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I am absolutely obsessed with buffalo wings but the hot honey takes these ones even further for a spicy, sweet, and savory appetizer! You can either bake or air fry the wings, and thanks to a secret trick (hint: baking powder!), the wings are always extra crispy. Serve them with blue cheese or ranch, and get ready to party.

A beige tray of hot honey buffalo wings and a bowl of ranch on a beige tiled counter next to glasses of beer, an orange linen, and white bowls of buffalo sauce and celery.

Ok, is it actually ten years ago, because apparently we have another Patriots-Seahawks Super Bowl situation? With everyone sharing their throwback 2016 pics on Instagram, I really feel like I’m back in college drinking vodka crans in my friend’s apartment and avoiding studying for my Marketing 325 exam.

Anyways, per usual, I’m more focused on my Super Bowl menu, and that’s where these wings come in. If you’ve ever made my buffalo chicken pinwheels, slow cooker buffalo chicken dip, or these pull-apart buffalo chicken sliders, you may be aware that I love anything with buffalo sauce. 🤪

But today, we’re going real classic with wings. And obviously, I’m adding a drizzle of bourbon hot honey, because I love a sweet-spicy combo. Usually, I bake these wings but they’re also great in the air fryer. And thanks to the baking powder tip I learned when I was in culinary school, they come out super crispy every single time!

Grab a pack of beer and save this recipe for your watch party. Happy football-ing!

Hot sauce

White and brown bowls of chicken wings, hot sauce, butter, and spices next to a bottle of hot honey on a tan counter.

To make the hot honey buffalo sauce, you will need to grab a bottle of your favorite hot sauce. My go-to is Frank’s Original, but feel free to use your favorite!

Just make sure you’re using a cayenne pepper-based hot sauce, not pre-made buffalo sauce! We’re going to add butter to the sauce to make a homemade version.

Bake the wings

A white bowl of chicken and spices on a beige counter.
Toss the wings with the baking powder and spices.
Raw wings on a wire rack.
Line them on a greased wire rack. Place the rack over a sheet pan.
Crispy wings on a wire rack.
Bake the wings at 425°F (218°C) for 40-50 minutes.
A white pot of hot sauce, butter, and hot honey on a beige counter.
Add the hot sauce, honey, butter, & Worcestershire sauce to a saucepan. Simmer for 2 minutes.
A white bowl of hot honey buffalo wings on a white counter.
Once the wings have crisped up for 5 minutes, toss them with the warmed sauce.
A tan platter of hot honey buffalo wings and a bowl of ranch on a tan tiled counter next to glasses of beer, an orange linen, and white and brown bowls of hot sauce, honey, and celery.
Serve the wings immediately with ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, celery, and/or carrots!

I like a 2:1 ratio of hot sauce to honey. But if you want a sweeter, stickier wing, feel free to do a 1:1 ratio instead.

Air fryer instructions

An air fryer with raw chicken wings on a white counter.
To air fry the wings, place them in a single layer in the basket. Then, air fry the wings at 375°F (190°C) for about 10 minutes.
An air fryer with cooked chicken wings on a white counter.
Flip the wings and air fry them for another 6-8 minutes at 375°F (190°C). They’re ready when they’re crispy and reach 165°F (74°C).
A chicken wing in a white bowl of ranch on a beige platter of hot honey buffalo wings next to a glass of beer, orange linen, and white bowls of celery and hot sauce with a tan tiled background.

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Sweet & Spicy Hot Honey Buffalo Wings

Yield: 24 wings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
This recipe is a twist on classic chicken wings with a sweet, spicy, and savory hot honey buffalo sauce! These wings are super easy to make in the oven or air fryer, although you could totally fry them if you want to. These are absolutely amazing with a side of ranch or blue cheese and an ice cold beer!
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Ingredients

Chicken Wings

  • 2 pounds party chicken wings (900 grams)
  • 1 Tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder, NOT baking soda! (15 grams)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, I use Morton
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper or freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1-2 pinches cayenne pepper, to taste
  • Neutral oil or cooking spray I use avocado oil
  • Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for serving – optional

Hot Honey Buffalo Sauce

  • 1/2 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce, such as Frank's Original (120 milliliters)
  • 1/4 cup hot honey (85 milliliters)
  • 1/4 cup good-quality unsalted butter (60 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • 1-2 sheet pans
  • Parchment paper or tin foil
  • Wire rack

Instructions 

Prep the wings

  • Dry the wings very well with paper towels. You want them to be as dry as possible so they actually crisp up! (Alternatively, you can dry them out in the fridge overnight. See the Recipe Notes for details.)
  • Place the wings in a large mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, salt, white or black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Toss the wings with the dry rub until they are completely coated.

Oven-Baked Wings

  • To bake the wings, preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or tin foil. Then, place an oven-safe wire rack on the prepared sheet pan. Grease it very well with neutral oil or cooking spray.
  • Place the wings skin-side up in a single layer on the wire rack. It's ok if they're touching a bit on the sides, they will cook down!
  • Bake the wings for 25 minutes. Then, flip the wings and bake them for another 20-25 minutes until they are crispy on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Remove the wings from the oven and let them rest for about 5 minutes to crisp up more.

Air Fryer Wings

  • To air fry the wings, grease the basket of an air fryer with neutral oil or cooking spray. Place the wings skin-side up in a single layer in the air fryer basket. It's ok if they're touching a bit on the sides, they will shrink as they cook.
  • Fry the wings at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes. Flip the wings and fry them for 6-8 more minutes until they're crispy on the outside and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part. Let the wings rest for 4-5 minutes, to help them crisp up more.

Hot Honey Buffalo Sauce

  • While the wings are cooking, combine the cayenne pepper hot sauce, hot honey, unsalted butter, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan. Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the sauce comes to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the sauce sit for about 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
  • Once the wings have rested for about 5 minutes, transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle the hot honey buffalo sauce over the wings and use tongs to toss the wings until they're evenly coated. Serve the wings immediately with ranch or bleu cheese dressing. Enjoy!

Notes

You’ll want to use ‘party wings’ in this recipe which is chicken wings that have been broken down into drums and flats. You can also buy full wings and break them down yourself.
Dry all sides of the wings really well. You want them to be as dry as possible so they crisp up instead of steam. If you have time, you can also dry the wings on a wire rack overnight in the fridge. Place the wire rack on a sheet pan to prevent cross contamination and leave the wings uncovered so they dry out.
The secret to crispy baked wings is baking powder. Make sure you’re using fresh, aluminum-free baking powder. Not baking soda! Otherwise, the wings will come out with a bitter, metallic aftertaste.
For extra crispy wings, broil them for 1-2 minutes. Just don’t broil them for too long, or the wings will dry out.
I like a 2:1 ratio of hot sauce to honey. But if you want a sweeter, stickier wing, feel free to do a 1:1 ratio instead.
2 pounds of wings is about 24-28 wings depending on the size of the wings.
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1wing, Calories: 74kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 273mg, Potassium: 40mg, Sugar: 3g, Calcium: 34mg
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