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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Greg says
Tried this technique for the wings and they turned out perfectly. I didn’t have time to dry them overnight so I used a paper towel. I will only use this again.
Still need to try the sauce!
Nagi says
That’s great to hear Greg! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x ❤️
Ldogg says
Also terrific photography/videography on those wingz.
Ldogg says
Greetings from Apex NC. Fabulous recipe Nagi, my wife and 2 sons were truly thrilled at how good these wings came out. I kept theirs mild while I cranked up the heat. I used fresh crumpled blue cheese and Texas Pete’s. What a marriage of flavors! We’ll have these bi-weekly indeed. 🐔
S Schwegler says
Nagi, thank you so much for all the delicious recipes you share with us all, I have tried a few and they all were of great
Success. I am so grateful for coming across your website. I will definitely continue to try out your recipes in the future. Thanks once again.
Christina W. says
Hi Nagi, My family and I are so happy I found your food blog. This recipe was a huge winner in our house. We are very health conscious, but enjoy indulging ourselves in scrumptious eats. This recipe fit both those needs. Thank you!
FYI I did notice that the bottoms were a little soggy, so I flipped them and added them for an additional 5 minutes. It seemed to help a bit.
Terry says
Followed recipe to the T. One of the best meals ever. Had been craving them since having them in Canada. Thanks, Nagi. Saved my Mother’s day. It was a hit. Simple recipe with minimum ingredients.
Carson says
So the wings are crisping up, but seem to be getting a little black on top. Is this a problem with my older oven, the butter alternative that I used, or too hi of a temperature?
Greg says
The recipe definitely says to spray the rack before putting on the wings. You don’t add oil to the wings.
Nagi says
Butter alternative???? 🙊
Tarry Hewitt says
Yes, these ARE the best! Have tried a lot of different Buffalo wing recipes over the years, but this is a very easy, no fail
formula. Love, love, love them!
P.S. I use Uncle Frank’s Hot Sauce.
Nagi says
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this Tarry!!! Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂 N x
Jerome says
can i use franks buffalo wing sauce instead of franks red hot sauce?
Nagi says
You sure can Jerome!
DC says
Wow, perfect crispy wings! Thank you for sharing your recipe, Nag!
Nagi says
You’re so welcome DC! N xx
Tom L says
The best chicken wing recipe ever! I can’t believe how crispy these turned out – brings back memories of the delicious deep-fried American versions – but without the guilt or calories!
Nagi says
So pleased to hear that Tom! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 N x
Devo K says
I had purchased pre-sauced wings so couldn’t follow this recipe exactly, but did follow the cooking method exactly and they turned our perfect! will cook them like this every time! I think placing them on a rack is crucial. I also made the blue cheese dip, but it came out quite runny, (though very tasty) and never added the milk, so will follow a tried and true recipe the next time.
Tania says
What if I don’t have a rack to put them on top? Will they not be as crispy ?
Nagi says
Hi Tania! Yep they sure are, it is just that the parts touching the tray (and no, it’s not the entire underside) end up sitting in oil so it’s better to elevate. 🙂 But still super crispy! N x
Mike says
Hi, Nagi.
Quick question… What does moving the chicken from the lower rack to upper rack do? I ask because I’m considering making two batches at once, using both racks at the same time. But if this shortcut method messes things up, I’ll just stick with switching racks as you recommend and do them in separate batches.
Nagi says
Hi Mike! It’s hotter right at the top of the oven 🙂 So moving it up ensures maximum heat for maximum crispiness!
MJ says
This recipe was fantastic! I followed to a t except I added paprika to the baking powder and salt which added a bit of the red colour. They were crispy and the sauce on top YUM even though it was so simple. The blue cheese dip was also fantastic. Thanks! Great tip about the sauce at woolies very easy to find.
Nagi says
LOVE HEARING THAT MJ! N x ❤️
Panna says
I made buffalo wings for the first time by using this recipe and they were really amazing. But for some reason my entire mouth felt really raw and chafed from the first bite. I wonder if it’s from the baking powder or the sauce..
Nagi says
Hi Panna – how odd! I’ve honestly never heard that before! Can you liken the feeling to something else I might be able to relate to?? 🙂 N xx
Aizza says
What a great recipe!
I was looking to make a big batch of these for a party so I wanted to make full use of the oven. In my test run I had a tray in the top rack and bottom rack at the same time and they still turned out crispy. My husband was so impressed we ate 1kg in one sitting.
The next day we reheated the next kg as per the instructions. Still got the crispiness, but the fresh batch was still a little bit better.
It was a little bit salty for me so might decrease the amount of salt or is the saltiness in the baking powder? What is the main purpose in baking powder here? I haven’t really used it in this way (non baking) before.
Nagi says
Hi Aizza! The baking powder is the secret to the crispy wings! The saltiness is only from the salt which is actually a tiny amount for such a giant mound of wings!! But if you want, just reduce the salt 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it! N x
Alexandra says
Last year, my husband and I had a “wing” competition at home. He didn’t believe that wings could come out crispy for oven baking. And my experience told me the same, but I had faith in this method and recipe. He did a flour based coating and fried the wings. The competition result, theseboven baked wings are now our household’s standard/method for wings!!
Nagi says
LOVE hearing that Alexandra!!! So glad you enjoyed it! N x
Dean says
Very very good, but a little too salty. Do I need to use salt in the baking powder?
Nagi says
Hi Dean! I’m a little confused – what do you mean the salt IN the baking powder?? There’s only 3/4 tsp salt for the wings 🙂
Lizzy says
Hi there, I read all of the comments before giving this a go, and I’m glad I did! The recipe reads 3/4 teaspoons salt, rather than 3/4 teaspoon, so it may sound to some like 3-4 teaspoons which may account for the slight saltiness some have experienced? My first wings are in the oven now, super excited! I will let you know how they turn out 🙂 X
Karen says
Mine are in the oven as I type! They smell so good! I just realized I forgot to spray the rack, though. I hope they don’t stick! Thanks for this recipe. I can tell they’re going to be crispy. Kids weren’t crazy about the soggy ones I’ve produced. Something tells me we are going to have Buffalo Wings a lot more around here!
Nagi says
Hi Karen! Use a spatula if they are a bit stuck to the rack, don’t want to lose any of that crispy skin! 😂