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!
Life of Dozer
This is what a Food Coma looks like.
Is it best to use American style mayonnaise or will the Australian version suffice for the blue cheese dressing? I think the two are quite different. Thanks
How do you reheat?
Please see the notes Owen! N x
I found your other “Truly Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings” post while digging through the internet to find a way to make my wings here in Munich. You see, I’m from Buffalo. I needed to share these wings with people. Friends back home had sent me 2 gallon jugs of Frank’s, for that reason.
I will now implicitly trust all of your recipes for 3 reasons:
1. Frank’s as primary hotsauce option.
2. Blue cheese dressing instead of Ranch or any other dressing people try to pair with it.
3. the celery palate cleanser, but no carrots.
Clearly, you’ve done your research.
As we say in Buffalo, if it’s not Frank’s, it’s wrong. Yeah, you can probably get close to the taste if you don’t use Frank’s, but why risk it!? 😉
Personally, I add a bit of Worcestershire sauce and garlic salt to my wing sauce. And even though it is Buffalo sacrilege, on the advice of my Turkish girlfriend, I added some Turkish pepper paste which gives it an extra robust kick which is just awesome.
Best. Validation. EVER. PS Ain’t buffalo wings without blue cheese and celery! The first way I experienced them, the only way I have them. 🙂 And Frank’s for the WIN! PS You have very good friends.
Thanks for the great recipe! Made today and perfect amount of crisp without frying! Also, thanks for the quick tutorial on how to cut the chicken wings, first-timer here! 😊
Planning to make these for New Year’s Eve. I hope they are so good cuz I know these are going to be my go-to wings..I WILL GIVE MORE FEEDBACK TOMORROW
Thanks Nagi for your delicious recipes. I have already tried few of your recipes and they’re all super tasty. Going to make this tomorrow for new year’s eve 😀
Amazing. I just did not think this would work, and I was a naysayer when seeing in CI. Nevertheless, being down one fryer, I gave this a go. Amazing. they were indeed crispy. I hope a tad although a dream healthier. Crispy. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it Beth, thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
I just cooked these and they came out perfect I didnt use a rack either nor were they greasy. Thanks for the recipe. Ill be using it again very soon!
That’s so great to hear Debra! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
Soooo good! Made them last night and didn’t tell my boyfriend that they were anything special and he said “these have the perfect amount of crisp!” Win. New easy go to meal! Thank you!
These came out brown and crispy. I followed the recipe except made less. These are really good but my only comment is follow the baking measurement exactly because I think I may have used a little too much. I could taste it somewhat. Next time I make these, they will be perfect.
Hi Cindy! Yep you’re absolutely right, you do need to follow measurements for this one! 🙂 N x
I meant follow the baking powder measurement because I used too much and could taste it. And I didn’t refrigerate to dry them out. I used paper towels and they came out crispy.
Didn’t refrigerate overnight but they came out great and crisp. Great recipe. Great wings and i NEVER leave comments
WHOOT WHOOT!!! 🙌🏻
This recipe is very delicious. I am so happy cooking this week. Thanks for sharing this recipes.
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Robert!! Thanks for letting me know – N x
I don’t usually comment on recipes, but I’ve made a ton of wings at home in many different ways and I have to say that these are the best I’ve ever had. I can’t comment on the sauce, because I made my own garlic buffalo, but the cooking method is perfection. Using the first 30 minutes to dehydrate the wings is genius. Thanks for he awesome recipe!
That’s terrific to hear Steve! So glad you enjoyed this, thank you for letting me know! N x
Hi can you do this without a rack ?
Yep, please see the recipe notes! 🙂 N x
I call these our Therapy Wings, because if we’re having a rough day they’re SO good it instantly puts us in a great mood! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
I LOVE HEARING THAT!! N x
Made these last weekend. This is the only wing recipe I’ll be using from now on. Soooooo crispy and tasty. Yum yum yum, I can’t say yum enough.
Thanks
I’m so pleased you love these too Jodi!!! Thanks for letting me know! N xx
What if you don’t have baking powder?
Sorry April, won’t work as well!
hi, I think you could definitely use flour if you don’t have baking powder – in fact, many recipes do just that!
Oh yea…. This works.. Also works with chicken thighs with old bay crab seasoning.. I know crabs? Yep. Oh two words for great chicken… Meat thermometer. Folks tend to over cook because they dont want to get sick. If you are not a professional and you go by sight only… More than likely you over cooked them. Drain the fat.. Dont cook in the fat and the skins like a potatoe chip.
I’m pleased you enjoyed it Martin, thanks for letting me know! N x
Hello Nagi. I do enjoy your recipes and they usually work out great. I have made this recipe several times and I am sorry to say that it doesn’t work for me. The baking powder does not cook out and leaves a mealy texture and the wings turn out dry from the long cooking time. I think a mix of flour and baking powder or soda is worth a try – or skip the coating completely. Your sauce is good but in North America we go for the burn and so to 2/3 c of Frank’s hot sauce, you only add 2 T. of butter and 1 T. of lemon juice to ramp up the acidity and give it a tang. No sugar, please! When I lived in Australia most of my Australian friends would not enjoy eating wings with this much fire, though. I am pleased that you used Frank’s which is so distinctive that there is no substitute.
Franks is sold at Woolies and Coles now!!! I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this, did you toss the wings really well so the baking powder lightly dusts the skin?? N xx
For my first time ever making chicken wings at home, gotta say I LOVE this recipe! Tasted just as good as eating out, and was a nice little surprise for my fiance after a long day at work. 10/10. As a grad student, I’ve eaten my fair share of take-out, but this recipe renewed my faith in eating a home cooked meal. Thanks Nagi for “spicing” up our late date night 😉
That’s so wonderful to hear!! Thanks for letting me know Jen – N x ❤️