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A little hot honey can add chili heat to your morning coffee or afternoon tea. If you enjoy sweet-and-spicy flavors, try a small serving before adding it to a whole pot.
Honey is still a source of added sugar when used to sweeten a drink. The FDA’s added-sugar guidance includes honey and syrups; the ingredient is a flavor choice, not a guaranteed healthier replacement or an energy treatment.
Hot honey or syrup?
Hot honey is generally honey flavored with chili, sometimes with other ingredients. Read the bottle’s label and storage directions.
You can stir a little directly into a warm drink. A diluted syrup is another option for mixing into cold drinks. For these recipes, measure equal volumes of commercial hot honey and water—for example, 1 tablespoon of each—then warm gently and stir until dissolved. This is a small-batch editorial clarification for immediate use, not the manufacturer’s weight-based syrup formulation. For a cold drink, allow the small amount of syrup to cool before mixing it with chilled coffee or ice. Make only what you need for the drink rather than assuming a large diluted batch has plain honey’s shelf life.
The recipes below use that diluted syrup. Honey and syrup are not interchangeable measurements, so keep that distinction in mind. For homemade chili infusions, use tested preparation and storage instructions. Read our homemade hot honey guide for weighed ingredients and the linked tested preparation method.
A bottled hot honey option
For the commercial honey used in the syrup, one option is standard Mike’s Hot Honey in a 12 oz (340 g) squeeze bottle. The manufacturer lists honey, chili peppers and vinegar. Follow the bottle’s storage directions; those directions do not establish a shelf life for diluted syrup.
The manufacturer’s standard product page sells a two-bottle package. Our Amazon recommendation is a single 12 oz bottle, ASIN B011LWRBES; check the listing’s size and pack count before ordering. It is not the Extra Hot variant. Price and availability may change.
View Mike’s Hot Honey Original 12 oz single bottle on Amazon (paid link)
Coffee recipes
The three coffee drinks below use espresso or brewed coffee with a little sweet heat.
Hot honey latte
Espresso and warm milk form the base; use the syrup amount that suits your taste.
Ingredients:
2 fluid ounces brewed espresso
1-2 teaspoons hot honey syrup (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
Optional: a dash of cinnamon or cocoa powder for garnish
Instructions:
Start by brewing your espresso as you normally would.
While your coffee is still hot, stir in 1-2 teaspoons of hot honey syrup. Adjust the amount based on your desired sweetness and spice level.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat. Once warm, use a frother or whisk to froth the milk until it's creamy and slightly foamy.
Pour the frothed milk over your hot honey coffee, stirring gently to combine.
For an added layer of flavor, sprinkle a dash of cinnamon or cocoa powder on top before serving.
Add vanilla extract or a sprinkle of nutmeg if you want another flavor.
Hot honey mocha recipe
Cocoa adds a chocolate flavor alongside espresso, milk and hot honey.
Ingredients:
2 fluid ounces espresso
1-2 tablespoons hot honey syrup (adjust to taste)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
Whipped cream (for topping, optional)
A sprinkle of cocoa powder or chocolate shavings (for garnish, optional)
Instructions:
Prepare the 2 fluid ounces of espresso listed above.
In your favorite cup, combine the cocoa powder and hot honey syrup. Mix until well combined and smooth.
Whisk the espresso into the cocoa and hot honey mixture until fully incorporated.
In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until warm. Use a frother or whisk to froth the milk until it's creamy and slightly foamy.
Pour the frothed milk over your hot honey mocha coffee. Stir gently to combine the flavors.
If desired, top with whipped cream for extra indulgence. Sprinkle a little cocoa powder or add chocolate shavings on top for a finishing touch.
Adjust the hot honey and cocoa powder to suit your preferred sweetness and cocoa intensity.
Hot honey blended iced coffee
Chilled brewed coffee, milk and ice give this version a blended texture.
Ingredients:
1 cup brewed coffee (chilled)
2 tablespoons hot honey syrup (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
1 cup ice
Whipped cream (for topping, optional)
A drizzle of hot honey (for garnish, optional)
Chocolate shavings (for garnish, optional)
Instructions:
Brew a cup of your favorite coffee and allow it to cool completely in the refrigerator.
In a blender, add the chilled coffee, hot honey syrup, milk, and ice. Blend until smooth and frothy.
Taste the blended coffee and adjust the sweetness if desired.
Pour into a glass and add any optional toppings you want.
Tea recipes
For tea, try ginger, matcha or spiced black tea as a starting point.
Hot honey ginger tea
Ginger adds its own warmth to the honey-and-chili combination. This is a drink idea, not a treatment for a cold.
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1-2 inches fresh ginger root (sliced or grated)
1-2 tablespoons hot honey syrup (adjust to taste)
Optional: lemon slices or mint leaves for garnish
Instructions:
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil.
Once boiling, add the sliced or grated ginger to the water. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, depending on how strong you want the ginger flavor.
After simmering, strain the ginger from the water into a cup.
Stir in the hot honey syrup until fully dissolved. Adjust the sweetness according to your taste.
If desired, add a slice of lemon or a few mint leaves for an extra refreshing touch.
Hot honey matcha latte recipe
Matcha and milk give you another base for the sweet-and-spicy syrup.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon matcha powder
1 cup water (hot, but not boiling)
1-2 tablespoons hot honey syrup (adjust to taste)
1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
Optional: a sprinkle of cinnamon or matcha powder for garnish
Instructions:
Heat the water until it's hot (about 175°F or 80°C), but not boiling. Boiling water can make the matcha taste bitter.
In a small bowl, add the matcha powder. Gradually pour in a small amount of the hot water (about 2 tablespoons) and whisk vigorously with a bamboo whisk or a milk frother until the matcha is smooth and free of lumps.
Pour the rest of the hot water into the bowl with the whisked matcha, mixing well to combine.
Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of hot honey syrup, adjusting the sweetness to your liking.
In a separate saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it's warm. Use a frother or whisk to froth the milk until it's creamy and slightly foamy.
Pour the frothed milk into the matcha and hot honey mixture, stirring gently to combine.
For an extra touch, sprinkle a little cinnamon or matcha powder on top before serving.
Adjust the hot honey syrup and matcha amounts to your taste.
Spiced chai tea with coconut cream and hot honey
Black tea and chai spices sit alongside the hot honey. Coconut cream is a topping option.
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 black tea bag (or 1 tablespoon loose black tea)
1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
1 tablespoon chai spice mix (cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, pepper)
1-2 tablespoons hot honey syrup
Coconut cream
Instructions:
Boil water and add the tea bag and chai spice mix. Let it steep for about 5-7 minutes.
In a separate saucepan, heat the milk until warm.
Remove the tea bag and strain the chai mixture into a cup, then stir in the hot honey syrup.
Pour the warm milk into the spiced chai, stirring gently to combine.
Top with a dollop of coconut cream for richness and flavor. Serve warm.
Make the serving your own
Try one small change at a time:
Add a little cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom if those flavors suit your drink.
Choose the dairy or plant milk you normally enjoy, checking its ingredients for your dietary needs.
Try cocoa in coffee for a mocha direction.
Use a culinary lavender product sparingly if you enjoy floral tea flavors; this is a flavor choice rather than a calming treatment.
Add optional whipped cream, or serve a little hot honey with ice cream and coffee for an affogato-style dessert.
Taste before adding more sweetener. The right amount depends on the coffee or tea and the honey’s heat level, so there is no need to make every drink as sweet as the last.
For drinks beyond coffee and tea, see our hot honey cocktail ideas.
Choose one recipe and a heat level you enjoy. A new way to drink your coffee or tea can be as simple as a small stir-in.