Honey on Pizza – Recipe, Origin, Facts

Are you curious what pizza with honey would taste like? This isn’t new, as many people have been doing this. But does pizza taste good with honey on it?

If you want that sweet and salty taste in your pizza, adding honey to the recipe will do the job. Honey and cheese complement each other when served on a cheese plate. This logically explains why honey and pizza can go together as well.

Read on to learn more about the origin of honey on pizza. I will include several Honey on Pizza recipes too.

Honey on Pizza – Recipe, Origin, Facts

honey on pizza

Do you want to achieve that sweet and salty taste in your pizza? Then, try adding honey to the recipe. This will do the job. We all know how honey and cheese complement each other when served on a cheese plate. This logically means that honey and pizza can go together as well.

Honey never fails to make several types of food taste better. But not everyone knows that it goes well with pizza. Several pizzerias have been offering pizzas with honey.

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When Did Hot Honey Become Popular?

Hot Honey’s Popularity May Be Attributed to Mike Kurtz

While hot honey on pizza may not be anything new, its popularity may be attributed to a man named Mike Kurtz. Kurtz was a college student way back in 2003. He was originally from Brooklyn, New York but was studying in Brazil when he chanced upon a pizzeria offering spiced honey to its guests.

The whole chile peppers soaked in a honey jar intrigued him, so he tried it with his pizza. He was amazed by the taste.

Kurtz focused on his music business when he returned home to Brooklyn, but he continued his honey-chile concoctions. For almost six years, he would make small bottles of honey-chile as holiday giveaways for his family and friends.

Kurtz Joined Paulie Gee’s as Apprentice in 2010

In 2010, he visited a pizzeria in Brooklyn called Paulie Gee’s. He was impressed with the quality of Paulie Gee’s pies, so he joined the team as an apprentice.

After several months, he introduced his honey concoction, which owner Paulie Giannone loved. This resulted in the creation of the Hellboy Pie.

Launched Hellboy Pie

The ingredients of Hellboy Pie include:

  • Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • Soppressata picante
  • Tomato
  • Mozzarella.

Then, while it is still bubbly and freshly pulled out of the oven, a generous amount of Mike’s Hot Honey is drizzled all over it.

Kurtz continues making hot honey in partnership with Stiles Apiary and supplying his product at Paulie Gee’s.

Other Pizzerias Offering Pizzas with Hot Honey

But aside from Paulie Gee’s, many other pizzerias from different states have begun offering pizzas with hot honey, including:

  • Ken’s Artisan Pizza
  • South Creek Pizza Co.
  • Pi Pizzeria
  • Roberta’s

Pizza Margherita with Honey

If honey tastes good on pizza, can it be drizzled on any pizza?

Here are some recipes where honey will surely make pizzas taste even better! These recipes will let you know when to put honey on pizza:

Serving Size: 6

Ingredients

  • Fresh mozzarella cut into ¼-inch-thick slices – 6 ounces
  • Sugar – ¼ teaspoon
  • Basil leaves – 4 pieces
  • Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
  • Smashed garlic – 2 large cloves
  • Whole tomatoes in juice – 1 can of 14 to 15 ounces
  • Olive oil – ½ tablespoon
  • Salt – 1 teaspoon
  • Warm water – ¾ cup
  • Unbleached all-purpose flour – 1 ¾ cups
  • Active dry yeast – 1 package of ¼ ounce
  • Basil leaves for sprinkling
  • Unbleached all-purpose flour for dusting
  • Honey to taste
  • A pizza stone

Procedure

Dough

  1. Mix 2 ¼ teaspoons of yeast, ¼ cup of warm water, and one tablespoon of flour in a large bowl.
  2. Stir well and let it sit for about five minutes or until it appears creamy. If you did not achieve a creamy output, you must discard it and start again with new yeast.
  3. Add oil, salt, ½ cup of water, and 1 ¼ cup of flour to the same mixture.
  4. Stir well until it becomes smooth.
  5. Add ¼ to ⅓ cup of flour. This will make the dough pull away from the side of the bowl.
  6. Knead the dough on a floured surface. You may lightly re-flour in case the dough becomes sticky.
  7. Continue kneading until you achieve an elastic, soft, and smooth dough. This may take you about 8 minutes.
  8. Form it into a ball before putting it in a bowl. Then, dust it with flour.
  9. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
  10. Then, let it rise in a draft-free place for about 1 ¼ hour. Make sure that there is a warm room temperature.

Toppings

  1. Use a blender to pulse tomatoes with juice to create a chunky puree.
  2. In a small saucepan, place garlic in oil. Cook the garlic over medium-low heat. Do this for about two minutes or until the garlic turns pale golden.
  3. Then, add the tomato puree, ⅛ teaspoon salt, sugar, and basil. Don’t cover the saucepan, and just let it simmer.
  4. Occasionally stir the mixture until it thickens and until it reduces to approximately ¾ cup. This may take you about 40 minutes.
  5. Once achieved, season it with salt, then let it cool.

Pizza

  1. Put the pizza stone on an oven rack in the lower third of the electric oven, or place it on the gas oven’s floor.
  2. Then, preheat the oven to 500°F. Prepare this at least 45 minutes before baking.
  3. Next, dust the dough with flour.
  4. Then, place it on a baking sheet or a parchment-lined pizza peel.
  5. Pat out the dough evenly using your fingers. Then, stretch it to make a 14-inch round dough. You may re-flour your fingers if needed.
  6. You may now spread sauce over the dough. Ensure to leave an inch border, which typically turns into pizza crust.
  7. Then, arrange the cheese toppings in which you have to leave a border of about 2 to 3 inches.
  8. Now, slide the pizza on parchment onto the pizza stone.
  9. Bake it until the dough is browned and crisp. The cheese toppings will turn golden too, and some parts will bubble.
  10. This typically takes about 15 minutes. Then, use a baking sheet or peel to transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.
  11. You can now drizzle honey on top. Then, sprinkle basil leaves right before serving.

Again, does honey go good on pizza? Honey or hot honey goes well with pizza, ice cream, and even cocktails. This trend is not new and has been on the food trend list for about five years.

Honey Cheese Pizza

honey on pizza origin
  • Yield: Two 10-inch pizzas
  • Preparation time: Approximately 30 minutes
  • Dough rising time: About 2 hours
  • Cooking time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 2 hours and 45 minutes

Ingredients for the Pizza Crust

  • Three tablespoons of olive oil
  • One teaspoon of salt
  • 2 cups of flour
  • ¾ cup of water at room temperature
  • One teaspoon of yeast

Ingredients for the Pizza Toppings

  • Fresh ground pepper
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of honey
  • 1 cup of shredded fontina
  • ½ cup of fresh ricotta
  • 1 cup of shredded mozzarella

Procedure

  1. The first step is to make the pizza crust dough. In a small bowl, pour the yeast and sprinkle it. Let this sit for approximately 5 minutes.
  2. In a mixing bowl, put the salt, flour, and olive oil, then mix them on low speed.
  3. Add the yeast and water mixture, then mix well until the dough becomes sticky.
  4. Scoop the dough out of the bowl and make a rough ball.
  5. Coat a mixing bowl with olive oil, then place the dough.
  6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for approximately two hours. It’s also perfectly fine to let it sit longer.
  7. Once you are ready to bake the pizza, preheat your oven to 375°F.
  8. On a floured surface, place the dough and cut it into two.
  9. Roll each dough until you create two 10-inch circles. The shape of your dough does not have to be perfect. Some make an oblong-shaped pizza. So, it is all based on your personal preference.
  10. Place each dough on a cookie sheet. Put fontina and mozzarella toppings. Then, proceed with dropping dollops of ricotta on it.
  11. You may now start baking it for approximately 15 minutes. By this time, the cheese is already melted, and the crust has turned golden. Place it out of the oven and let it cool for about two minutes.
  12. Pour enough honey on top and drizzle it with ground fresh pepper. Cut it in wedges before serving.

Vegetarian Hot Honey Pizza

  • Serving size: 8
  • Calories: 193 kcal
  • Preparation time: 10 minutes
  • Cooking time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

  • Two tablespoons of hot honey
  • ¾ cup of crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 cup of sliced red onion
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup of grated parmesan
  • 4 cups of arugula
  • Two teaspoons of minced garlic
  • 1 batch of pizza dough
  • 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
  • ¼ cup of olive oil
  • 1 cup of diced butternut squash

Procedure

  1. Start by preheating your oven to 425°F.
  2. Place the diced butternut squash with ¼ cup of water on a roasting pan or a baking sheet. The water will help produce a more tender texture.
  3. Drizzle it with two tablespoons of oil, and then add a little bit of salt and pepper to taste.
  4. For about 15 minutes, roast the butternut squash.
  5. In the same pan, add the sliced mushrooms, and then continue to roast for about 10 minutes more.
  6. While you let the vegetable roast, prepare the pizza dough by pressing it down into a pan. Then, pour the remaining oil all over the pizza dough.
  7. Top it with garlic, sliced red onions, grated parmesan, and arugula. Then, add the mushroom and roasted squash. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Then, add the crumbled feta cheese.
  8. Drizzle your pizza with hot honey. Then, bake the pizza for approximately 15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions – Honey on Pizza

honey on pizza recipe

Here are some frequently asked questions about putting honey on pizza:

Is Honey Good on Pizza?

Yes, honey is good on pizza if you want that sweet and salty combination. Drizzle enough honey on top right after baking. However, there are also pizza recipes wherein you can add honey before baking.

Where Did Hot Honey on Pizza Come From?

Many pizza lovers have been drizzling honey on their pizzas for ages. But this was remarkably popularized by Mike Kurtz, the founder of Mike’s Hot Honey when he initially discovered hot honey in Brazil in 2003.

He brought the recipe to his hometown in Brooklyn, New York, and has since been successful in the hot honey business.

What Does Hot Honey Taste Like?

Hot honey is sweet, but it also has a kick of spice at the end. However, it is not that spicy. The spice is just enough for you to enjoy the pizza or any other food you mix it with.

What Is the Difference Between Honey and Hot Honey?

Honey, as we all know, is a food substance produced by honey bees and, sometimes, by other types of bees. On the other hand, hot honey refers to honey infused with chili peppers, which can either be fresh or dried.

This concoction then results in sweet honey with a spice kick. The spice level can vary depending on the type of pepper you will use.

Is Mike’s Hot Honey Good on Pizza?

The sweet and spicy combination of Mike’s Hot Honey is what pizza lovers have been looking for. This honey infused with chili peppers gives a new flavor dimension to just about any pie. However, many pizza lovers agree that it is best paired with pepperoni pizza.

Does Hot Honey Need to Be Refrigerated after Opening?

Hot honey does not need to be refrigerated once it is opened. You can store it at room temperature before or after opening. Ensure it is in an airtight container to make it last for about four months.

What Do You Use Hot Honey For?

Pizza lovers say that hot honey is best paired with pepperoni pizza. But it is also ideal for other types of food such as fried chicken and other fried foods. It can be paired with a cheese platter too. For beverages, you can mix them into cocktail drinks such as spicy margaritas.

Why Is Hot Honey so Popular?

While many food lovers have been infusing their honey with chili peppers, this concoction started to boom in popularity between 2016 and 2020. During this time, many pizzerias and restaurants have included foods with hot honey on their menus.

What Cheese Goes with Hot Honey?

Any cheese goes well with hot honey. However, there are some types of cheese that, when paired with hot honey, are remarkably delectable. These include aged cheese, goat cheese, blue cheese, and Brie.

Is Honey Fattening?

Some people regularly drink a glass of warm water with honey first thing in the morning, right after waking up. Drinking it on an empty stomach can help you lose weight. It helps in absorbing fat and cholesterol to prevent gaining weight.

Honey is a popular natural sweetener rich in antioxidants, enzymes, and minerals. It is known to have many health benefits.

How Long Does Hot Honey Keep?

When making hot honey, let it cool to room temperature. Place it in an airtight jar or container. This will make it last for a maximum of 6 months. You can make it even hotter by infusing honey with hot peppers.

What Is Hot Honey Made Of?

Hot honey is honey infused with chili peppers, which can either be fresh or dried. It produces a sweet and spicy taste you can pair with almost any dish.

Can Honey Be Naturally Spicy?

Yes. Honey can be naturally spicy because it all depends on the source of its nectar. Suffice it to say that it can also be earthy, nutty, woody, smoky, fruity, or floral.

In Closing: Is Honey on Pizza Good?

So, if you want that sweet and salty taste in your pizza, adding honey to the recipe will surely do the job. Honey and cheese complement each other when served on a cheese plate. This logically explains why honey and pizza can go together as well.

In most pizza recipes, honey is added right after baking, such as Pizza Margherita with Honey and Honey Cheese Pizza. However, there are instances when you can also drizzle the pizza dough with honey before baking, like how the Vegetarian Hot Honey Pizza is made.

Typically, hot honey is not that very spicy. That way, you will be able to enjoy the original taste of the pizza. At the same time, you will enjoy the sweetness of the honey with a kick of spice at the end. But if you are a chili lover, you can make your hot honey spicier by adding more hot peppers.

Whichever the case may be, adding honey is an excellent way to enjoy your pizza!

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