Sweet and heat are a well-known perfect pairing. And it’s not just tropical sweetness that kills in hot sauce form – more northern fruits, like apples, work just as well! This apple habanero hot sauce is one killer treat. That delicious apple crisp sweetness is a perfect pairing with that extra-hot habanero heat (and their natural fruity sweetness, too).

Apple habanero hot sauce is so good drizzled over chicken or pork. It’s a wicked chicken finger dipper, or try it drizzled over salty foods like breakfast sausage or ham. Just a drizzle will do, mind you. Habanero peppers pack a punch (100,000 – 325,000 Scoville heat units compared to the 2,500 to 8,000 of a jalapeño.) So less is more until you’ve experimented with the amounts of hot peppers used.
And take care when cooking with habaneros, as chilies at this heat level can cause severe chili burn. Wear kitchen latex gloves and know how to combat the burn if it occurs.
See it being made:
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Honey Habanero Sauce: We pair honey and pineapple with habanero, providing a rich sweetness, a subtle tang, and plenty of spiciness.
- Maple Sriracha Sauce: Boldly sweet – matching maple syrup and Sriracha to extraordinary results.
- Cherry Habanero BBQ Sauce: Cherry and habs are totally underrated together.

Apple Habanero Hot Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 habanero peppers seeds and stems removed
- 3 Fuji apples peeled and chopped
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 1/2 cups water separated
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
Instructions
- In a saucepan or pot over medium heat, heat the canola oil and sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent (approximately 3 to 4 minutes).
- Add the apples and continue to sauté, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
- Add the habanero peppers, water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir well and allow the mix to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften (approximately 15 to 20 minutes).
- Remove the sauce from the heat and pour it into a blender (or use an immersion blender if using a pot). Add the additional 2 cups of water and blend the sauce until smooth. Add additional salt to taste.
- Use immediately, or for best flavor refrigerate the sauce for 2 to 3 hours at minimum to allow the flavors to meld.
I substituted the white sugar for brown sugar and added a bit of nutmeg and cinnamon. I ended up with an “apple pie” hot sauce. Unreal on pork!