This hot honey butter is the ultimate sweet and spicy concoction that promises to add tons of flavor to everything from cornbread to your fried chicken.
The creaminess of butter, the sweetness of honey and the heat from the pepper flakes come together in this delicious and versatile condiment that you can put together in just minutes.
I’m a big fan of flavored oils and butters, and love trying my hands at different herb butter and compound butter recipes.
My pesto butter and cajun butter were both big hits, but when I recently made some hot honey carrots, something clicked, and I thought of incorporating the delicious sweet and fiery flavors in a fat base.
And that’s when I landed this recipe.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
The fact that it is a super easy recipe is surely a win in my books, but that’s not all.
This flavored butter is actually so versatile, you can put it to use in endless ways really. I’ve used it for my baked dishes, my breakfast toast and even as a dip!
What’s more- you can also make it in a big batch and store it for weeks, if not longer.
Ingredients For the Hot Honey Butter Recipe
You’ll need just 4 basic ingredients to make this spicy honey butter.
Butter: You’ll need to start off with some good quality, unsalted butter. If you’re using salted butter, you might want to control the amount of salt you’re adding in separately.
Honey: Honey brings a beautiful sweetness that balances out the heat.
Salt: Use sea salt, kosher salt or even just regular table salt- whatever works for you.
Red pepper flakes: I used my favorite red pepper flakes to get those nice flaky bits of spiciness in the butter.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Hot Honey Butter
Ready with all your ingredients? Here’s what you’ll need to do to make this compound butter.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the salt, red pepper flakes and butter.
Now add the honey and whisk the mixture together.
Serve it in a small bowl or store it for future use.
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Substitutions & Variations
- If you don’t have red pepper flakes or just want the butter to have a uniform spicy flavor, you can just use some of your favorite hot sauce like Frank’s hot sauce instead.
- Smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and chili powder are all good alternatives to use too.
- To add a bit of texture to the spicy compound butter, you can also add some minced garlic into the mix.
💭Top Tip
Avoid microwaving the butter to soften it.
Equipment
How to Store the Hot Honey Butter
Since this simple recipe comes together in just a few minutes, it is the perfect one to batch make over the weekend, and refrigerate for you to use whenever you want to.
I like storing it in an airtight container, and then using a spoon or a butter knife to portion it out and use it whenever needed.
You can also make individual use sized portions by transferring the butter to an ice cube tray or a silicone mold with small sections, and then refrigerating or freezing it.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- If you want to add some extra heat to the hot honey butter, you can add a spoonful or two of hot sauce (think Tabasco) in addition to the red pepper flakes. This will actually lend it a nice reddish hue as well.
- Make sure you use softened butter, so that it is easier to whisk. The easiest way to do this is to leave it at room temperature for a couple hours.
- If you want some more pronounced spice from the red pepper flakes, add it to a skillet or a pan with a dash of oil, heat it for a minute or two, allow it to cool down slightly and then stir it into the butter.
How to Use Hot Honey Butter
The perfect balance of creamy, sweet and spicy flavors is what makes this honey and butter concoction such a versatile condiment.
Here are a few good ideas to put it to use.
On a Charcuterie Board
This hot and spicy butter can taste exceptional when featured on a charcuterie board along with snacks like waffles, crackers, buttery biscuits, bread rolls, toasted bread and even pretzels.
As a Rub
This sweet and spicy butter can actually be a wonderful marinade or rub for your classic roast meat. I love brushing it over my baked or grilled chicken and seafood in specific- it really elevates the flavor of the dishes.
As a Spread
Hot honey butter can also be a wonderful spread for your sandwiches and wraps. Use it for your morning breakfast toast or cook your scrambled eggs in the butter to lend them some spicy and savory deliciousness.
More Ideas
You can also serve the hot honey butter along with your chicken wings. Melt it in the microwave and turn it into a dipping sauce or think out of the box and team it up with your favorite pancakes if you love that kick of heat.
This spicy butter also works great with most roasted or grilled vegetables. Toss it together with your favorite pan fried assorted veggies, and you’ve got yourself a total flavor bomb of a dish. That’s actually exactly what I did when I wanted to bring a bit of variation to my spicy garlic edamame.
I also love drizzling it over my baked brie and other holiday appetizers.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Hot Honey Butter
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the salt, red pepper flakes and butter.
- Now add the honey and whisk the mixture together.
- Serve it in a small bowl or store it for future use.
