The Single Ingredient That Makes Your Grilled Cheese Unforgettable

It's sweet and spicy.

Everyone has a go-to grilled cheese technique. Some swear by mayo instead of butter on the bread for better browning; others will only use a specific kind of cheese (many insist that American cheese is the only way to go for maximum melty goodness), but my favorite upgrade can be added no matter how you like to prepare the sandwich.

That’s because fresh out of the pan, I like to drizzle my grilled cheese with hot honey for a touch of heat and sweetness. It’s a little messy, but well worth it.

What Is Hot Honey?

It’s nothing complicated; it’s just honey with a kick. The heat can come from a wide variety of chile peppers, and as such the intensity can vary widely. You can opt for store-bought, like Red Clay’s Hot Honey made with habaneros, or make it yourself using our recipe, which is infused with both fresh and dried chiles.

Get The Recipe

Our hot honey uses guajillo chiles, a fairly mild and fruity dried chile, and fresh Fresnos, which pack more spice than jalapeños, to achieve a well-rounded heat. Feel free to use your favorite peppers, and increase or decrease the heat according to your liking.

Why Add Honey?

I love the way the sweetness of the honey balances the sharpness of my favorite sharp Cheddar (although it's great with just about any cheese). Plus, it adds a welcomed heat.

I was inspired by the way you might add honey or honeycomb to a cheese board and also took some inspiration from the hot honey I've had drizzled on cheesy pizzas over the last few years. Something about the added spice and sweetness helps cut through the richness of all the dairy in such a delicious way, and adds some dimension to a sometimes one-note sandwich.

Another Tasty Option

If you don't have and don't want to make hot honey, a layer of pepper jelly similarly adds a little Southern heat and sweetness to any grilled cheese sandwich.

You can drizzle the hot honey over top of the sandwich, or carefully drizzle some in between the slices of bread into the melty, gooey cheesy before serving. I prefer the later, for less mess, even if it's a slightly precarious task. Just separate the bread slices ever so slightly, and squeeze a few teaspoons of hot honey in between before sealing the sandwich back up. I wouldn't recommend adding the honey before cooking the sandwich as it tends to spill out and burn thanks to all the sugar in it.

Related: This 2-Ingredient Upgrade is What My Grilled Cheese Was Missing All Along

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