The Fiery-Sweet Topping Your Apple Pie Deserves

By Karen Hart
Apple pie with ice cream on top and drizzled with honey on a white plate with a wooden fork next to it. Lindasphotography/Getty Images

 A classic apple pie is perfection. There are few ways to improve upon the sweet, warm spices enveloped by a flaky, buttery pastry crust, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth trying. Enter hot honey. This thick, golden syrup is infused with chile pepper, powder, or flakes. The end result is all the beautiful sweetness of honey with a little bit of a kick. When you add it to your favorite apple pie recipe, it transforms this dessert into an edgy treat with a little heat.  

If you are new to this ingredient, it is worth checking out our ultimate guide to hot honey so you can understand all of its nuances and uses, because it doesn't take a lot to make a dish pop. Simply drizzle a small amount all over your warm apple pie — or if you are feeling festive, over your apple pie a la mode — to add some fireworks to your taste buds. A quarter cup is a good amount to start with. Remember, you want thin little ribbons of it spread across the pie's surface. The hot honey will impart floral notes that complement the tart apples, adding a new depth of flavor to this traditional dessert. That said, if you are feeling truly adventurous, there is another way to incorporate this condiment into your pie.

Add the hot honey to your pie filling

Homemade hot honey in a bowl with a wooden honey dipper inside it with red peppers and a gray napkin on the table Rui Elena/Shutterstock

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot honey to your apple pie filling. When it bakes, the hot honey will meld with the apple slices, spices, and other sweeteners to create a cohesive bite that hits all the feels of your taste buds. The initial sensation of sweetness followed by a gentle burn takes this pie to the next level. You may need to play with the amount a couple of times to get it just right, but once you do, your apple pie will be the hit of any backyard barbecue or holiday celebration. 

Hot honey is perfect to add to a number of fruit pies, including pumpkin pie or even a beloved old-fashioned grilled peach pie. But the one thing to consider is just how spicy your hot honey is. Some brands can pack a bigger punch of heat than others, which can clash with warm spices. Mike's Hot Honey is always a good choice, but make certain you are using the original and not the extra hot.