Hot Honey Pizza Recipe

Preheat

Place a pizza stone or inverted heavy baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes to get the stone very hot.

If using refrigerated dough, let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to relax so it stretches more easily. Lightly dust your work surface with the 1/2 cup flour.

On the floured surface, shape the dough into a 12–14 inch round by pressing from the center outward with your fingers, leaving a slightly thicker rim. Do not overwork. Transfer the shaped dough to a pizza peel or an inverted baking sheet dusted with a little flour or cornmeal to prevent sticking.

Brush the outer 1/2–1 inch of the crust lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil to encourage browning.

Spread the marinara: using the back of a spoon, spread 1 cup marinara sauce over the dough leaving a 1/2–1 inch border for the crust. Use slightly less sauce if your marinara is very wet.

Distribute the cheese evenly: scatter the 8 oz shredded or sliced mozzarella over the sauce in an even layer. Leave small gaps so the sauce and pepperoni flavors come through and the cheese browns nicely.

Optionally sprinkle 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Pecorino over the mozzarella for extra umami and salt.

Arrange the pepperoni: place about 20 slices of pepperoni evenly over the cheese. For crispier pepperoni, give them a little overlap but leave room so edges can crisp and curl in the oven.

Bake: slide the pizza onto the preheated stone or inverted baking sheet. Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 7–10 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown in spots, pepperoni edges are crisping, and cheese is bubbling with some golden brown spots. Ovens vary — start checking at 6–7 minutes.

Drizzle the AmSo hot honey: after removing the pizza from the oven, let it rest 30–60 seconds, then evenly drizzle 2–3 tablespoons of AmSo hot honey over the hot pizza. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste — the heat and sweetness will be more pronounced while the pizza is hot.

Optional finishes: sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes if you want more heat, scatter fresh basil leaves across the pizza, and finish with a light pinch (about 1/4 teaspoon) of coarse sea salt if desired.

Slice and serve: transfer to a cutting board, slice into 6–8 pieces and serve immediately so the contrast of hot honey and savory pepperoni/mozzarella is at its best.