Honey Buffalo Hot Wings and Classic Buffalo Wings (Video!)

The only Hot Wings recipe you will ever need!

These aren’t just any hot wings.  These hot wings are coated in a flavorful rub then smothered in a perfect marriage of honey, molasses and honey hot wings sauce AKA the best Buffalo wings ever!   If you’re looking or traditional Hot wings, I’ve also included that recipe too with the same life changing rub!  These hot wings will fly off the plate – almost literally.  

HOT WINGS VIDEO

HOT WINGS

Usually I am a pretty decisive person.  Whenever I was going on a date in college, my  roommate would tease me “you’ll know tonight”- meaning I wouldn’t waste his or my time with a second date if I didn’t think it was going anywhere.  I had a lot of first and last dates.

When it comes to food, I am also usually pretty decisive.  But when it comes to which variation of hot sauce concoction to smother your hot wings with (traditional hot sauce, honey hot sauce, or a combo of the two) I am really indecisive.

In this case of win-win-win sauces to make the best hot wings, I just couldn’t bring myself to pick which sauce I liked best – or thought you would like best – it would be like choosing your favorite child – they are all special and different.  So I’ve included three variations of hot sauces that you can choose from depending on your mood and you can start with the Buffalo Honey Hot Wings if you are indecisive.  But the great news is, you can’t go wrong with any of the sauces, especially when the wings themselves are to live for smothered in the tantalizing rub.

So I guess the real question is, not what sauce you will pick, but rather, Are you ready for the BEST Buffalo Wings – ever?!!!  As in even better than any “wings” place you have ever been to?  And easy enough that you will never be tempted to buy hot wings again?  In fact, when Patrick and I went out on a double date to a wings joint, we both left feeling completely cheated.  Cheated we had spent our hard earned money on wings that may be good by the world’s standards but mediocre compared to the standard of  these Buffalo Hot Wings.  Its a high standard.

How do you make homemade hot wings?

These hot wings are layered in spices, crispy on the outside yet juicy on the inside and smothered in hot sauce or honey hot sauce.   They are restaurant (or better!) delicious but you will be AMAZED at just how easy these buffalo wings are to make!

First, rinse and pat the wings dry, this will help make your wings extra crispy.  Then comes the magic…

Whisk together all of the rub ingredients of chili powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, etc. and baking powder to make them crispy.

You won’t be able to taste the baking powder but in simplified terms it helps draw moisture to the surface of the skin where it evaporates, breaks down proteins within the skin and accelerates the browning process resulting in crispy, baked hot wings.

To achieve this finger licking goodness, all you do is line your pan (for easy clean up), add your wings to a bag to shake with the spices and bake until crispy.

Then you toss in your simple sauce of a little butter, honey, molasses and hot sauce.

So every crispy hot wing is smothered in tangy sweet buffalo hotness.

These buffalo wings are so good, I was eating them at every stage – baked with only the rub, baked with the rub and smothered in sauce and then baked with the rub, smothered in sauce then dipped in blue cheese sauce.  If I didn’t have pictures I would have lost count of how many wings this recipe makes!  In addition to their delish factor, these buffalo wings make the perfect appetizer for any occasion (like New Year’s coming up!) because all of the prep can be done beforehand and because everyone loves crispy smothered chicken that you get to dip and dip and dip…

How Wings Sauce

Now for a little breakdown of the 3 sauces:

1.  Traditional Buffalo Hot Wings Sauce tastes like traditional hot wings flavor by combining hot sauce, molasses and butter – traditional and amazing.

2.  Buffalo Honey Hot Wings Sauce (pictured in this post) is a balance of honey and hot sauce for the sweet and spicy combination I adore.  This sauce also uses molasses and butter but the primary ingredient is honey which is then spiced with hot WINGS sauce instead of regular hot sauce – which is much spicier than traditional hot sauce allowing you to use less of it and can keep honey as the main ingredient.  You can adjust the heat to your liking.

3.  Buffalo Mild Honey Hot Wings Sauce is a fusion of the above two recipes with a hint of sticky honey and a slightly milder heat due to the addition of honey and the use of original hot sauce (NOT hot wings sauce). If you still want a hint of honey but like hotter wings, add some Hot Wings Sauce to spice them up (but only add the hot wings sauce if you like HOT).

Can you see my indecisiveness?  I just had to share all the sauces because they are each lip smacking delicious depending on what you are looking for.  And I’m sure you will find what you are looking for.  And more, much more.  With one bite, you’ll “know tonight” these hot wings were meant for you.

Print Recipe

Buffalo Honey Hot Wings and Traditional Buffalo Hot Wings

These hot wings are coated in a flavorful rub then smothered in a perfect marriage of honey, molasses and honey hot wings sauce AKA the best Buffalo wings ever!   If you're looking or traditional Hot wings, I've also included that recipe too with the same life changing rub!  These hot wings will fly off the plate - almost literally.  

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Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

60 minutes

Servings

chicken wings

Ingredients

• 24 chicken wings with skin rinsed and patted dry (approx 3 pounds)

Rub

• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground celery seed

Traditional Buffalo Hot Wings Sauce

• (Hot sauce unites with a touch of molasses for the traditional hot wings flavor)
• 2/3 cup Frank's ORIGINAL Hot Sauce (NOT hot wings sauce) mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 tablespoon butter

Buffalo Honey Hot Wings Sauce

• (Honey is the dominant ingredient in this sauce for sticky hot wings while still being hot by using Hot WINGS sauce)
• 2-3 tablespoons Frank's Hot WINGS Sauce (NOT original hot sauce like above) mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons molasses

Buffalo Mild Honey Hot Wings

• 2/3 cup Frank's ORIGINAL Hot Sauce (NOT hot wings sauce) mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1-3 teaspoons Hot Wings Sauce (Optional for hotter wings)

Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 60 minutes Servings chicken wings Ingredients 24 chicken wings with skin rinsed and patted dry (approx 3 pounds) Rub 2 tablespoons baking powder 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons black pepper 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons onion powder 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground celery seed Traditional Buffalo Hot Wings Sauce (Hot sauce unites with a touch of molasses for the traditional hot wings flavor) 2/3 cup Frank's ORIGINAL Hot Sauce (NOT hot wings sauce) mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon molasses 1 tablespoon butter Buffalo Honey Hot Wings Sauce (Honey is the dominant ingredient in this sauce for sticky hot wings while still being hot by using Hot WINGS sauce) 2-3 tablespoons Frank's Hot WINGS Sauce (NOT original hot sauce like above) mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/2 cup honey 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoons molasses Buffalo Mild Honey Hot Wings 2/3 cup Frank's ORIGINAL Hot Sauce (NOT hot wings sauce) mixed with 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/4 cup honey 1 tablespoon molasses 1 tablespoon butter 1-3 teaspoons Hot Wings Sauce (Optional for hotter wings)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Top baking sheet with baking rack/oven proof cooling rack and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together Rub Ingredients. Add half of the Rub to a large freezer bag. Add half of the wings and shake until coated evenly. Line wings on prepared baking rack so they are not touching. Add remaining Rub ingredients and wings to freezer bag and repeat.
3. Bake on upper middle rack for 45-50 minutes. Move oven rack approximately 6-8" from broiler and broil to desired crispiness, watching closely so they don't burn. Flip chicken wings over and broil the other side until crispy.
4. The prep for all of the sauces is the same. **While wings are cooling, melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer until slightly thickened, approximately 3-5 minutes. Taste and add additional hot sauce for spicier sauces/more honey for sweeter.
5. When chicken is done, add to a large bowl and pour over sauce. Gently toss wings with a spatula until evenly coated.
6. Serve with desired Blue Cheese/ Ranch Dip, etc. dip
7. Dig in!

Recipe Notes

Start with the Buffalo Honey Hot Wings if you aren't sure what to try first 🙂
**You don't want to make the sauce in advance or it will become too thick.
***See BELOW for more delicious recipes to use up your bottle of Frank's Hot WINGS sauce.

Carlsbad Cravings Original

Other delicious uses for your bottle of Frank’s Hot Wing’s Sauce:

Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Meatballs (Slow Cooker)

Baked Buffalo Popcorn Chicken with Creamy Honey Buffalo Dip

Smothered Buffalo Chicken Burritos

Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Salsa Chicken (Slow Cooker)

15 Minute Beefy Buffalo Mac & Cheese

 Never miss a Carlsbad Cravings Creation:

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