Bee Sting Latte

Hot honey is not a new culinary phenomenon, but it’s one that I love. Years ago, I had hot honey on a pizza for the first time at a restaurant in Asbury Park, NJ called Tulula’s. Well, kind of. The ingredients included hot Calabrian soppressata and honey, so you effectively get the same mix of sweetness and heat. Not long after that, I started seeing hot honey used as a topping at pizza restaurants here in Western NY.

Of course, honey in coffee drinks is also not new (see our newly revamped recipe on the Spanish treat Cafe Miel). The use of spicy heat is also known to be used in beverage recipes like Aztec mochas or Mexican hot chocolates, using ingredients like cayenne and chili peppers. Why not combine the honey and the heat for a hot honey latte? In the same way that people love the combination of salty and sweet, we love a spicy sweetness too.

Some coffee bars call this a Bee Sting Latte while others simply call it a Hot Honey Latte. Whatever name you give it, I’ll show you how to make a great one.

Bee Sting Latte Recipe Details

• Complexity - Low
• Serves - 1
• Prep Time - 3 Min
• Cost - ($)

Ingredients

• Approx. 1 - 1 ¼ fl oz (30-36 ml) espresso
• 8 fl oz (~240 ml) milk of your choice
• ¼ fl oz (~20 ml, or 20 g) hot honey
• Optional: Dried chili for garnish
• Optional: Dash of cinnamon

Equipment

• Espresso machine
• Steaming pitcher
• Small spoon
• Latte mug

Step-by-Step Instructions

For this Bee Sting Latte recipe, you’ll need some hot honey. Luckily, we have a hot honey recipe for you, crafted by yours truly. I’ll drop a link to that recipe a bit further below. Now, on with the show.

You'll of course want to start by making sure your espresso machine is on and hot.

Dose the Honey

Pour 20 grams of hot honey into your latte mug, using a scale helps with this. You can always add a bit more honey for more of that sweet heat.

Grind and Tamp

I recommend our Buzzopolis blend for this drink. The citrus notes shine in the creamy mouthfeel of the honey and counteract the heat for a balanced drink.

Pro tip: Buzzopolis tastes great at a 1 : 2 ratio and pulled between 22 and 27 seconds. Try something like 18g in, 36g out in 25 seconds.

Pull the Shot

You can pull your shot directly over the hot honey.

Stir the mixture

Use your demitasse spoon or small spoon to stir the mixture until the honey is well mixed into the espresso.

Steam the Milk

If you need a refresher, we’ve got milk steaming crash courses on YouTube channel that will get you steaming like a pro.

Optional: Cinnamon

If you like, you can add a dash of cinnamon to the espresso / honey mixture. A little cinnamon pushes this closer to the “autumn flavor” category. Plus, it sort of reinforces the crema for even better contrast.

Pour the Milk

...and try your hand at some latte art while you’re at it.

Optional: dried chili

The dried chili garnish is totally optional, but it sure looks nice, right?

Photography by Grace Walker

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