Carls Jr Hot Honey Sauce Recipe 

If you are looking for the perfect blend of spicy sweetness, the Hot Honey sauce down at Carls Jr hits the spot.

Problem is, it’s not always available. Or is it?

This Carls Jr Hot Honey sauce recipe lets you make it whenever you have the desire.

You can satisfy your cravings for sweet and heat in just one bite!

But what is hot honey sauce, you ask?

Hot honey is honey that has been infused with either fresh or dried chilis to make a sweet and spicy sauce.

And depending on the chilis used, you can change the flavor and spiciness to whatever suits your tastes.

For this Carls Jr Hot Honey Sauce recipe, I’ve infused honey with fresh garlic, spicy cayenne pepper, chili flakes, a touch of paprika, and the perfect amount of vinegar to create an authentic and delicious hot honey sauce.

And by heating the honey, your hot honey sauce will be ready in 15 minutes rather than waiting days for the flavors to develop.

This hot honey sauce makes the perfect pairing for mouth-watering chicken and waffles.

But just one taste, and you’ll want to add its spicy, sweet flavor to all your favorite dishes.

But watch out! The heat builds up with every delicious bite.

So if your sweet tooth craves a bit of heat, read on for the best Carls Jr Hot Honey Sauce recipe that you can have ready in minutes.

What Do You Need To Make Carls Jr Hot Honey Sauce

Ingredients

Fresh Garlic

Garlic adds a spicy, nutty flavor to the honey and intensifies the taste of your hot honey sauce.

You can substitute a teaspoon of garlic powder if you don’t have fresh.

Honey

You can’t have hot honey without the honey.

Be sure to use a lightly flavored, fresh honey (no crystals).

You don’t necessarily need raw honey, but avoid using strongly flavored honey for this recipe.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Adds enough acid and tangy flavor to balance out the heat and the sweetness.

In addition, it thins out your hot honey sauce, making it easier to spread.

Feel free to substitute a different lightly colored vinegar, such as distilled white or champagne vinegar, but avoid using a darkly colored vinegar like balsamic.

Cayenne Pepper

Bring on the heat!

Depending on your tastes, you can add as much or as little as you want.

Also, feel free to substitute other dried chilis, like habaneros, anchos, or ghost chilis, but keep in mind that different chilis will change the flavor.

Paprika

Adds a spicy, exotic flavor and deepens the color of the hot honey. If you like a smokey flavor, substitute smoked paprika.

Red Pepper Flakes

Add another dimension of heat to your sauce. In addition, the specks of color are a bonus.

Kosher Salt

Don’t forget the salt, as it unlocks the other flavors and rounds out your hot honey sauce.

I recommend kosher salt as it has a consistent flavor profile. Just be careful you don’t over season your sauce.

Equipment

• Cutting board and knife (to mince the garlic)
• Medium saucepan
• Spoon or spatula
• Stovetop or other heat source
• Plastic squeeze bottle (recommended for storing your hot honey)

How To Make Carls Jr Hot Honey Sauce

Step One: First, peel and mince the fresh garlic.

Step Two: In a medium saucepan, add all the ingredients and heat on LOW for 15 minutes to infuse the flavors into the honey. The sauce should never come to a simmer.

Step Three: Taste your hot honey sauce and adjust any of the ingredients.

Step Four: I recommend pouring your hot honey sauce into a plastic squeeze bottle while still warm. This makes it easy to reheat and serve.

Step Five: Allow your hot honey sauce to cool to room temperature before serving. Your sauce will start thin but will thicken as it cools.

Enjoy!

Other Things To Consider When Making Carls Jr Hot Honey Sauce

Tips for Making the Best Carls Jr Hot Honey Sauce Recipe

• Honey is a sugar and burns easily. So I can’t stress it enough, use low heat – lower than you think. Your honey sauce should never come to a simmer. I don’t know how many I’ve burned when I let the heat get just a little too high.
• Store your hot honey at room temperature – there’s no need to refrigerate it.
• Also, I recommend storing it in a plastic squeeze bottle, so it’s easy to serve.
• During colder months, reheat your sauce in the microwave for a few seconds or place the container in hot water for a couple of minutes until your honey runs smooth.
• If your honey crystallizes, heat it for a few seconds in the microwave and stir until the crystals dissolve.
• Honey doesn’t freeze well.
• Your hot honey sauce will get hotter the longer it sits, so be careful with the heat the first time you make it. Also, you can strain out the chilis while it’s warm to minimize the heat buildup.
• Don’t skip the paprika!
• Use fresh honey. If it has begun to crystalize, it’s time to buy more.

What Can I Eat with Carls Jr Hot Honey Sauce

This Carls Jr Hot Honey Sauce recipe packs the perfect blend of heat and sweet to make all your favorite foods taste better.

You can use it instead of honey in all your favorite recipes.

• Perfect for chicken sandwiches or delicious chicken and waffles.
• A delicious dipping sauce for brick-oven pizzas.
• Mix with soy sauce for a sweet and spicy stir-fry.
• Drizzle over fried bacon for an early morning wake-up call.
• Makes an incredible glaze for the best-tasting chicken wings.
• What’s not to love about hot honey and ham?
• Serve over melted brie for a tasty appetizer.
• Use it instead of plain honey for a delicious honey mustard dressing or marinade.
• Drizzle over vanilla ice cream for a sweet and spicy dessert.
• Or put it in a glass jar, wrap it with a bow, and give it as a gift. Your friends and family will love it!

Make More Than You Need!

This Carls Jr Hot Honey Sauce recipe gets better the longer it sits.

So go ahead and double the recipe.

There’s no need to refrigerate it. Instead, store it in a cool, dry place like your pantry.

It will stay fresh for up to six months though it never lasts that long at my house.

Other Carls Jr guides you may want to read:

• What Sauces Does Carl’s Jr Have?