Hot Honey Can Single-Handedly Save Your Mediocre Frozen Pizza

Since they first hit the grocery store freezer aisles in the 1950s, frozen pizzas have become a staple in the realm of convenient meals. Regardless of what chaos is happening in a person's life, they can count on a frozen pizza to soothe a hungry belly at the end of a busy, stressful day. However, as reliable and satisfying as frozen pizzas can be, most fall short when it comes to taste. The flavor quality of frozen pizza can vary from brand to brand, but even a great frozen pizza tends to lack the depth one would expect from its freshly made counterparts. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to elevate frozen pizza, including drizzling it with delicious hot honey.

Hot honey is exactly what it sounds like — honey that has been infused with chili peppers to create a tantalizing and spicy condiment. You can find hot honey online, in stores, or even make it yourself. There are several options out there with varying levels of heat and made with different flavors, like sriracha-flavored hot honey. No matter what type you grab, hot honey's balance of sweet and spicy flavors is sure to improve whatever you add it to, especially frozen pizza.

Frozen pizzas are often dominated by the savory taste of melted cheese and the breadiness of the crust. While we can never knock the pairing of cheese and bread, it tends to be bland in frozen pizza, with little else to bring excitement to the dish. The addition of hot honey provides a welcome contrast. 

The intense notes of the honey cut through the richness of the cheese, creating an exciting combination that prevents your palate from becoming bored by unremarkable flavors. The result is a more nuanced pizza tailored to your taste buds. Hot honey goes well with any number of pizza toppings. You can even find frozen pizza that already includes hot honey, but a little more definitely won't hurt! Whether you're a fan of cured meats, vegetables, or even pineapple, the versatile nature of hot honey lets it match perfectly with a variety of ingredients, giving you the freedom to experiment to add it to your favorite pie.

Hot honey not only contributes to the flavor profile of frozen pizza but also enhances its overall texture. As the honey is spread over the crust and toppings, it adds a luscious, sticky texture to what can often be a dry and chewy experience. This extra dimension introduces a complexity not usually found in frozen pizza. A drizzle of hot honey is a great way to top off a frozen pizza that has already been upgraded by cooking in a cast iron pan.

If you're feeling industrious, it's incredibly easy to make your own hot honey at home. All you need is a couple of tablespoons of chili flakes and your choice of honey, like clover or manuka. You can also substitute the honey for agave nectar if you want a 100% vegan option. It only takes about 10 minutes to make a cup of hot honey, so you'll have plenty of time to whip some up while you wait for your pizza to cook.

Just add the chili to the honey and heat it on the stove. Once it cools off, you can transfer it to a container before slathering it over your frozen pizza. To make your hot honey unique, you can add other ingredients. A dash of hot sauce will bring a red-hot hue to your honey, while a splash of vinegar can create a different layer of flavor. Your homemade hot honey will be an excellent addition to fried chicken, grilled veggies, creamy cheese boards, and of course, pizza — frozen or otherwise.