Hot honey might feel like a modern culinary craze, but its roots and adaptations span continents and cultures. At its core, hot honey combines the natural sweetness of honey with the fiery kick of chilli, creating a flavour profile that’s endlessly versatile and uniquely satisfying. However, this delicious combo doesn’t mean the same thing everywhere you go. Around the world, regions and communities have put their distinct spin on hot honey, infusing it with local ingredients and traditions.
This tour of global hot honey traditions and trends will highlight how different regions incorporate it into their cuisines and showcase the incredible diversity of flavours it carries today.
Italy’s Legacy of Sweet Heat
Hot honey as we know it today has deep ties to Italy, making it a strong contender for being its spiritual home. This culinary tradition likely originated in the southern regions of Italy—particularly Calabria—where locals infused honey with locally grown Calabrian chillies.
The Calabrian Connection
What sets Calabrian chilli-infused hot honey apart is the chilli itself. Calabrian chillies are known for their fruity flavour, which offers a balanced spiciness without overwhelming heat. The resulting hot honey is sweet, citrusy, and just spicy enough to bring dishes to life.
- Traditional Use: Italians drizzle Calabrian hot honey on fresh focaccia or enjoy it paired with creamy cheeses such as ricotta or burrata. It also makes its way onto charcuterie boards, where it complements spicy salamis and prosciuttos.
- Modern Trends: Today, many Italian-inspired pizzerias around the world feature a drizzle of Calabrian-style hot honey on their wood-fired pizzas, particularly those topped with salty cured meats like soppressata.
The United States’ Culinary Innovation
While inspired by European traditions, the US has embraced hot honey as its own, elevating it (without saying “elevating”) to a mainstream condiment. The American version of hot honey became more widely known thanks to food entrepreneurs experimenting in urban markets and restaurants.
The Brooklyn Boom
One significant name is Mike’s Hot Honey, a brand that helped popularise the condiment in Brooklyn, New York. Initially served on pizzas, hot honey quickly became a favourite for American palates.
- Regional Flavours: The US tends to lean into bold, diverse flavour combinations. Alongside traditional chillies, producers experiment with varieties like habanero, chipotle, or even ghost peppers for a signature heat that ranges from mild to wild.
- Creative Dishes: Hot honey has become a go-to for fried chicken, biscuits, waffles, and even cocktails. Food trucks and barbecue joints frequently offer their own riffs, slathering hot honey on ribs, burgers, and everything in between.
Brazil’s Honey Meets Chillies
Brazil has a rich tradition of combining sweet and spicy flavours, making it no surprise that hot honey has found a natural fit here. One ingredient that takes Brazilian hot honey to another level is malagueta pepper—a staple chilli in Brazilian cuisine.
The Malagueta Difference
Malagueta peppers are small but pack a punch with their bright heat and slightly fruity undertones. When infused into honey, they create a balanced, sweet heat that pairs beautifully with Brazilian dishes.
- Everyday Uses: Brazilian hot honey is often used as a glaze for grilled meats at churrascarias (Brazilian steakhouses). It’s also a popular addition to pão de queijo (cheese bread) and fried cassava dishes, where its bold heat cuts through rich, cheesy textures.
- Desserts Inspired by Spice: Brazilians aren’t shy about adding hot honey to their desserts, either. A drizzle over caramel flan or tropical fruits like mango and papaya introduces a fiery edge to the sweetness.
East Asia’s Fusion of Sweet and Spicy
While honey itself has long been used in East Asia’s culinary traditions, the rise of hot honey reflects the region’s love for combining contrasting yet complementary flavours. Countries like South Korea and Japan have infused their local ingredients into this trending condiment.
South Korea’s Go-To Heat
Korean hot honey often incorporates gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) or gochujang (fermented chilli paste) for depth and complexity.
- Korean Barbecue: A hot honey glaze is now a favourite pairing with Korean barbecue meats, particularly pork belly, ribs, and chicken.
- New Trends: Fried chicken is where it really shines. Korean-style fried chicken, known for its extra crisp texture, takes on an entirely new level of deliciousness with hot honey drizzled or tossed over it.
Japan’s Versatile Touch
Japan’s approach brings a distinctly nuanced flavour profile. Infusing honey with shichimi togarashi— a traditional spice blend that includes chilli and sesame—creates a multi-dimensional hot honey.
- Sushi and Beyond: Japanese-style hot honey can top sushi rolls or be brushed onto grilled eel or salmon for extra umami.
- Snack Culture: From mochi rice cakes to crispy tempura, the fusion of hot honey with Japanese snacks showcases its versatility.
Africa’s Unique Contributions
In many African cuisines, spice is celebrated as a way of life, and chilli-infused honey fits seamlessly into this tradition. Countries like Nigeria and Ethiopia have incorporated their own warming flavours into hot honey creations.
Ethiopian Berbere Spice
Berbere, Ethiopia’s signature spice blend, often features chilli along with warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Infusing this fragrant mix into honey creates a hot honey with a uniquely aromatic character.
- Perfect Pairings: Ethiopian hot honey shines bright with injera (traditional flatbread) and doro wat (spicy chicken stew). The honey’s sweetness balances intense spicy dishes while adding its own complexity.
Nigerian Pepper Honey
Nigerian cuisine often features Scotch bonnet peppers, which bring a tropical, fruity punch alongside intense heat. Pairing this with honey results in a fiery, bold-flavoured condiment.
- Street Food Favourite: Scotch bonnet-infused hot honey is drizzled over grilled suya (spicy meat skewers) to offset the smoky chilli marinade. It’s also a go-to dip for fried yam chips.
Closing the Loop Across the Globe
What makes hot honey so special is its adaptability. This fusion of sweet and spice holds universal appeal but transforms into something unique in the hands of different regions. Whether it’s paired with pizza, punchy desserts, or smoky barbecue, hot honey carries a sense of global connectivity while staying true to local traditions.
Next time you drizzle hot honey onto your food, take a moment to reflect on its rich, global history. Every bite celebrates a world of flavours—all through one simple jar.
