Hot Honey Chili Crunch
Sweet, sticky, spicy, and crunchy — hot honey chili crunch inspired by Momofuku, built from scratch with gochugaru, crispy fried garlic, and hot honey. The sweet-heat version that goes on everything.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup avocado oil or grapeseed oil
- 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon crispy fried garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons hot honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 275°F. Do not allow the oil to smoke.
- Place the crushed red pepper, gochugaru, dried garlic, crispy fried garlic, onion, sesame seeds, paprika, salt, and pepper into a heatproof bowl.
- Carefully pour the hot oil over the spice mixture. Stir well and allow it to bloom for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the hot honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and soy sauce until well combined.
- Allow the mixture to cool completely before transferring it to a clean half-pint mason jar.
- Storage
- Refrigerate after opening.
- Best used within 3–4 weeks.
Notes
Oil must reach 275°F — use a thermometer. Hot honey goes in AFTER the bloom, not into hot oil. Gochugaru cannot be substituted at same ratio with standard flakes. Crispy fried garlic is pre-cooked — do not substitute fresh. Stir once after pouring oil, bloom 5 minutes undisturbed. If honey doesn't incorporate, mixture is too cool — warm briefly. For extra crunch: add 1 tbsp crispy fried garlic after cooling. For more heat: add ½ tsp cayenne to spice mixture. Refrigerate up to 3-4 weeks. Stir before each use.
For extra crunch, stir in another tablespoon of crispy fried garlic after cooling.
Want more heat? Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Prefer it sweeter? Add another tablespoon of hot honey.
Drizzle over cream cheese with crackers for an easy appetizer.
Spoon over pepperoni pizza for a sweet-spicy finish.
Want more heat? Add ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Prefer it sweeter? Add another tablespoon of hot honey.
Drizzle over cream cheese with crackers for an easy appetizer.
Spoon over pepperoni pizza for a sweet-spicy finish.