños and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  • In a bowl, gently crush the whole tomatoes by hand to a rustic, chunky consistency. Stir in the 8 grams of salt and set aside.

Prepare the dough and toppings

  • Allow the pizza dough to rest at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes so it stretches easily without snapping back.
  • Slice or tear the fresh mozzarella and drain it between paper towels for 1 hour, blotting the surface dry to prevent a soggy crust.

Assemble and bake

  • Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with your baking surface inside. Stretch the dough into a 12-inch round on a peel.
  • Apply a thin layer of sauce, scatter the mozzarella, pepperoni, and pickled jalapeños, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
  • Bake for 8 to 12 minutes (or 1 to 2 minutes in a dedicated pizza oven) until the crust is browned and the pepperoni edges are curled and crisp.

Finish like a pizzeria

  • Transfer the pizza immediately to a wire rack. While hot, drizzle with bourbon-spiked hot honey and sprinkle with finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Notes

Crispy Base Tip: Always move the baked pizza directly to a wire rack. This prevents steam from being trapped underneath, which is the most common cause of a crust turning soft after baking.
Moisture Control: If using fresh mozzarella, drying it for an hour is essential. For a more reliable weeknight result, low-moisture block mozzarella is a great substitution as it releases less water.
Dough Handling: If the dough resists stretching, let it rest for 5 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and prevents tearing.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 16gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 840mgPotassium: 210mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 10mg
Keyword homemade pizza, hot honey pizza, pepperoni pizza
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