No false promises here – these are seriously crispy Baked Buffalo Wings that are made entirely in the oven! Using a now-world-famous Cooks’ Illustrated technique, the skin is so shatteringly crispy it’s hard to believe they aren’t fried.
Don’t believe me? I don’t blame you! See and hear it for yourself in the recipe video……
Super Crispy BAKED Buffalo Wings!
The great thing about the internet is that there are loads of options for any recipe your heart desires.
The bad thing about the internet is sifting through all those Google search results to find a recipe that actually works as promised and is exactly what you are after.
So here is what I promise you: If you love perfectly seasoned crispy buffalo wings, tossed in a classic spicy, buttery Buffalo Sauce with a tinge of sweetness, and you prefer to avoid the mess and calories of deep frying, this is The One.
These aren’t just “quite crispy but still not like they’ve been deep fried”. These wings are seriously crispy. Read hundreds of testimonials from people who have tried it!
You can’t see how crispy the skin is when I’ve smothered them in that glorious Buffalo Sauce so here’s a photo of them plain, straight out of the oven. And if you have 90 seconds, watch the recipe video below the recipe so you can hear how crispy they are!
The recipe is ridiculously simple, and it’s a genius discovery by the amazing folk over at Cook’s Illustrated who used science to figure out how to make truly crispy wings in the oven.
How to make Ultra Crispy Buffalo Wings in the Oven
The 2 unique steps in this recipe that make all the difference are:
1. baking powder (secret ingredient!) – tossing the wings in baking powder which draws moisture to the surface of the skin and helps make it crispy. Rest assured you can’t taste the baking powder at all; and
2. bake on low then high – usually, the fat under the skin is part of the reason why baked wings don’t get really crispy. In this recipe, we start at a low temp first which melts the fat under the skin, then we crank up the oven which makes the skin super crispy!
What you need for Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings
And here’s a visual for what you need.
1. The crispy baked wings
2. The Buffalo Sauce
That perfect combination of spiciness from Franks hot sauce, buttery goodness and and hint of sweet.
3. Blue Cheese Dip
I know some people aren’t a fan of blue cheese dip – but I’m all in!! In fact, I love blue cheese dip so much, I like to keep mine a bit lumpy so I get little pops of blue cheese. But usually, restaurants serve it completely smooth. Go with what rocks your boat!
Celery?? YES!
Crispy wings + spicy, buttery Buffalo Sauce + earthy, creamy blue cheese dip + fresh, crunchy celery = MAGICAL COMBINATION
I don’t know who discovered it, but they deserve a Nobel Prize. I remember the first time I tried it, I squinted at the celery sticks and thought, “who would bother with them?”. But they work! It’s like the perfect way to reboot your taste buds in between each wing!!
You’ll make a total mess of yourself eating them. It’s just not possible to eat wings elegantly. You’ll get Buffalo Sauce smeared all around your mouth. You’re doing well if your shirt stays clean.
But that’s all part of the Buffalo Wings experience, right?? The dramatic clatter as you toss the naked bones into a bowl. Smack you lips. Suck each finger clean.
Dive in for another.
YES PLEASE. – Nagi x
Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings
Watch how to make it
PUMP UP THE VOLUME so you can hear how crispy they are!!
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Truly Crispy Oven Baked Buffalo Wings
Ingredients
Crispy Baked Wings
- 4 lb / 2kg chicken wings, wingettes & drumettes (Note 1)
- 5 teaspoons baking powder (NOT baking soda / bi-carb soda) (Note 2)
- 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt / cooking salt (not table salt, too fine)
Sauce
- 4 tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt / cooking salt
Blue Cheese Dip
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, softened (I use gorgonzola)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise , preferably whole-egg
- 1 clove small garlic , minced
- 1 – 3 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt / cooking salt
- Black pepper
To Serve
- Celery sticks
- Lots of beer!
Instructions
Crispy Baked Wings
- Dry overnight (optional) – If you plan ahead, lay the wings on a rack on a rimmed baking tray and let them dry uncovered in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, pat them dry with paper towels.
- Preheat the oven to 250°F/120°C (all oven types). Put one oven shelf in the lower quarter of the oven and one in the top quarter.
- Line the tray with foil. Put a rack on the tray then spray the rack with oil.
- Toss wings – Place the wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle over baking powder and salt. Use hands to toss well (or shake in ziplock bag) to coat wings evenly.
- Bake 30 minutes on low temp – Place the wings skin side up on the rack (ok if snug, they shrink). Bake on the lower shelf in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Bake 40 minutes on high – Move the tray up to the higher shelf and turn the oven up to 425°F / 220°C (all oven types). Bake for a further 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. The wings do not need to be turned over. They are ready when dark golden brown and the skin is very crispy.
- Toss in sauce – Transfer the wings into a large bowl. Pour over sauce and toss to coat. (Alternatively, serve wings plain with Buffalo Sauce for dipping).
- Serve immediately with Blue Cheese Dip (for both wings and celery sticks dunking)!
Buffalo Sauce
- Whisk together the Sauce ingredients until the sugar is melted. Keep warm or reheat just prior to using.
Blue Cheese Dip
- Mash the blue cheese with sour cream until smooth (or to your taste).
- Add remaining ingredients and mix well until combined, using milk to get it to the consistency you want. Store in the fridge until required. Remove from the fridge 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes:
* Salt – only a small amount is required, it’s a phenomenon I can’t explain but this small amount perfectly seasons 2kg/4lb of wings using this baking method.
* These shrink when baked because the fat under the skin renders out (melts) which is how these become super crisp. So they can be snug on the rack.
* They are JUICY not dry, despite the long cook time. This is because the first bake at the lower temp barely cooks them, it only melts the fat.
* These bake to a golden brown, not a deep golden brown. You will know they are done because the skin will be lovely and crispy. 5. Source: The recipe for the wings is from Cook’s Illustrated “Meats Book” cookbook. The sauce recipe is my own. 6. To reheat: Allow wings (not tossed in sauce) to cool, then cover and refrigerate. The skin will wrinkle and soften. Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F. Spread wings out on tray, skin side up, and bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until the skin puffs up so the wrinkles smooth out and becomes crisp again. Works 100% perfectly! 7. Make Ahead: These stay crispy for as long as the wings are warm, so around 20 – 30 minutes. The skin stays crispy for around 10 – 15 minutes after tossing in the sauce, then after that they start to soften but not go soggy, up to around 30 minutes. If you reheat after tossing in sauce, they go soggy. 8. Comprehensive FAQ is available in the original Truly Crispy Oven Baked Wings. 9. Nutrition for just plain crispy wings (419 cal) and including the hot sauce (476 cal), both assuming 8 servings. Note that the wings have been adjusted to reflect the amount of fat that is rendered out (I measured the fat I poured off the tray 🙂 ).
Nutrition Information:
Originally posted June 2015. Republished February 2020 with improved video and photos, then updated with tidy ups in 2023. NO CHANGE TO RECIPE. I wouldn’t dare – it’s perfect as is!
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CR says
I never leave reviews but these are friggin fantastic! Made them several times and they’re always nice & crispy, just like they were deep fried. So much better that big chain wings. Thanks!
Nagi says
Glad to hear it CR!! Thanks for leaving a comment – Nx
Paula Provaznik says
How can I substitute chicken legs,?
Nagi says
Hi Paula, you could however they would take longer to cook – N x
Charlene Bennett says
I love this recipe it so easy to follow. I made them the first time for an co workers birthday. Everyone loved them. They could not be live they were backed.. I an fixing more today because my husband asked for them this way not the fried way. Thanks
Nagi says
You won’t turn back now! I’m so glad you love them Charlene ❤️
M Tanguay says
I’ve made both the wings and the blue cheese dip a few times and my family absolutely loves them. I make a homemade honey garlic sauce for half of them and just use Frank’s buffalo wing sauce to coat the other half. Thanks for such a great recipe! It’s one of our favorites.
Nagi says
Sounds awesome!! – N x
Carolyn says
Yummy! And very crisp! Thanks for the recipe!
Nagi says
You’re so welcome Carolyn, I’m so glad you loved them!
Laura says
Since moving back to the American Mid-West I am wing obsessed and these are terrific. It’s so cool that the baking powder does the trick, and the low beginning temp. Genius!
Nagi says
I’m so happy you love them Laura!
Ed says
Would this recipe work if I don’t have a rack and placed the wings directly on a baking sheet?
Nagi says
Hi Ed, it would but I find they may just be sitting in a bit of fat that drains off. Try removing them halfway through baking and draining the tray ☺️
Jon says
Absolutely amazing across the board from taste, consistency and texture (yes, they are truly crispy!). Made them for the superbowl and everyone that eat them couldn’t believe they were not fried.
Nagi says
Wahoo Jon, I’m so glad they were a hit!
Brian says
Made these yesterday for the Super Bowl. Absolutely fantastic! Had one issue with our Frigidaire Galaxy convection oven, however. It has a heating element on the top and the bottom that come on alternately when using the conventional bake method. This was too much direct heat for the wings when placed on the upper shelf. There are two options for using the oven in convention mode “convection bake” and “convection roast”. Convection bake uses both heating elements and results in the same problem. Convection roast, however, only uses the bottom heating element plus the fan, of course. That worked perfectly!
Nagi says
Hi Brian, I’m so glad they worked out for you!
Laurie says
Seriously! These were amazing! Thanks for the recipe
Nagi says
Woot!!! Thanks Laurie!
Emory R. says
I commented awhile back but I’m commenting again because my husband and I still call these our therapy wings! We have two toddlers and another on the way and both LOVE wings, but don’t want to travel out to restaurants for them. These are easily as good if not better. Anytime we’ve had a particularly long day we always treat ourselves to these. Everyone we’ve made them for agrees! Thank you again for that little Friday night treat that makes our hearts and our bellies happy!
Tammie says
Nice’n crispy! Not dry either. Thanks!
John Paul Koczan says
Unbelievable. Really, truly, unbelievable. Maybe the best wings I’ve ever had.
Beth says
These were great! So crispy. It’s a keeper! Thanks Nagi!
Nagi says
I’m glad you loved them Beth!
GaryE says
Great recipe! Saw this recipe last night and made them today for the Super Bowl. today. Absolutely just as you described, crunchy, moist and delicious. These are a hit. So easy to bake them this way. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Steve says
Hi Nagi. Buffalo wings are one my favourite comfort foods. I marinade mine overnight then bake for 45 minutes and are so moist the meat falls of the bone. Mmm, but I am going to try your way. Will let you know. Thank you.
Nagi says
Love to know what you think!
Collee says
I’m slowly cooking my way through your blog – and these were amazing! And I love how they are gluten free so I can make them for my celiac father in law! Thanks!!
Nagi says
That’s awesome Colleen!
Stephanie says
Can frozen wings be used?
Nagi says
Hi Stephanie, just thaw and pat dry to remove any excess liquid ❤️
Jodi says
I love. love this recipe. I love the buffalo wings you find in the US, although I don’t love that they are fried. This recipe is so much better because the wings are not fried.
Nagi says
Thanks so much Jodi!
Sarah says
I LOVED these, they’re so crispy! I cooked them in the morning for a lunch we were hosting and used our convection oven to keep them hot. Then added the sauce just prior to serving. Worked perfectly.
Nagi says
That’s handy to know, I’m so glad they were a hit!
Stel Kim says
So happy to have found your recipe! Your simple instructions have given me confidence to FINALLY try homemade buffalo wings for Superbowl Sunday! Wish me luck!
Nagi says
Hi Stel! You’ll nail it, let me know how they turn out! – N x