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!!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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!
Life of Dozer
This is what a Food Coma looks like.
Gloria says
I just fixed these wings & yes they do turn out like fried. It is amazing. The buffalo sauce is delicious.
A great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Nagi says
WOO HOO! So glad you enjoyed it Gloria, THANK YOU for letting me know! N x
Dustin says
Amazing recipe, I just ate my finished result and very happy with it. Bookmarked:)
Nagi says
Thanks Dustin! So glad you enjoyed it!❤️
Kenneth Darner says
Im cooking these as we speak. If i double the amount of wings should i double the cook time?
Nagi says
Hi Kenneth! To double this and cook it all at the same time, I presume you have a large commercial oven? Because they need to be on the same rack at the same time – i.e. recipe requires 30 minutes on the low rack at lower temp, then 40 min on the high rack at high temp. So if you double the recipe, all the wings need to be on the same rack at the same time. And the cook time will be the same, assuming you are using a commercial oven large enough to fit two trays on each rack!
Scotty says
I’ve made these several times now and by far this is the best recipe for crispy chicken wings and Frank’s sauce is stunning, love these very moreish!
Cheers Nagi
Nagi says
Awww, thanks so much Scotty! I’m pretty in love with this recipe too….I’ve honestly lost count of how many times I’ve made this!!!
Kenneth Darner says
Do you think i would have to double cook time if i do double the wings?
Nagi says
Hi Kenneth! I answered your question below ⬇️ 🙂
Ron says
Hi! I am making this tonight and I wonder if I could just use a rectangular glass baking dish when baking the
Ron says
Sorry, I accidentally hit the post button before completing my question. Anyway, is it okay to use the regular glass baking dish when baking the wings? My wire rack is already soiled and have yet to purchase a new one.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Ron – sorry, don’t think a glass baking dish is suited 🙁 Even without a rack, it’s best made on a baking tray. Need the space and no high walls to help the heat circulate!
Leenah says
Just wondering if I have the portioning correct for this recipe. 4 lbs wings that are each cut into 2 edible sections equals about 30 pieces total. Divided by 8 servings equals about 3-4 pieces per serving. Is this right? I’ve found “a wing” is not easy to quantify at least not via google because it could mean a full wing that was baked or roasted or fried or these sectioned wings as in the recipe. I’d tried to figure out nutrition info in the past on wings like this but was a bit flummoxed.
At any rate, we tried this and it was very good. They’d be good with lots of different dipping or tossing sauces. Next we’ll try your Honey Soy sauce, sounds great.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Leenah! About 30 pieces sounds right to me, so yes, about 4 pieces per person 🙂 I know it’s difficult to quantify wings which is why I do this recipe by weight because wings differ in size so much! So my nutrition is based on the weight of wings used. 🙂
Christi says
First time ever making hot wings. Wanted a baked recipe. The wings are better than I thought being baked. Will definitely always make hot wings now with this recipe! Great recipe!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Christi! So glad you enjoyed this!!
Tina says
This recipe looks great & I look forward to eating delicious, crispy chicken! I will use low temp & then high temp baking method – but how do the cooking times change (differ) for making drumsticks aka chicken legs? Thanks- Tina
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Tina! The cook time is around the same 🙂 Although please note drumsticks don’t have as much skin so it won’t be as crispy!
Terry says
I’m planning on making these and was wondering if you cut the wings up before baking. It doesn’t say so in the recipe but the pictures look like they are.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Terry! Pleas foll
Terry says
Um, your answer seems to be incomplete.
Yumiko Maehashi says
Hi Terry, I think what Nagi was meant to say is to please follow Truly Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings with Honey Garlic Sauce recipe. It says cut into wingettes and drumettes (tips discarded).
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks mum! 🙂 Sorry Terry, I was out in the country with intermittent internet access, cut out on me mid reply!
Zach says
What happens if you have larger wings and used much more baking powder? Will too much baking powder affect the taste, or make it burn when getting to the higher shelf of oven?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Zach! It’s based on wings weight not size. So please follow the recipe!
Sandi says
I’m making these for the Super Bowl tonight. The wings I bought are still whole…not sectioned (drumettes/flats) and still with the pointy wing tips…yet. Do I use kitchen shears to cut the tips off and then also cut at the joint before drying with the paper towels, or is there a better way to do them?
Thanks!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi there! Yup, cut them up 🙂 have a look at the video to see how to do it!
John says
Love the recipe ! but am I to assume the salt amount is for sea salt ? I found using normal table salt a little overpowering . I will cut it in half next time .
Nagi | RecipeTin says
So glad you enjoyed it John!!!
Corey says
I have a question about the cooking temperature. The wings I’ll be using are fairly small. Isn’t the cooking time excessive for chicken wings? I bake entire chicken pieces (thighs, etc.) in less time than prescribed here. I’ve seen the same temperature/duration recommended in other chicken wing recipes – I’m just wondering if most people are using larger wings. I’d hate to end up with dried out overdone wings.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Corey – I know the cook time looks long, trust me, it works!! If you are using fairly small wings, they will cook faster so just take them out when golden and crispy!! 🙂 Extra small wings take me around 35 minutes at the high temp (same low temp time, that step is key!)
Melody says
I’m making chicken wings for the first time and I don’t know if they should be thawed or frozen.. Anyone know what is the best option for this recipe?? Thanks in advance!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Melody! Please thaw them 🙂
Melody says
Thank you!
Dave P says
They look very crispy but are they tender and juicy in the inside? Seems to me at that high temp and the amount of time in the oven they would be dry
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Dave! Yes they are tender and juicy inside. The fat bastes it as it melts and the skin protects it from drying out!
Dave P says
Well I tried these today and they were fantastic. Gonna get the cook book for sure Could not believe how crispy and juicy they were. I did a sauce with butter, garlic, onion salt, black pepper then sprinkled parmesan cheese on top. Oh man, finger licking good. Thanks for this recipe. Gonna order the cookbook
Nagi | RecipeTin says
YEE HA!! Glad you approved Dave, THANK YOU!!!
Kirsty says
Thank you! This was exactly what we were looking for in a wings recipe. Count us in your fan club/faithful followers.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
I’m SO GLAD you liked it Kirsty!! 🙂 N x
Claude says
Just wondering, those nutritional boxes both say PER SERVING, but they do not describe what a “serving” is. Is that PER WING?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Claude! nope, it’s for about 5 pieces, 8oz/250g in total 🙂 The whole recipe calls for 2lb/2kg of wings which I think is enough for 8, so the nutrition is per serving. 🙂
Cindy says
I have a bag of wings in my freezer. Can I thaw them and use your recipe? Or should I buy fresh? I cannot wait to try this!!!!
Nicole McPherson says
Hello there! I made these wings without any sauce a few weeks ago and my friends and I absolutely loved them. Tomorrow I am making 40 lbs of wings to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Unit in the nursing facility I work in and am deff using this method. Going to serve plain, buffalo, garlic Parmesan, and honey mustard.
Lol I am kind of nervous because I have never made so many wings at once before and I am also hoping everyone enjoys them as much I did! ( They would be silly not to ?) Anywho congratulations on your cookbook and thank you for posting these wonderful wings, I shall let you know how my fundraiser turns out! Much love.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Nicole! I’m so sorry for the late response. What an amazing cause – and you are just a DOLL for making 40lb of wings….Wowzer. 40 pounds?? OHY MY GOSH!
Nicole McPherson says
You would be amazed to find out that we sold out of the 40 lbs in a ridiculous short amount of time and then had to go out and get another 40 lbs. There was a blizzard that day going down in Rhode Island USA haha.
So much of a success that people have been asking if we can have a wing day once a month! <3
Nagi | RecipeTin says
NO WAY!!! That’s so fantastic Nicole! So it sounds like it was a HUGE success – congratulations!!!
Patrick Walsh says
Nicole… That’s a lot of wings and, hey, if they don’t like ’em, MORE LEFTOVERS for you! I’m taking a swing at these on Sunday for the Superbowl here in the US.
Nicole McPherson says
They all went and so fast!! I hope you had a great Super Bowl get together.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
I’m so glad Nicole! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Lydia says
Hello, hoping to make these soon. What store can I buy wings to make from?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Lydia! Any store that sells chicken wings will be fine!