Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce Recipe
My friends, Super Bowl Sunday is almost upon us.
And for me the best part of the Super Bowl isn’t the football.
It’s not the halftime show or even the fun commercials.
Oh no! It’s actually the spread of finger foods, dips, and appetizers.
Especially the Buffalo Chicken Hot Wings.
And those wings wouldn’t be complete without a spicy and bold buffalo wing sauce to douse or dip them in. (And then lick off of your fingers after you’re done munching!)
Thankfully, the best homemade buffalo sauce recipe with a spicy kick is super simple to whip up.
Table of Contents
What is Buffalo Sauce?
Classic Buffalo Wing Sauce is not just bottled hot sauce. To get a delicious and creamy sauce, the main ingredients you need are hot sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot Sauce) and butter. These are sometimes mixed with other things you can easily find at the grocery store, like white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, or garlic. But store-bought sauce can have a lot of additives.
While you can go crazy and add in a ton of different ingredients, the easy homemade version you’ll find here is a great basic recipe without a lot of extras. You’ll only need 4 ingredients with an optional fifth. That’s it!
Ingredients
- Butter. Melting the butter will make it easier to whisk the ingredients together. If you are vegan, use a vegan butter substitute. You can also swap it out for olive oil. It doesn’t get as creamy, but it will still give you that rich taste and luxurious mouth feel.
- Hot sauce. You want to select your favorite hot sauce for this recipe. Frank’s RedHot Sauce is the classic hot sauce used in most homemade wing sauce recipes. You can also use the Buffalo flavor if you prefer a little less spice. Crystal Hot Sauce is a Louisiana-style hot sauce with a brighter, sweeter taste than the others. Sriracha sauce is perfect for an Asian-style wing. Be aware that it is a bit spicier and sweeter than the other ones mentioned. The spice level will depend on the hot sauce you choose.
- Garlic. A little bit of garlic goes a long way to add even more flavor. Don’t want to use fresh garlic? Substitute ½ teaspoon of dried garlic powder instead.
- Salt. Yet again, you only need a little. Most hot sauces are a bit salty so make sure you taste between each small addition. Also, if you use unsalted butter you may need to sprinkle in a little extra.
- Honey. This is totally optional and it tastes great with or without it. But if you don’t mind a few extra carbs, the floral sweetness really helps to balance out the spicy flavors. You can also mix in agave nectar or pure maple syrup, if vegan.
How to Make Buffalo Wing Sauce?
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
1. Combine Ingredients
Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until it is melted. This will make it easier to mix in with the other ingredients.
Measure the hot sauce, garlic, salt, and honey, if using, into the bowl with the melted butter.
Mix together until smooth. A whisk will ensure everything disperses evenly.
2. Use the Sauce
This recipe makes enough to coat up to 3 pounds of wings or meatballs.
Use in recipes like Buffalo Chicken Wings, Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, or Buffalo Cauliflower Wings.
FAQS
Buffalo sauce and wing sauce are two terms for the same condiment. They are a mixture of hot sauce, butter, and sometimes vinegar and seasonings.
The classic pairing for buffalo wings is carrots and celery sticks, along with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping. You can also serve them with more appetizers, a crisp salad, or french fries.
Buffalo sauce normally has a medium heat level, about a 5 out of 10. You can make it more mild by choosing a mild hot sauce, or using less in the recipe. For a spicier flavor, add in a dash of cayenne pepper.
Ways to Use Buffalo Sauce
Try this spicy sauce on a few of these easy recipes.
Keep if healthy with Homemade Buffalo Cauliflower Bites or Buffalo Chicken Celery Sticks.
Both Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Meatballs and Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip are hands-off recipes, perfect for a party.
Everyone loves Buffalo Baked Chicken Wings.
More Homemade Super Bowl Recipes
There are so many different recipes that are perfect for game day, from crispy wings to dips. Try any of these favorite recipes next time you’re watching a game.
- Pigs in a Blanket
- Black Bean and Corn Salsa
- Ranch Pretzels
- Loaded Potato Skins
- Smoked Salmon Dip
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings
- Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Check out these Super Bowl Recipes
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Ingredients
- ½ cup hot sauce such as Frank’s Original
- 6 Tbsp. butter melted
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 Tbsp. honey optional
- ¼ tsp. salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl whisk together ingredients until smooth.½ cup hot sauce, 6 Tbsp. butter, 1 clove garlic, 1 Tbsp. honey, ¼ tsp. salt
- Use or Store: Store buffalo sauce for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use in your favorite Buffalo Chicken Wings, Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, or Buffalo Cauliflower Wings recipes.
- This recipe makes enough sauce for 3 pounds of wings or meatballs.
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Notes
- Recipe yields 1 cup of sauce.
- Nutritional information is for 1 tablespoon of sauce and is calculated without honey.
- A vegan butter substitute can be used to make this recipe dairy-free and vegan.
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder can be substituted for the fresh garlic.
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- Pick your favorite. Choose a hot sauce you love the flavor of since it makes up the majority of the sauce!
- Adjust to taste. Sprinkle in just a little salt at a time until you reach your desired results.
- Heat it up. Melted butter mixes with the other ingredients better than softened.
- Add more kick. Mix in cayenne pepper for an extra spicy sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What did you do to make yours thicken? I made it just like you said and it’s runny!
Hi Kathy! It should begin to thicken up once the butter cools slightly. Hope you saw that on your end 🙂