Our recipe for honey mustard is perfect for dipping everything from chicken tenders to your favorite roasted veggies. It is sweet and tangy, with perfect consistency. Not too thick, but it will coat whatever your dipping pleasure.
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This quick honey mustard sauce is a condiment you'll be making again and again. It's so good and goes with everything! From crispy chicken nuggets to fancy burgers and spicy chicken sandwiches.
The secret to this sauce is using the right type of mustard and we have broken all the details down for you.
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📖Why This Recipe Works
- Thoroughly tested. We've made this recipe using all different mustards to narrow it down to the very best one!
- Gluten-free and dairy-free. Or you can even make it vegan by simply using a vegan mayo!
🧾Ingredients for Honey Mustard Sauce
Just three simple pantry staples are needed for this easy honey mustard recipe! Here's what you'll need. See the recipe card below for the ingredient amounts!
Mustard - I recommend brown mustard for this recipe. It has a better flavor for this recipe than other varieties!
Honey - Use your favorite variety of raw honey.
Mayonnaise - Any brand will work but I like Dukes Mayo and Traders Joe's Organic Mayo (not the regular kind!).
Tip: Check the ingredient label on your mayo. If you don't see lemon juice listed, try adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It adds a delicious brightness that only adds to the flavor of the honey mustard.
What is the best mustard for making honey mustard?
Brown stadium-style mustard is the best for honey mustard sauces. It has a complex but not overwhelming flavor and smooth consistency for easy blending.
But there are so many options that it can definitely be difficult to know where to start.
Luckily, we've done the hard part for you and tested multiple mustard options for this recipe!
As I said, we tested multiple mustard options to determine the absolute best variety. Here's a breakdown of the other mustards we tried:
Yellow Mustard- The watery consistency made it a tad too thin and the vinegar taste was too strong.
Dijon Mustard- This was our runner-up. It has a good, but less complex flavor.
Stadium Mustard- Our clear winner. It added an additional layer to the creamy texture.
Grainy or Country Style- The texture was a bit off for dipping. We like to reserve grainy mustard for salad dressings.
I definitely don't recommend using dried mustard in this recipe. It just won't work the same!
⏲️How to Make Honey Mustard
This recipe for homemade honey mustard could not be easier! No food processor or blender is needed. A whisk or spoon and a small bowl are sufficient!
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl.
Give it a quick stir to mix everything up, then serve as desired!
🥗Ways to Use This Sauce
This creamy homemade honey mustard sauce is so incredibly versatile!
It makes the perfect dipping sauce for sweet potato fries or french fries, chicken fingers or chicken strips, pork chops, you name it.
You can also drizzle it over roasted brussels sprouts, make honey mustard chicken by slathering it on your grilled chicken thighs, use it as a topping for your favorite burger, or make a honey mustard dressing by thinning it out with a little bit of apple cider vinegar and drizzling it over your favorite salads.
The possibilities are endless!
💭 Variations
Looking for some other flavors to try? Here are a couple of my favorite ways to play around with this recipe:
Garlic Honey Mustard
Garlic honey mustard is such a fun way to make a flavor twist on classic honey mustard. Now for a garlic mustard, you have a couple of options:
- Use garlic honey. This is our favorite version. Simply replace the classic honey with an equal amount of fermented garlic honey.
- Add roasted garlic. This option is a little easier than the above option. Simply add 2 cloves of smashed roasted garlic to the recipe listed.
I don't recommend trying to use raw garlic or garlic powder for this recipe. The flavor of raw garlic is a little bit too sharp and will compete with the mustard flavor and the garlic powder won't blend as well into the creamy sauce.
Spicy Honey Mustard
You can make a spicy version of this honey mustard sauce recipe using several different methods:
- Add cayenne: Mixing a ¼ teaspoon of dried cayenne pepper into the mustard sauce is my favorite method. Feel free to add more or less depending on your spice preferences.
- Use hot honey: Simply swap the regular honey out for hot honey.
🌡️Storing Honey Mustard
This creamy honey mustard sauce can be stored in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
🥗More Homemade Sauce Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can swing it, I definitely recommend sticking to the honey in this recipe. The flavor is just unmatched.
If you do want to avoid the honey, you can swap it out for maple syrup. Just keep in mind that the flavor will be different. You can also try brown sugar syrup or demerara syrup.
Did You Enjoy Making This Recipe? Please rate this recipe with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ or leave a comment. It helps other wonderful people connect with my food.
📖 Recipe Card
Honey Mustard Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup brown mustard
- 2 tablespoon raw honey
- ½ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Taste for sweetness and add additional honey, if needed.¼ cup brown mustard, 2 tablespoon raw honey, ½ cup mayonnaise
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days
Notes
- Garlic Honey Mustard
- Substitute the honey with fermented garlic honey OR add 2 cloves of smashed roasted garlic.
- Raw garlic is not recommended for this recipe.
- Spicy Honey Mustard
- Substitute the honey with hot honey OR add ¼ teaspoon of dried cayenne pepper.
Toni says
This was a huge hit at my house! A new staple sauce!
Mary says
We're big mustard fans here, and this sauce is a winner! Not too sweet and not too overpowering, just delicious!
Beth says
My daughter is going to love this recipe! I can't wait to give this a try! Looks so delicious!
Jen says
My boys are obsessed with dips and I didn't realize how easy it was to make your own. We're going to try your original recipe tonight but next time will use your tip about adding garlic for next time. Yum!
Melissa says
Thank you. I don't think I realized how simple this is to make yourself!