Hot Honey Recipe Smoky
A silky, glossy hot honey with chili-flake heat and an optional smoky-citrus twist. Perfect for drizzling on pizza, glazing chicken, or brightening roasted vegetables.
Equipment
- Small pot or pan
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Clean glass jar
Ingredients
- 1 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons chili flakes
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce or apple cider vinegar optional
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika optional double-smoked infusion twist
- 1 strip orange zest small, pith-free; optional double-smoked infusion twist
Instructions
Build the base
- Add the honey and chili flakes to a small pot or pan over medium heat.
- If using the smoked paprika and orange zest, add them to the pot while warming.
Warm gently, then stop at the first bubbles
- Gently heat the honey until you see small bubbles forming along the edges of the pan, then remove the pan from the heat. Never let it reach a full rolling boil.
Infuse, then brighten
- Let the honey infuse for 5 minutes off the heat.
- If you’re using the hot sauce or apple cider vinegar, stir it into the honey now to lift the sweetness with acidity.
Finish: clear and glossy, or rustic and speckled
- Optional: strain the honey through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean glass jar for a sleek drizzle, or leave the flakes for a chili-flecked look and slower-building bite.
Notes
Stop heating at the first small edge bubbles—boiling can make honey seize into a hard, sticky candy texture. If the jar crystallizes, set the closed jar in a warm water bath for 10 to 15 minutes, swirl, and repeat as needed. Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.
Nutrition
Calories: 64kcalCarbohydrates: 17.3gProtein: 0.1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 10mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 17.2gVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 0.1mg
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