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    Home » Meal Type » Sauces, Dressings and Seasonings » Buffalo Wing Sauce

    Buffalo Wing Sauce

    Published on February 1, 2021 by Diana

    Jump to Recipe
    Easy buffalo wing sauce recipe Pinnable image

    The best homemade buffalo wing sauce recipe! All you need is 3 ingredients and 5 minutes of your time to make this perfectly smooth and delicious buffalo sauce. Perfect for chicken wings, pulled chicken, buffalo cauliflower, crispy chicken tenders, pizza, or to use as a dip.

    Buffalo wing sauce in a Pyrex jug

    I know many people just buy bottles of hot sauce to toss crunchy chicken wings in, but honestly, a good buffalo wing sauce is SO easy to make and tastes much better! It’s perfectly balanced, not too tangy or hot, it’s smooth, rich, and delicious.

    So whether you’re making buffalo chicken wings for Superbowl, or you’re just craving great tasting buffalo wings, you have to make the wing sauce from scratch!

    Table of Contents hide
    1 Why Do They Call It Buffalo Sauce?
    2 What Is Buffalo Wing Sauce Made Of?
    3 Why Add Butter to Hot Wing Sauce?
    4 How to Make Buffalo Sauce
    5 10 Ways to Use Wing Sauce
    6 Common Questions About Buffalo Sauce
    7 Buffalo Wing Sauce Recipe

    Why Do They Call It Buffalo Sauce?

    The name has nothing to do with buffalos! The sauce was invented in 1964 by a family-owned business called Anchor bar located in Buffalo, New York.

    While the original buffalo sauce has never been published, we know for sure that buffalo sauce is specifically made with Frank’s Red Hot Original sauce. I have made it so many times, and here’s the closest recipe to what you can get at a NY sports bar.

    What Is Buffalo Wing Sauce Made Of?

    Buffalo sauce is all about balanced flavors! The main ingredient is, of course, Frank’s Red Hot Original sauce (the original, not Frank’s wing sauce). It’s an aged cayenne pepper-based hot sauce that already includes vinegar and garlic powder, so it’s hot but also acidic.

    To balance the acidity, I like to add some type of sweetener (I used honey in this recipe), but brown sugar or maple syrup can also be used.

    Butter is added for richness, smoothness, and balancing the flavors. It’s an essential ingredient to make a delicious buffalo wing sauce.

    Seasoning with salt and pepper is totally optional but adds some flavor.

    Ingredients needed to make homemade Buffalo wing sauce

    TIP: If you like your sauce really hot, do not add more hot sauce, instead, add half a teaspoon of cayenne powder. Adding more hot sauce will result in a very tangy sauce that is not very pleasant (due to the vinegar).

    Other optional ingredients that you can add: a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of onion powder.

    Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

    Why Add Butter to Hot Wing Sauce?

    The butter is what gives you a restaurant-quality sauce at home. It adds silky and smooth richness to the sauce, cuts down the heat a little, and of course, adds great flavor!

    How to Make Buffalo Sauce

    This is so simple and takes just 5 minutes of your time!

    Melt butter in the microwave in a small bowl or glass jug (do not overheat, microwave until the butter has just melted), then add the hot sauce, honey, salt and pepper (if using). Whisk until well combined, and that’s your wing sauce ready to dip!

    Keep the wing sauce warm, or reheat slightly prior to using.

    The sauce is enough for 3 pounds of chicken wings.

    A collage with 3 images on how to make buffalo sauce.

    10 Ways to Use Wing Sauce

    • Toss Instant Pot chicken wings or Air fryer chicken wings, or try my Air fryer buffalo chicken wing recipe.
    • Use to make buffalo chicken dip
    • Toss crispy Air fryer chicken tenders
    • As a sauce for Smashed potatoes
    • Dip Oven-baked fries
    • Drizzle over pizza or nachos
    • Add to Pulled chicken when making sandwiches or wraps
    • Toss crispy cauliflower to make buffalo cauliflower wings
    • As a coating for buttermilk chicken tenders
    • Great on BBQ baby ribs!
    Buffalo chicken wings stacked, with blue cheese dip and celery sticks in the background.

    Common Questions About Buffalo Sauce

    How to make buffalo sauce spicier?

    Add ½ teaspoon of cayenne to the sauce.

    How to store homemade wing sauce?

    Store homemade buffalo sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 month. If it separates, it’s because the butter hardens when it’s chilled. Just reheat it gently prior to use.

    What can I substitute Frank’s hot sauce with?

    Any hot sauce would do, Louisiana hot sauce, sriracha, etc.

    What can I substitute the butter with?

    You can use ghee or sunflower oil.

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    I don’t feel like I say this often enough, or that I could ever thank you enough. But THANK YOU for all of your support, for visiting my blog, commenting, and sharing my recipes with your friends and family. I am SO thankful for you!

    If you make this recipe or any of my recipes, then don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below. I would LOVE to hear about your experience and your comments just make my day!

    I hope that you love every recipe that you make! – Diana x

    Buffalo wing sauce in a Pyrex jug

    Buffalo Wing Sauce Recipe

    The best homemade buffalo wing sauce recipe! All you need is 3 ingredients to make this perfectly smooth and delicious buffalo sauce. Perfect for chicken wings, pulled chicken, buffalo cauliflower, crispy chicken tenders, pizza, or to use as a dip.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiments
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 1
    Calories: 879kcal
    Author: Diana

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup unsalted butter
    • ½ cup Frank's Original Red Hot Sauce
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • ¼ teaspoon salt optional
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper optional

    Instructions

    • This is so simple! Melt butter in the microwave in a small bowl or glass jug (do not overheat, microwave until the butter has just melted)
    • Add the hot sauce, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well combined, and that’s your wing sauce ready to dip!
    • Keep the wing sauce warm, or reheat slightly prior to using.

    Notes

    • It is recommended that you use Frank’s hot sauce, but it can be substituted with any hot sauce and it will work fine.
    • Butter can be substituted with ghee or sunflower oil.
    • The sauce is enough for 3 pounds of chicken wings.
    • If the butter is overheated, it won’t mix very well with the hot sauce. So make sure to heat it until just melted.
    • If you like your sauce really hot, do not add more hot sauce, instead, add half a teaspoon of cayenne powder. Adding more hot sauce will result in a very tangy sauce that is not very pleasant (due to the vinegar).
    • Optional ingredients that you can add: a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon of onion powder. You can also add a clove of garlic to the sauce for a garlicky flavor.
    • Store homemade buffalo sauce in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 month. If it separates, it’s because the butter hardens when it’s chilled. Just reheat it gently prior to use.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 879kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 92g | Saturated Fat: 58g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 4274mg | Potassium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 2839IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make a recipe?Tag @littlesunnykitchen or hashtag it #littlesunnykitchen!

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Previous Post: « Garlic Butter Chicken Tenders
    Next Post: Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Wings »

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    Hello and welcome to Little Sunny Kitchen! I'm Diana and I love cooking with fresh, and seasonal ingredients. I'm a trained chef, food blogger, and photographer. More about me!

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