Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts

These Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts will convert even the most avid of brussels sprouts haters! What makes this dish so good is the glaze—hot honey meets nutty brown butter, with just enough garlic and chilli to keep it interesting. It’s sweet, spicy, savoury, and sticky in all the right ways. Paired with roasted sprouts that are caramelised and crispy on the edges, you’ve got a side dish that could easily steal the show.

You can watch me make them here.

Table of Contents

• Ingredient Breakdown
• The Key to Making the Best Brussels Sprouts
• The Perfect Glaze: Hot Honey Meets Brown Butter
• Making the Brown Butter Hot Honey Glaze for the Sprouts
• Brown Butter + Hot Honey = Match Made in Heaven
• Pul Biber: The Hot in the Hot Honey
• Serving the Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts
• Tips for Success
• Why This Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Recipe Works

Ingredient Breakdown

• Brussels Sprouts: The star of the show. Roasting at a high temperature caramelises the natural sugars, giving them a beautifully browned, crispy exterior while keeping the inside tender.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Helps the sprouts achieve that perfect roast.
• Salted Butter: Key for the brown butter sauce. When heated, the butter caramelises, creating a nutty, rich base that complements the honey and spices.
• Pul Biber (Aleppo Pepper): This Turkish chilli pepper offers a mild, smoky heat, perfect for balancing the sweetness of the honey and the richness of the butter.
• Garlic: A single minced clove adds aromatic depth to the sauce, enhancing the overall flavour profile of the dish
• Honey: Provides a sticky sweetness that marries beautifully with the butter and spice, adding a luscious glaze to the sprouts.

The Key to Making the Best Brussels Sprouts

The secret to perfect Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts lies in how you cook them. Many people associate sprouts with a bitter, mushy texture—a result of boiling or overcooking. But roasting them hot and fast totally transforms them.

• Use A Preheated Tray: Start by preheating your oven with the roasting tin inside. This step ensures the tin is scorching hot when you add the sprouts, giving them an instant sizzle. The hot pan immediately sears the sprouts, locking in flavour and preventing them from steaming, which can cause that undesirable mushy texture.
• Season The Sprouts: Lightly drizzle the halved Brussels sprouts with extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat, before placing them in the hot tin. Spread them in an even layer—overcrowding can lead to steaming rather than roasting.
• Roast Them Hot and Fast: Roasting at a high temperature, around 230°C/210°C fan, is essential. This technique allows the outer leaves to crisp up and caramelise while keeping the insides tender. The high heat also accelerates the Maillard reaction—a chemical process that browns the sprouts and develops their complex flavours.

The Perfect Glaze: Hot Honey Meets Brown Butter

This glaze is what makes these Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts shine. It’s not just a drizzle of honey with a bit of spice—every ingredient plays its part. The brown butter is nutty and rich, the garlic adds savoury depth, and the pul biber brings warmth without overwhelming. And then there’s the honey. It’s sticky, sweet, and golden, melting into the brown butter and caramelising slightly as it coats the hot sprouts.

Making the Brown Butter Hot Honey Glaze for the Sprouts

The hot honey glaze for the brussels sprouts starts with brown butter. The process of making brown butter is straightforward but requires a bit of attention. Brown butter is made by melting butter over medium heat and allowing it to cook until the milk solids separate and brown. As the butter melts, it bubbles and foams. During this process, the water evaporates, and the milk solids begin to caramelise, turning golden brown and releasing a nutty aroma. The flavour is deep and rich, with hints of toffee and caramel. It’s this complexity that elevates the dish, adding layers of flavour that plain butter simply can’t provide.

Brown Butter + Hot Honey = Match Made in Heaven

The nuttiness of brown butter pairs perfectly with the natural sweetness of the honey and the mild heat of the pul biber. It adds a rich, savoury note that balances the sweetness and spice, making the sauce multidimensional. The butter also helps the sauce cling to the brussels sprouts, ensuring every bite is coated in a glossy, flavourful glaze.

Pul Biber: The Hot in the Hot Honey

Pul biber (or Aleppo pepper) is one of those ingredients I can’t get enough of. It’s mild, fruity, and a little smoky, which makes it perfect for dishes like these Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts. Where regular chilli flakes might be too harsh, pul biber adds warmth that’s subtle and moreish.

If you can’t find pul biber, chilli flakes with a generous pinch smoked paprika will work in a pinch, but it’s worth tracking down the real thing. It’s the kind of ingredient that quietly elevates a dish, and once you start using it, you’ll wonder how you cooked without it.

Serving the Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts

These sprouts are versatile enough to go with just about anything. They’re an excellent side for roast chicken, grilled fish, or even a festive roast. I’ve also thrown them into grain bowls or tossed them with pasta for a quick dinner, and they never disappoint.

Got leftovers? They’re even better the next day. Reheat them in the oven, toss them into a salad, or top them with a fried egg for an easy lunch.

Tips for Success

• Trim your sprouts: Cut off the woody ends and halve them for even cooking.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan: Give the sprouts space to roast properly, or they’ll steam instead of crisp.
• Watch the butter: Brown butter goes from nutty to burnt in seconds, so keep a close eye on it.
• Toss immediately: The glaze clings best when the sprouts are still hot.

Why This Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts Recipe Works

These Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts hit all the right notes: sweet, spicy, savoury, and sticky. The roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the sprouts, while the glaze elevates them with layers of flavour. This dish isn’t just for brussels sprouts fans—it’s for anyone who loves bold, balanced flavours. Even the biggest sprout sceptics will find themselves reaching for seconds.

This Hot Honey Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts recipe is perfect for Christmas. For more Christmas recipes, check out my Christmas Recipe Collection, where you’ll find a curated selection of festive recipes, perfect for the holiday season. From indulgent mains and comforting sides to delightful desserts and warming drinks, each recipe is crafted to bring joy to your Christmas celebrations.