A hot honey pizza recipe is a homemade pizza finished with a sweet and spicy honey drizzle added right after baking. Most versions start with pizza dough, mozzarella and pepperoni, then add honey warmed with red pepper flakes or chili sauce.
The method is simple, but the heat depends on how you make the honey. Two published recipes use different oven settings, and both are covered below.
What Makes Hot Honey Pizza Taste Different
This hot honey pizza recipe pairs salty toppings with honey warmed with chili, so the sweet and the heat arrive together.
Both published recipes add the honey after the pizza comes out of the oven, not before. That order treats the honey as a finishing drizzle rather than a sauce baked into the cheese, and it lets you see the color and glaze of the honey on top of the pizza.
Pepperoni and mozzarella in a hot honey pizza recipe supply the salt and fat that balance the sweetness, much like a classic pepperoni pizza recipe. Red pepper flakes or a cayenne blend supply the heat, and you control how much goes into the honey. A mild and a fiery version of this hot honey pizza recipe can use the same dough, sauce and cheese.
Ingredients for a Hot Honey Pizza Recipe
A basic hot honey pizza recipe needs dough, pizza sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni and one tablespoon of hot honey, according to the Well Plated recipe, which serves two.
| Ingredient | Well Plated (serves 2) | Tasting Table (serves 4) |
|---|---|---|
| Dough | 1 ball, homemade or store-bought | 1 lb store-bought, at room temperature |
| Sauce | 1/2 cup pizza sauce | Not listed |
| Cheese | 1 cup shredded mozzarella | 1 cup shredded mozzarella |
| Meat | 12 slices pepperoni | 4 oz sliced pepperoni |
| Honey | 1 tablespoon hot honey | Homemade hot honey with butter, honey and chili sauce |
| Seasoning | Pinch of red pepper flakes | 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp sea salt |
| Extra toppings | Optional goat cheese, red onion, arugula, fresh basil | 1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers, 2 tbsp fresh Thai basil |
The Tasting Table version uses more pepperoni and a larger batch of dough, so it suits a bigger group. Well Plated rolls the dough to a 12-inch circle, while Tasting Table stretches it to 14 inches, so plan your dough size before you start. If you have never made a pie from scratch, our how to make pizza at home guide covers shaping and baking basics.
How to Make Hot Honey From Scratch
Well Plated’s hot honey combines 1/2 cup honey, 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar.
- Combine the honey, red pepper flakes and cayenne in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan. Leave room for the honey to bubble up.
- Microwave on high until the honey starts to bubble, about 45 seconds to 1 minute.
- Let it cool and infuse for 15 minutes, or 30 minutes for a spicier result.
- Stir in the apple cider vinegar, warm the honey again to thin it, then strain it through a fine mesh sieve.
- Pour the honey into a storage container and let it cool completely.
Tasting Table takes a stovetop route with a different base. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over low heat, whisk in 1/2 cup honey, 3 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce and 2 teaspoons Thai red chile flakes, then add 2 minced garlic cloves. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stir in 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and let the honey cool slightly before using it.
Infusion time and the amount of chili are the two settings that change the final heat of any hot honey pizza recipe. Taste a small spoonful after it cools, then decide whether it needs more flakes.
Baking Steps for This Hot Honey Pizza Recipe
Bake this hot honey pizza recipe on an upper rack at 500°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or at 475°F for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on which recipe you follow.
According to Well Plated’s pizza method, the rack should sit in the upper third of the oven, 4 to 5 inches from the top. If you use a pizza stone, place it in the oven while it preheats.
- Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. If it keeps shrinking back, let it rest several minutes and try again.
- Spread the sauce to within 3/4 inch of the edge, then add the mozzarella, pepperoni and any optional toppings.
- Slide the pizza, parchment included, onto the hot stone. Without a stone, dust a regular baking sheet with flour or cornmeal and bake the pizza on it.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pizza 180 degrees halfway through, until the crust is golden and slightly blistered.
- Move the pizza to a cutting board, drizzle it with hot honey, and add red pepper flakes or basil.
- Let it cool a few minutes before slicing.
Tasting Table’s 475°F method for a hot honey pizza recipe brushes the dough with olive oil and sprinkles it with oregano, black pepper and sea salt before the cheese goes on. It bakes for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Hot Honey Pizza Variations Worth Trying
Tasting Table tops its hot honey pizza recipe with pepperoncini and Thai basil, while Well Plated lists goat cheese and red onion as optional toppings.
- Pepperoni with goat cheese, a Well Plated option that adds a tangy note against the sweet honey.
- Red onion and arugula, where the arugula is sprinkled on after baking.
- Pepperoncini and Thai basil, the Tasting Table combination that pairs with its Thai chili honey.
- Jalapeño hot honey, a variation that Well Plated’s hot honey recipe offers. Refrigerate it and use it within one week.
For the full pepperoni version with a homemade honey, see Tasting Table’s hot honey pepperoni pizza. If you like heat on a chicken pizza, compare this drizzle with a buffalo chicken pizza recipe. Pick your variation by the heat you want, since more red pepper flakes and 15 more minutes of infusion raise the heat in the Well Plated honey.
Common Mistakes When Making Hot Honey Pizza
Adding hot honey before baking is the mistake to avoid in any hot honey pizza recipe, since both published recipes add it only after the pizza comes out of the oven.
- Drizzling the honey before baking, when the recipes call for it after.
- Skipping the strain step, which leaves red pepper flakes floating in the jar and makes the heat uneven.
- Forcing dough that keeps shrinking back. Well Plated says to let it rest before trying again.
- Sticking the dough to the peel or the sheet. Dust the surface with flour or cornmeal, or use parchment.
- Slicing too soon. Let the pizza cool a few minutes before you cut it.
Oven temperatures vary, so every hot honey pizza recipe needs a final check, and our pizza oven temperature guide explains how oven heat changes the bake. Use the crust color as the final check, and take the pizza out once the crust is golden and the cheese has melted.
Storing and Reheating Hot Honey Pizza
Leftovers from this hot honey pizza recipe keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and it reheats on a baking sheet at 450°F.
| Item | Storage | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Baked pizza | Refrigerator, airtight container | Up to 3 days |
| Baked pizza | Freezer, airtight freezer-safe container | Up to 3 months |
| Hot honey (Well Plated) | Room temperature or refrigerator | Up to 3 months |
| Jalapeño hot honey | Refrigerator | Within 1 week |
Warm slices on a baking sheet in a 450°F oven until the crust is hot again. Frozen pizza should be reheated from frozen, as Well Plated directs. If you want to freeze the dough instead of the baked pie, see whether you can freeze pizza dough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought hot honey on this pizza?
Yes. The Well Plated hot honey pizza recipe calls for one tablespoon of hot honey and does not require a homemade batch, so a store-bought jar works for the same final step. Choose one that tastes sweet first, then check the heat before you drizzle it on.
What oven temperature should I use?
Well Plated’s hot honey pizza recipe bakes at 500°F on an upper rack for 8 to 10 minutes, while Tasting Table uses 475°F for 12 to 15 minutes. Both aim for a golden, bubbly crust, so check the color near the end of the bake.
Can I make hot honey pizza without a pizza stone?
Yes. For this hot honey pizza recipe, dust a regular baking sheet with flour or cornmeal, place the dough in the center, and bake it on the upper rack. The bake time listed for the pizza still applies.
How spicy is hot honey pizza?
The heat in a hot honey pizza recipe depends on the red pepper flakes, the cayenne and the infusion time. Well Plated infuses the honey for 15 minutes for a milder result and 30 minutes for a spicier one, so you can adjust the level before you bake.
Can I freeze hot honey pizza?
Yes. Freeze the baked pizza from this recipe in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Reheat it from frozen as Well Plated directs.
What toppings go well with hot honey?
The published recipes pair it with pepperoni and mozzarella, plus goat cheese, red onion, arugula, pepperoncini and Thai basil. Pick one or two extras so the honey stays the main flavor.
If you want a simple hot honey pizza recipe for two, start with the Well Plated version and make the honey 15 to 30 minutes ahead so it can infuse. For a larger batch, the Tasting Table recipe uses a store-bought dough and a stovetop honey base. Either way, add the honey after baking so the sweet heat stays on top of the crust.