Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings (Hot Sauce and Butter)

Buffalo wings bring together crisp chicken skin, vinegary chilli heat and a glossy butter finish, usually served with cool blue cheese dip and crunchy celery. This baked version keeps the recognisable sharp, spicy character of the American favourite while avoiding deep-frying: baking powder helps the skin brown and crisp in a hot oven before the wings are tossed in the sauce. The result is sticky, savoury and properly edged with heat, with the creamy dip adding tang and richness. Serve straight away while the coating is glossy and the skin still has bite.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style American bar food
Spice level Hot
Cooking style Crowd-friendly • Minimal cleanup
Time commitment Under 1 hour

Why this recipe works

  • Crisp without frying: Baking powder and a high oven heat help dry the surface of the wings, encouraging browning and crisp skin.
  • Sharp, rich balance: Hot sauce brings vinegar-led heat, while melted butter rounds the edges and gives the coating its classic glossy texture.
  • Built-in contrast: Cool blue cheese dip and chilled celery balance the heat, richness and saltiness of the wings.

Get the most out of this recipe

Adjust the heat

  • Make it milder: Choose a gentler hot sauce or use a slightly higher proportion of butter to soften the heat without losing the Buffalo-style flavour.
  • Increase the heat: Use a hotter vinegar-based sauce, or add a small pinch of cayenne to the butter sauce before tossing the wings.
  • Keep the heat balanced: Serve with the blue cheese dip and celery rather than skipping them; both are part of what makes the heat feel rounded rather than harsh.

Texture tips

  • For extra-crisp skin: Pat the wings very dry before seasoning and leave space between them on the tray so the heat can circulate.
  • Toss just before serving: Coat the wings in sauce at the last moment so the skin stays crisp at the edges rather than softening too quickly.
  • Use a rack if available: A rack set over the baking tray helps hot air reach the underside of the wings, improving overall browning.

Ingredient notes

  • Choose skin-on wings: Skin-on wings are essential here because the crisp surface is what holds the Buffalo sauce properly.
  • Use a vinegar-based hot sauce: Classic Buffalo sauce depends on tangy, sharp heat rather than a thick sweet chilli-style sauce.
  • Blue cheese safety note: For pregnant people, young children, older adults or anyone immunocompromised, use pasteurised blue cheese.

Make-ahead tips

  • Prepare the dip ahead: The blue cheese dip can be mixed in advance and kept chilled, then stirred before serving.
  • Re-crisp leftovers: Reheat refrigerated wings on a baking tray at 220°C (430°F) until piping hot and the skin has crisped again.
  • Best served fresh: Buffalo wings are at their best immediately after baking and tossing, while the coating is glossy and the edges are still crisp.

Equipment you'll need

Baking tray Mixing bowl Oven Saucepan Tongs Whisk
Ingredients

Wings

Buffalo sauce

Blue cheese dip and serving

Instructions
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  1. Heat the oven to 230°C (445°F). Pat the chicken wings very dry with kitchen paper, then place in a large bowl.
  2. Mix the baking powder, fine sea salt and black pepper, then sprinkle over the wings. Toss thoroughly until every wing is evenly coated.
  3. Arrange the wings on a baking tray in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. Bake for 40 minutes, turning once halfway through, until deeply browned and the skin feels crisp.
  4. Meanwhile, make the dip: crush the garlic to a paste, then mix with the sour cream, mayonnaise and white wine vinegar. Crumble in most of the blue cheese and stir, keeping a little to sprinkle on top.
  5. Cut the celery into sticks and chill until serving. Cover the dip and set aside.
  6. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the unsalted butter, then whisk in the hot sauce until glossy and combined. Do not let it boil.
  7. Transfer the hot wings to a clean bowl and pour over the buffalo sauce. Toss with tongs until evenly coated, then serve straight away with the celery sticks and blue cheese dip, topped with the reserved blue cheese.

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Recipe notes

Tips

  • Drying the wings well is key: moisture is the enemy of crisp skin, even with baking powder.
  • For extra crunch, bake the wings on a rack set over the baking tray so hot air can circulate underneath.
  • Food safety: if serving to pregnant people, young children, older adults, or anyone immunocompromised, use pasteurised blue cheese.

Substitutions

  • Replace white wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar for a slightly fruitier tang in the dip.
  • Replace sour cream with greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier dip.
  • Replace hot sauce with buffalo-wing-sauce for a slightly thicker, more seasoned coating.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 3 days
  • Cool the wings, then refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking tray at 220°C (430°F) for 10 to 15 minutes until piping hot and the skin re-crisps; keep the dip refrigerated and stir before serving.

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Recipe overview

  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Total time: 55min (15min active)
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Cuisine: American
  • Allergens:
    Eggs Milk
Beginner friendly
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Equipment you'll need

Baking tray Mixing bowl Oven Saucepan Tongs Whisk
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Baking powder

1 cup ≈ 220.8 g
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Black pepper

1 cup ≈ 110.4 g
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Fine sea salt

1 cup ≈ 268.8 g
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Mayonnaise

1 cup ≈ 220 g
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Sour cream

1 cup ≈ 240 g
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Unsalted butter

10 oz ≈ 283 g
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