Hot Honey Butter Is The Sweet And Spicy Sauce That Adds A Kick To Corn On The Cob

Corn on the cob is one of the most tried-and-true summer sides. However, if you feel bored with traditional flavors, try kicking things up with a hot honey butter sauce.

What is this delicious flavor enhancer? Most of the answer is right in the name. The primary ingredients for this recipe are your favorite type of honey and butter, either salted or unsalted. Melt the butter and slightly warm the honey to make the two ingredients easier to mix. The "hot" element comes from red chili pepper flakes, which can provide everything from light heat to a scorching spice based on how much you use. 

The exact proportions of each ingredient are up to you, though the consistency of the finished sauce should be relatively thick and sticky. This creates the ideal texture for clinging to each kernel of corn. The richness and spice pair perfectly with corn's fresh, vegetal taste, while honey offers a sugary punch that nicely complements the natural sweetness of fresh summer corn. 

Apply hot honey butter to your grilled, roasted, or air-fried corn on the cob by brushing the sauce directly on after it's cooked. However, those who want to avoid getting messy or prefer shelled corn can toss the cooked kernels with hot honey butter in a bowl for an easy-to-eat side dish. While hot honey butter comes together in seconds, those who want to make the recipe even easier can grab some commercially available hot honey, like the cult favorite, Mike's Hot Honey. Even pre-cooked canned corn can benefit from a bath in this rich, sweet-spicy sauce.

Cooks should also note that hot honey butter can be prepared in two ways for various uses. First, there's the simple mixing procedure described above, which is best for immediate use. However, if you want to prep this ahead of time, consider making a hot honey compound butter. This can be accomplished using an electric mixer to combine butter, honey, and red pepper flakes. For this recipe, you need to use more butter than honey, which means the finished sauce will be thicker and less saucy. That said, compound honey butter offers the advantage of easy transport and the ability to be scooped out and slathered onto corn — or other side dishes — by your guests.

Give it a try the next time you're looking for a more adventurous spin on a summer staple — you may never go back!