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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I have made these wings a dozen times now and am spoiled for any other wings! I wonder if the baking powder trick would work for cauliflower instead of chicken?
This was my first time making wings, everyone thought I would not make them very good. Well, they loved them!!!
You show them!! N x
These wings get raves from everyone who eats them. They are THE BEST!!
I’m doing these for Thanksgiving/football game! So much fun. Thanks!
Who are you? Where did you come from and what do you want? You can have it ALL because this recipe was the ABSOLUTE best. I followed the chicken recipe exactly (exception: added a lil garlic salt to the baking powder) and they came out so crispy and perfect. My son and I were amazed. I will try to make the sauce next time (Frank’s has a bottled buffalo sauce and it was perfect). Thank you!!
I didn’t make the sauce, but I followed the recipe for the wings. Normally my wings have a hint of wet dog about them but these were shockingly good and crispy (as promised). This recipe is definitely a keeper.
The best crunchy wings! Franks is always great, and your blue cheese dressing recipe is better than any high priced dressing. These are up there with Buffalo NY wings! (Anchor bar) a go to for sure!! Thank you!
Oh my goodness this buffalo sauce is to die for! I tasted and added another 1/2 tbsp brown sugar (adjust to your own liking), and I could not believe how wonderful it was! I’ve been a lurker and an avid fan of all of your recipes Nagi, but I absolutely had to comment how wonderful this turned out. Massive fan, also from near Melbourne australia.
Jay I am also from Australia and must know, what do we call baking powder over here? I have bought every type and am too afraid to ruin them…please help! 🥺
Search for: Mckenzie’s Gluten Free Baking Powder. It has a turquoise label. Good luck!
Okay, I haven’t even made this yet but it’s gonna be my go-to for this weekend. Looks perfect! Question though, how can I make them spicier without ruining the flavor?
Normally we dont like skin on the wings, so the ones I have at home are without the skin! so should I cook lesser time? or is it still the same baking time without the skin?
Hi Nagi, I’ve made this three times so far and the wings turn out great, thanks so much. The first time I forgot to rotate “the tray halfway through” the 40 minute-cook at 220°C and they turned out fine. Can you please say what this step is meant to do? Am I missing something? P.S. My wife loves me cooking this recipe, too.
Hi Ted – It’s really more about your oven…obviously you have an oven that heats quite evenly. Turning the tray ensures even cooking if your oven is a bit dodgy like mine is sometimes! N x
Thanks Nagi, yes our fan-forced oven is pretty good 🙂 Cheers
Can I use seasoning in with the baking powder and salt or do I leave it till the end?
Are you adding a seasoning other than salt? N x
I really wanted to add a double smoked seasoning to it aswell!
Hi Nagi! I would like to know if I can use an air fryer?
I haven’t tested that yet! N x
After reading all the comments, I decided to try this recipe. I followed the instructions perfectly as per the recipe, but my chicken dried out. It was like a dry chewy texture in the mouth. I must have done something wrong as everyone else seem to have great success.
Try again and let me know how it goes! N x
Hey Nagi! We LOVE these in our household! Do you think the recipe work with chicken ribs?
These look amazing! Is it necessary to use wings/drums or could I make a boneless version using tenders?
Awesome recipe and directions. I actually took them out after 40 minutes at 425 but wish I hadn’t. They were great but would have been perfect with at least another 5 minutes. They recommend 40 to 50 minutes. Don’t be afraid that you’re drying them out like I did. They were super tender and fell of the bone.
Haven’t had wings this good since we stopped at Lou Malnarti’s in Chicago 3 years ago. Perfect for AFL GF day
Wahoo!!! N x
Will my wings get dry if I leave it in the oven at the lowest temperature (179 degrees)? I just want to keep it warm till my guests arrive.
Hi Jhoana, depends how long they are left in there sorry – they may dry out if left too long. N x
Great recipe for perfect baked wings. Thanks for sharing. I used my convection setting and store bought sauce. Wings were not dry to me, but I do prefer that most fat is rendered out of my wings.
Nagi,
You are my hero.
Nagi these look amazing and I want to make them, but I want to make the sauce as well. Do you have ideas for a hot sauce recipe please?
Hi Toby, are you wanting to make one like franks hot sauce? N x
Anything that you think would be good that would allow me to smother the wings and is nice and spicy!