Hot Honey Pizza Recipe
Experience the ultimate swicy pizza wave with this homemade hot honey pizza. Featuring a crisp Neapolitan-style crust, spicy pepperoni, creamy ricotta, and a brown butter Calabrian chili hot honey.
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Pizza stone or baking steel
- Pizza Peel
- Saucepan
Ingredients
For the pizza dough
- 512 grams 00 flour
- 12 grams kosher salt
- 360 grams warm water
- 3 grams active dry yeast
- 10 grams honey
For the pizza sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped or pressed
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.25 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves torn
For the pizza toppings
- fresh mozzarella thinly sliced
- pepperoni
- whole milk ricotta
- Castelvetrano olives pitted and halved
- hot honey
- freshly grated parmiggiano reggiano
- crushed red pepper flakes
- fresh basil
Instructions
Mix and Rise the Dough
- In a stand mixer bowl, whisk the 00 flour and kosher salt so the salt is evenly dispersed. In a separate bowl, whisk the warm water with the active dry yeast and honey, then let it sit for 10 minutes until the surface looks foamy.
- Pour the foamy yeast mixture into the flour, start mixing on low just until it turns shaggy, then increase to medium to medium-high and mix for 3 minutes until the dough is sticky, glossy, and elastic, pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
- Scrape onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 2-3 minutes until the dough smooths out and feels springy. Shape it into a ball, set it in an olive oil coated bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise 1.5 hours in a warm spot until doubled and pillowy.
Cold Fermentation for Flavor
- Divide the risen dough into 3 balls (about 230-280 grams each) and tuck the seams underneath so the tops are taut. Seal them in containers and refrigerate for at least 24 hours (up to 72 hours for best flavor). Let the dough sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before shaping so it relaxes.
Cook the Sauce
- Warm the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan, then sauté the garlic for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste with a big pinch of salt and cook 2-3 minutes, scraping constantly, until it darkens slightly.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder, stirring until rich and uniform. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cool the sauce for a few minutes, then stir in the torn fresh basil leaves so they stay bright and aromatic.
Shape, Top, Bake, and Finish
- Preheat an outdoor pizza oven to 750-800°F, or a home oven to 500°F. For a home oven, place a pizza stone or baking steel inside and preheat for at least 1 hour so the surface gets ripping hot.
- On a floured counter, roll one dough ball into a 10-12 inch circle. Dust your pizza peel generously with semolina flour, lay the dough on the peel, and give it a shimmy to ensure it slides easily.
- Spoon on sauce and spread nearly to the edges. Layer fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, dollops of whole milk ricotta, and halved Castelvetrano olives. Launch onto the hot stone and bake for 10-12 minutes in a home oven (or 2-2.5 minutes in an outdoor oven) until the crust is browned and the cheese bubbles.
- While the pizza bakes, make the brown butter emulsion by browning butter until nutty and amber. Remove from heat and gently whisk in honey and crushed Calabrian chilies. When the pizza comes out, drizzle the hot honey over the top and finish with crushed red pepper flakes, grated parmiggiano reggiano, and fresh basil.
Notes
Pizza Peel Tip: Dust the pizza peel with semolina flour instead of regular flour because it acts like tiny ball bearings, helping the dough glide off cleanly.
Dough Resting: Let refrigerated dough rest at room temperature for 60-90 minutes so the gluten relaxes and stretching feels effortless.
Oven Preheating: Preheat a baking steel or pizza stone for at least 1 hour at maximum temperature to ensure a crisp undercarriage in a home oven.
Hot Honey Warning: Avoid boiling or microwaving the honey when making it from scratch, which dulls the flavor and makes the heat harsh.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in a skillet to crisp the base, then cover briefly with a lid so the cheese melts without scorching the honey.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.