Making homemade hot honey is so much easier than you think. And this one is even better because it has fresh peppers and a splash of bourbon for a sweet, spicy, and smoky flavor! Save this recipe for your next pizza nights with friends, homemade holiday gifts, to drizzle over a charcuterie board, and so much more.

A jar of homemade hot honey with bourbon on a brown plate next to peppers with a tan background.

The first time I had hot honey was drizzled over a soppressata pizza at a local restaurant here in Reno. And ever since, I always have at least one jar in the pantry. I’m obsessed! I drizzle it over whipped goat cheese, these crispy bacon corn fritters, and even my famous garlic butter chicken wings.

So needless to say, it was about time that I learn how to make my own. But, it’s me, so I also added a splash of bourbon! The combo of caramelized honey, spicy peppers, and oaky bourbon is just ridiculous.

Here’s just a few more reasons I absolutely love this recipe!

  • It takes literally 5 minutes of prep. So beyond easy.
  • This recipe uses fresh peppers which adds lots of flavorful spice.
  • Pour this honey in jars for the cutest homemade holiday gift.
  • Drizzle this honey over everything from chicken to pizza.

Only 3 ingredients needed

A jar of honey, brown bowl of peppers, and glass of whiskey on a tan counter.

You only need 3 simple ingredients to make this recipe – honey, hot peppers, and bourbon. Make sure to pick a good-quality honey because it will make a big difference flavor-wise.

When it comes to the peppers, keep in mind that the type of chiles you use will affect the spice-level. My go-to is Fresno chiles because I think they have just the right amount of heat and I like their fruity flavor. But you can also try jalapeños, serranos, cayenne, Thai chiles, Bird’s eye, or Habanero.

Chiles can have a pretty big spice range! So if you’re sensitive to spice, use less chiles, remove the seeds, or start with something on the lower end of the spice chart like jalapeños.

Make this recipe

Three steps to making homemade hot honey. In photo 1, a hand pours a jar of honey into a pan on a tan counter. In photo 2, the honey has peppers in it. In photo 3, a spoon stirs the honey.
Combine the honey and sliced chiles in a small saucepan & bring it to a gentle boil. Then, reduce the heat & let it gently simmer for about 45-60 minutes.

Feel free to taste the honey as it simmers and adjust the ingredients if needed. If you like the spice level after 15 or 30 minutes, you can always pull it from the heat!

Three steps to making bourbon honey. In photo 1, a hand pours a glass of bourbon into a white pan of honey on a tan counter. In photo 2, the honey is being strained through a sieve. In photo 3, a honey dipper is drizzling honey into a jar on a tan counter next to red peppers.
After the honey is infused, remove the pan from the heat and add the bourbon. Strain the peppers out of the honey through a fine mesh sieve, cool, & store in a jar.

The honey will foam up a bit as it gets hotter. Just stir the honey to keep it from burning and the foam will melt away as the honey cools. If there’s any leftover, feel free to skim it off!

A honey dipper drizzling bourbon hot honey into a jar on a tan counter next to red chiles.
A honey dipper drizzling honey with a tan background.

Use this honey on everything

If you’re not sure how to use hot honey, the answer is simple. Just put it on everything?? Ok, maybe not everything but it really is amazing drizzled over all kinds of dishes! Here’s a few of my favorites.

  • Fried chicken, chicken tenders, or chicken sandwiches
  • Waffles, flaky biscuits, or cornbread
  • Pizza or grilled cheese
  • Cheese and crackers or charcuterie
  • Ribs, pulled pork, or any BBQ
  • Grilled or roasted veggies

How to store

To store leftovers, simply pour the honey into a jar or airtight container. Refrigerate the honey for up to 3 months. If you use dried peppers, you don’t need to refrigerate the honey! Just store it in a dark pantry or cupboard. Honey will theoretically last forever but I think it tastes best within 3 months.

After some time, you might notice that the honey will start to crystalize. But it’s easy to fix if you’re not a fan of the texture! Here’s what they taught us to do when I was in culinary school. Just place a jar of crystallized honey into a bowl of warm of water and stir until the crystals dissolve, about 1 minute. Easy!

A brown plate with a jar of bourbon homemade hot honey on a tan counter next to red chiles.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!


5 from 2 votes

Super Easy Homemade Bourbon Hot Honey

Yield: 22 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Making homemade hot honey is so much easier than you think. And this one is even better because it has fresh peppers and a splash of bourbon for a sweet, spicy, and smoky flavor! Save this recipe for your next pizza nights with friends, homemade holiday gifts, to drizzle over a charcuterie board, and so much more.

Ingredients

  • 454 milliliters honey (16 ounces)
  • 42 grams sliced Fresno chiles, about 3-4 chiles (1/2 cup)
  • 30 milliliters bourbon (2 Tablespoons)

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Fine mesh sieve
  • Jar, for storing

Instructions 

  • Add the honey and chiles to a saucepan and stir to combine. Set the pan over medium heat and cook the honey, stirring often, just until it comes to a light boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer the honey for at least 45 minutes and up to 1 hour. Stir the honey occasionally to prevent it from burning. (It might foam up a bit, that's totally normal.)
  • Remove from pan from the heat heat and add the bourbon. Stir well. Then, strain the honey through a fine mesh sieve and discard the leftover chiles. Pour the honey into a jar and let it cool completely. Enjoy!

Notes

I use Fresno peppers because they have a nice heat and a fruity flavor. But serranos, jalapeños, cayenne, or any other hot pepper you like will work great too.
Chiles can have a pretty big spice range! So if you’re sensitive to spice, use less chiles, remove the seeds, or start with something on the lower end of the spice chart like jalapeños.
Feel free to taste the honey as it simmers and adjust the ingredients if needed. If you like the spice level after 15 or 30 minutes, you can always pull it from the heat!
After some time, you might notice that the honey will start to crystalize. But it’s easy to fix if you’re not a fan of the texture! Just place a jar of crystallized honey into a bowl of warm of water and stir until the crystals dissolve, about 1 minute. Easy!
Since honey has lots of water, it will evaporate a bit as it simmers. But, you should still end up with roughly 15-16 ounces of honey. One serving of honey is 1 Tablespoon, so you should get about 22 servings per jar. Feel free to double or even triple the recipe if you’re making it for gifts or just need a big batch for a party!
Cuisine: American
Course: Sauces
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 67kcal, Carbohydrates: 17.4g, Protein: 0.1g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 15mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 17.3g, Calcium: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @sundaytable.co on Instagram!

xo Sara Lynn

Song of the day – Here Comes the Cowboy by Mac DeMarco

Originally posted on May 24, 2019.