This is a sweet, mildly spicy BBQ sauce made from pantry staples — no vinegar, no Worcestershire sauce, no brown sugar. It comes together in five minutes flat, which makes it genuinely useful on a busy weeknight. It’s also naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, so it works for a lot of different tables.
Why this recipe works
The real reason this sauce holds together is the ratio of tomato puree to honey. Tomato puree gives you body and a mild acidity without the sharp tang that vinegar brings, while honey does double duty — it sweetens and thickens at the same time. Coconut aminos step in where soy sauce or Worcestershire would normally go, adding a quiet savory depth that keeps the sauce from tasting flat. Because there’s no sugar that can scorch, the sauce is also more forgiving if you’re reducing it on the stove while juggling everything else.
Ingredient notes
- Coconut aminos: Found in most health food stores and many mainstream supermarkets near the soy sauce. It tastes slightly sweeter and less salty than soy sauce, which suits this recipe well. If you can’t find it, a gluten-free tamari works as a substitute, but use about half the amount since tamari is saltier.
- Tomato puree: This is the smooth, thick stuff — not crushed tomatoes and not tomato paste. Tomato paste will make the sauce too dense and intensely flavored; thin it with extra water if that’s all you have.
- Chili powder: Standard American chili powder (a spice blend, not pure ground chiles). It gives mild heat and a little smokiness. Add an extra half-teaspoon if you want more kick.
Keeping and reheating
Store the finished sauce in a sealed jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you’ve simmered it down, it will thicken further as it cools — just stir in a splash of water when you reheat it. For longer storage, freeze it in small portions (an ice cube tray works well) for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or drop the frozen cubes directly into a small saucepan over low heat. Skip the microwave if you can — it heats unevenly and can cause the honey to separate.
Common problems and fixes
- Sauce tastes flat or one-dimensional: The salt level is the usual culprit. Stir in a small pinch of extra sea salt and taste again before adding anything else — it often resolves the issue without changing the flavor profile.
- Sauce is too thin even after simmering: Keep the heat at a steady low simmer rather than a gentle warm. A rolling simmer drives off moisture faster. If you’re short on time, skip the extra water the recipe calls for when using it as a dipping sauce.
- Sauce tastes too sweet: The honey quantity is generous by design, but palates vary. A small squeeze of fresh lemon juice — about half a teaspoon — cuts through the sweetness without adding vinegar flavor. Add it at the end, not during cooking.
- Sauce scorches on the bottom of the pan: Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan and keep the heat on low once it reaches a boil. Stir every couple of minutes. Thin-bottomed pans concentrate heat in spots and will burn the honey quickly — this is the one swap worth making if your sauce keeps catching.
- Sauce separates or looks grainy after refrigerating: This is just the honey crystallizing slightly in the cold. A quick stir over low heat brings it back together in under two minutes.
Sweet Honey BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup tomato puree
- ½ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
- 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup water filtered tap
Instructions
- Combine all of the included ingredients in a bowl and mix. (Coconut aminos are a replacement for soy sauce. They are all-natural and do not contain soy. It is simply coconut sap and sea salt. I love it!)
- If you are just using this as a dipping sauce, pour the mixture into a pan.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until you get the desired thickness. I like to use this on baked BBQ chicken, meatballs, and meatloaf.
- For those recipes, add 1 cup of water (instead of 1/2 cup) with the baked bbq chicken, keep the 1/2 cup water for meatballs, and do not add water for the meatloaf.
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I use this sauce directly on burgers without cooking it first?
Yes — all the ingredients are safe to eat raw, so you can use it straight from the bowl as a condiment. Simmering it is only necessary if you want a thicker, more concentrated sauce or plan to use it as a glaze.
Can I make this sauce ahead and store it for the week?
Absolutely — it keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks in a sealed jar. Making a batch on Sunday means it’s ready to go every night without any extra prep.
What can I use instead of honey to make it vegan?
Pure maple syrup is the most direct swap — use the same amount. It changes the flavor slightly toward a more earthy sweetness, but it works well with the chili powder and tomato base.
Is this sauce spicy enough for adults but okay for kids?
At the stated amount of chili powder, the heat is mild — most kids handle it fine. If you’re cooking for heat-sensitive eaters, drop the chili powder to half a teaspoon; if you want more kick for adults, a full two teaspoons is a noticeable step up.
Can I use this as a burger glaze on the grill?
Yes, and it works well — brush it on during the last two minutes of cooking so the honey doesn’t burn. Because this sauce contains no added sugar beyond the honey, it’s actually less prone to charring than many commercial BBQ sauces, but high direct heat will still catch it if you apply it too early.
More burger recipes to try
- BBQ Cheeseburger Recipe
- Honey BBQ Chicken Burger
- Smoky Mountain BBQ Chicken Sandwich
- BBQ Bacon Whopper Copycat