Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce
Jackie Dodd-Mallory
(Senior Editor)
There are food and activity parings that strongly associate in our minds, food that will always be linked to a specific occasion. Crab cakes remind me of weddings, Ritz Crackers and Cheddar Cheese squares are paired with trips to the river, Chicken Salad Sandwiches are for bridal/baby showers and Buffalo sauce is for sports watchin'. Can you even hear that word and not want to put on a team jersey?
It’s Buffalo season!
If there was ever a season for a sauce, this is it. I can’t say that I am a gigantic sports fan, although I did play Powder Puff football in College, so I do understand the game. What I love is the event. People gathering together, rooting for (or against) a team, fun finger foods, Sunday afternoon comradely. It would seem out of place if their wasn’t at least ONE buffalo food.
So here is a sauce, one that you can probably throw together with stuff from your spice cabinet, allowing you to avoid a trip to the store because you ran out of Franks Red Hot sauce.
Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar (apple cider or white wine vinegar work as well)
- 1 tbs chili powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 1 tbs cornstarch
- 2 tsp canola oil
Yield: About 1/2 cup
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a pot, whisk until well combined. Cook over medium-high heat until just starting to bubble and thicken. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Thin with water or vinegar, if desired.
- Store in an air tight bottle. Keep refrigerated.
*To make chicken wings, toss the finished sauce with melted butter and then coat wings. Sauce will not keep well with butter. Combine with melted butter just prior to using.
Comments
Deanna January 27, 2012 um 1:47 pm
It never occurred to me to make my own buffalo sauce. Brilliant!
hop June 4, 2013 um 2:04 pm
Are they delish
Jessica January 27, 2012 um 1:49 pm
I ran out once and had to go to the store at half time! Bookmarking so THAT never happens again 🙂
Colleen Bierstine January 27, 2012 um 3:42 pm
I’ve got try making this for superbowl weekend! I don’t eat wings (obviously; I’m a vegetarian)but my dad LOVES them, and my mom likes to make homemade ones. This could be the perfect sauce!
triquetrWitch March 8, 2014 um 5:11 pm
OMG!!!!! To true
Nova May 22, 2016 um 4:07 pm
Since the default assumption is that everyone eats meat, yes they fucking *have to*.
dan February 6, 2019 um 4:27 pm
why was it at all relevant in this *fucking context* , the rest of the comment is perfectly valid if you omit that "LOL OBVIOUSLY I’M WOKE AND DON’T EAT WINGS LIKE A SAVAGE"
chinmayie @ love food eat January 27, 2012 um 7:01 pm
THis sauce looks excellent! I will have to try it…
Cassie January 27, 2012 um 7:21 pm
It’s definitely buffalo season. I LOVE THIS!
Ann January 27, 2012 um 9:19 pm
Okay, it’s official! This is the coolest thing EVER! Honey Bunny and I are crazy, CRAZY for wings…I bake them, but I love them!
Maggie @ kitchie coo January 27, 2012 um 9:57 pm
I don’t eat wings, but I suspect this sauce would be good on any chicken. Any sauce that is homemade is right up my alley, yum!
Liz January 28, 2012 um 6:25 am
What a neat idea! I have never thought of making my own wing sauce, but it sounds marvelous!
Kim Bee January 28, 2012 um 1:38 pm
Oh this is wonderful. I gotta try this. But not during football. Cuz that is just so anti-Lunatic. Lol! I played football once, they asked me not to come back cuz I was "too rough". Er, okay. I’m just a wee little girl.
kat January 28, 2012 um 3:39 pm
what a great idea! i love this!
Kristi Rimkus January 29, 2012 um 9:45 am
I like making my own sauces. They’re more affordable, but even better, I know what’s in them. There aren’t ingredients I can’t pronounce.
Kimberly (unrivaledkitch) January 29, 2012 um 11:15 am
Looks fantastic. I love making homemade sauces so you know exactly whats in everything. awesome! thanks for sharing
Sara January 29, 2012 um 3:41 pm
Miss Fits, How many, say, stars would you give this Buffalo sauce of yours? I love that the ingredients I almost always have on hand- HUGE bonus 🙂
Jenn@Baking Jenn’s Blog January 29, 2012 um 7:02 pm
I love this idea!
fatpiginthemarket January 30, 2012 um 7:55 am
Buffalo wing sauce is totally for sports watchin’…I agree! My husband is a devoted Frank’s fan so I have to make this and see if I can win him over to a homemade version.
Bree January 30, 2012 um 9:17 am
Great idea!
claire @ the realistic nutritionist January 30, 2012 um 12:01 pm
I’ve never seen homemade sauce before, this is a great idea! I’m def. making this!
BigFatBaker January 31, 2012 um 9:30 am
What a BAMF!! Playing powder puff would have been fun but I don’t think my school has a team…only rugby. You just became my BF’s new best friend. He will be so happy when I make this, thanks girl!
Jackie January 31, 2012 um 11:26 am
You’re so funny! If you make it, let me know how it turns out and if you made any changes/improvements 🙂
Tiffany January 31, 2012 um 9:42 am
I’m making buffalo tofu for the super bowl! 😀 This sauce looks fantastic! 😀
Jackie February 1, 2012 um 10:06 am
CAN NOT wait to see that post! Sounds fabulous an healthy, just like you 🙂
Lindsey@Lindselicious February 1, 2012 um 5:27 pm
Oooh I never thought to make this myself. YUM!!
sippitysup February 2, 2012 um 9:13 am
I took a much lazier route with my Buffalo Sauce recently and I am soooo bummed. I wished I’d seen this last week. Oh well there is always the future. This will become my new sauce. I can tell it’s perfect. Thanks GREG http://www.sippitysup.com/baked-sweet-potato-fries-buffalo-dipping-sauce
Jackie February 2, 2012 um 9:44 am
Greg, thats so sweet of you to say 🙂 and your sweet potato fries look incredible!
Sara February 2, 2012 um 2:45 pm
I made it! I didn’t have different paprikas so maybe that’s what is a little off for me with the flavor… but still pretty great! Mine looks a lot thicker than yours does in the picture… could I add water without diluting the spices?
Jackie February 2, 2012 um 2:53 pm
Try a little water or vinegar. It’ll dilute the spices a bit, but shouldn’t make a huge difference. Let me know if you make any improvements, I’m open to playing around with the recipe a bit!
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Sara September 9, 2012 um 4:58 pm
I somewhat used this recipe, which was fabulous. I cooked homemade seitan in it.
Any vinegar will work (apple cider vinegar, distilled, red wine, etc.). I didn’t use onion powder or smoked paprika, and it still turned out great. I did add 1 tablespoon of butter, though.
Cree November 16, 2012 um 5:38 am
I tried this recipe, and accidentally used Red Wine Vinegar in place of Rice Wine Vinegar. My sauce came out to be more of a paste, is there a way to fix that?
Jackie November 16, 2012 um 7:06 am
Just thin it with some water. You may have just cooked it too long and actually reduced it to a paste.
Rodge September 16, 2017 um 10:53 am
I realize this is coming in real late, but reducing/omitting the cornstarch would surely reduce the thickness, without needing to dilute with water or vinegar. I’d suggest only adding cornstarch as needed to reach the desired thickness.
Donna November 21, 2012 um 6:06 pm
To coat wings and such, should this be mixed with butter like store bought sauce??
Sounds awesome by the way! Really looking forward to making it 😀
Jackie November 21, 2012 um 7:42 pm
It depends on how you want to make them, but yes adding melted butter for chicken wings is a great way to go.
Christine January 6, 2013 um 9:42 am
This may be wing sauce but it’s not wing sauce from Buffalo. Two essential ingredients are missing…..butter and Frank’s hot sauce!
Sonia February 3, 2013 um 11:04 am
Wanted to make my own instead of the typical store-bought hot sauce. This is perfect. Putting it on our wings tonight for the Superbowl. Thanks!
Lynn, Buffalo NY March 4, 2013 um 1:53 pm
Live in Buffalo, Grew up in Buffalo..never left.
Buffalo wing sauce is just hot sauce and butter. Nothing fancy….more butter more mild…..
Sarah March 12, 2013 um 3:11 pm
I live in Australia so I can’t buy Franks but this looks amazing. Will definitely satisfy my craving for buffalo wings 🙂
Kristine March 17, 2013 um 1:07 pm
If you were to use the whole batch how much butter would you need?
Jackie March 17, 2013 um 1:18 pm
It depends on your personal preference, but I would use about 3 or 4 tbs.
Katie! April 7, 2013 um 5:47 pm
Hi! Thank you for this recipe! It was super tasty! I used white vinegar and apple cider vinegar ~ also thinned it with water (then vinegar when it lost it’s flavor). I hope to perfect the taste – with the water:vinegar ratio – next time I make it, which will be soon! Thank you again!! Awesome recipe!!!
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Brittany July 23, 2013 um 10:21 am
How long does this stay good for in the fridge? We like to use our buffalo sauce for dipping (fries, chicken nuggets, etc).
Jackie July 23, 2013 um 8:47 pm
It’s hard to say. With the vinegar, it should last quite a while. Some people say it’s good until it starts to mold (yuck), but I would probably toss it after a few weeks.
Brook July 28, 2013 um 2:27 pm
Hi! Made it….loved it! I used my Vitamix to get rid of the graininess of all the spices, and used a bit more of the spices, anyway…it’s great! But it made quite a bit and I was wondering how long will it last in the fridge in a tightly sealed glass jar? Thanks!
Buffalo Sauce Chef November 12, 2013 um 11:58 am
What a great recipe! I am on the search for the best buffalo sauce and I was hoping I could post your recipe on my site. Most of the recipes I have found tell you to use some store bought sauce like Franks but I really like how yours is completely from scratch! Even if I can’t repost it, this is one of the top recipes I have seen out there and is so delicious I’m making it again this weekend.
Jackie November 12, 2013 um 12:07 pm
Thanks!
That’s OK with me, as long as you credit me with a link back to the recipe
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josh December 26, 2013 um 7:50 am
Im gonna try this next time we make hot wings … I usually use a store bought sauce but I like to make my own stuff cause the store bought stuff isnt hot enough… I am going to sudstitute the cayenne for my homemade ghostpepper powder…
Dee Dee December 27, 2013 um 3:36 am
Thanks for the recipe! Can’t get Frank’s here in Bulgaria, nor cayenne peppers. Can’t wait to make this tonight!
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Melissa February 12, 2014 um 7:13 pm
I must tell you that I was skeptical of this recipe, but it was the perfect addition to my recipe. I probably would have never made it had a friend not made some taquitos for me that required a hot sauce. Her taquitos were amazing, so I went on the search for a buffalo sauce that I could make and found yours. I didn’t use the sweet paprika because I didn’t have any, and I used avocado oil instead of canola oil. This will be my go to recipe from now on! Thank you!
Lee August 15, 2015 um 4:42 pm
This looks delicious! I like the fact that it doesn’t use any prepared ingredients.
Dan December 1, 2015 um 3:25 pm
Wasn’t quite right so I added a quick shake of tabasco and tbsp ketchup. That helped.
Siggi March 20, 2016 um 5:22 am
Thanks for excellent sauce. I rather want to make my own instead of buying some with unnatural ingredients. That is great.
Chloe December 13, 2017 um 12:15 pm
Definitely making this to compliment my buffalo cauliflower. This recipe is awesome, thanks!