Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce

This 4-ingredient buffalo sauce recipe is thicker, smoother, and more balanced than classic recipes – and it uses a surprising ingredient: ketchup.

My dad is a chef. So naturally, you would think I would be the one to bring in the best recipes to my marriage.

Well, little did I know my husband had the skills to make amazing Homemade Pizza and the best wing sauce ever!

No kidding! Friends, this buffalo sauce recipe is about to change your life. (Even my dad, the chef, approves!) It only contains FOUR ingredients. You can also use this sauce on all things buffalo chicken. Our favorite ways include Buffalo Chicken Pizza or Buffalo Chicken Potato Nachos!

WHAT IS BUFFALO SAUCE MADE OF?

Buffalo sauce is typically made from hot sauce, butter, and vinegar. This version uses hot sauce, butter, ketchup, and cornstarch for a thicker, smoother result.

REASONS TO MAKE HOMEMADE BUFFALO CHICKEN WING SAUCE

This easy buffalo chicken wing sauce comes together fast. I love that it’s also:

• Healthier than store-bought. Yep, I’m pulling THAT card on you. Anytime you make a recipe at home, you can be certain it’s going to be better for you, because…
• You know what the ingredients are. This homemade buffalo sauce uses just four simple ingredients – FOUR!
• It beats the pants off any store-bought buffalo wing sauce. Hands down, no doubt about it. And we have dozens of friends who have come over for wing night to back us up.
• It can be made with what you already have on hand. I have no doubt you have the ingredients needed in your pantry right now.
• You can make as much as you need. As written, making this homemade buffalo sauce creates A LOT of wing sauce. But you can easily halve this recipe if you need less.

This buffalo sauce recipe is best for beginners, families, and people who want thicker wing sauce without additives…or anyone looking for an amazing punch of flavor for their next wing night!

BUFFALO SAUCE RECIPE INGREDIENTS

You only need 4 buffalo sauce ingredients!

• Hot Sauce. We typically use Frank’s Red Hot Sauce because it is a cayenne pepper sauce. However, my Homemade Hot Sauce Recipe is a Frank’s copycat and works as a great substitute. Simply use your favorite hot sauce!
• Ketchup. I know. Ketchup in a buffalo sauce recipe?! This replaces the typical vinegar and Worcestershire sauce you need to make legit buffalo sauce. It’s my husband’s secret ingredient!
• Unsalted Butter. The butter mellows out the tang of the ketchup and levels the hot sauce to medium heat. It makes the sauce thicken just right, too! Using unsalted butter keeps the buffalo sauce recipe from turning out overly salty. Your hot sauce should have enough salt already.
• Cornstarch. Cornstarch gives it the thick texture you expect in a wing sauce and makes the buffalo sauce cling to the wings. No thin, runny sauce here! You can also try arrowroot powder as a thickener.

PS…I have to tell you – when I saw my then-future husband put hot sauce, butter, and ketchup in a saucepan, I thought he was nuts. Somehow THAT was going to turn into amazing buffalo chicken wing sauce?! BUT IT DOES!

When you follow this signature buffalo sauce recipe formula, you’ll end up with amazing buffalo chicken wing sauce every time!

1. Heat: hot sauce
2. Tang: ketchup
3. Richness: butter
4. Body: cornstarch

HOW TO MAKE BUFFALO CHICKEN SAUCE RECIPE

The first time I made this, I asked Mr. Crumbs for instructions on his buffalo chicken sauce recipe. Here’s what he told me:

“Dump the entire bottle of hot sauce in a pan. Then, squirt ketchup until it peeks out the top. Add the butter. Wait, then add a spoonful of cornstarch with a smaller spoonful of water, and you’re done.”

Thankfully, I’ve learned to decipher his code and get a few more details, so this awesome sauce for buffalo wings can be replicated elsewhere.

Step 1. Mix hot sauce, ketchup, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. (Melting the butter separately isn’t necessary.)

Step 2. Stir in the cornstarch/water mixture and let simmer to thicken the sauce.

Step 3. Whisk until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. If you stop whisking before the cornstarch is activated, it ends up sinking to the bottom, giving you a clumpy, broken sauce. So whisk continually for that perfect smooth texture!

Step 4. Use immediately on hot foods (like The Best Crispy Baked Chicken Wings ever) or let cool to room temperature to use on cool foods (like Buffalo Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad).

BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS SAUCE VARIATIONS

Depending on your preferences, you can make some great variations to this sauce recipe! From low heat to a spicy kick, use these easy swaps to perfect your favorite sauce.

Version	Swap	Result
Mild Heat	Add 1 Tbsp butter	Creamier, less spicy
Medium Heat	Make the recipe as written	Balanced heat and flavor
Hot	Add ¼ tsp cayenne	Noticeable kick
Extra Hot	Add ½ tsp cayenne + dash vinegar	Sharp and spicy
Nashville Hot Style	Add ½ tsp chili powder + ½ tsp garlic powder	Deep heat
Keto	No ketchup	Lower carbs
Vegan	Use vegan butter	Dairy-free
Honey Buffalo	Add 1-2 tsp honey	Sweet heat
Extra thick	Add extra cornstarch slurry	Dip-style buffalo sauce

BUFFALO CHICKEN WING SAUCE RECIPE TIPS

In the rare event that you have leftover sauce, you can store it in an airtight container or a mason jar in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Once it chills, the saturated fat from the butter will cause it to thicken. You can warm the sauce up in a saucepan to thin it back out before using it on your favorite buffalo chicken recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Wing Sauce Recipe Mistakes to Avoid

• Using too cold of butter will not incorporate smoothly – use room temperature butter for the smoothest sauce.
• Swapping the hot sauce will change the flavor and can end up overly vinegary or bitter.
• Adding cornstarch directly instead of making a slurry will give you clumps in the sauce.
• Not letting the sauce simmer long enough to activate the cornstarch and thicken means your sauce will turn out thin and runny
• On the flip side, boiling instead of simmering will also give you a runny sauce, because the high heat breaks the emulsion of the cornstarch, and the sauce separates.
• Not whisking continually gives you clumps and separates the sauce.
• Storing leftover buffalo sauce in a plastic container might end up staining – use a glass jar or container instead. Because this contains butter, we store it in the refrigerator.

HOW TO SERVE BUFFALO CHICKEN DIPPING SAUCE RECIPE

Here are the best ways that you can use this tasty buffalo chicken dipping sauce recipe:

1. The Best Crispy Baked Chicken Wings. Hands down the best way to use this buffalo sauce recipe!
2. Buffalo Chicken Pizza
3. Buffalo Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad
4. One Pan Buffalo Chicken Potatoes
5. Pair any buffalo chicken dip with Homemade Ranch Dressing or blue cheese dressing, and you’ve got a crowd-pleaser!
6. You can make a veggie platter with carrot sticks and celery sticks and use the buffalo wing sauce for dipping.
7. Make tasty buffalo cauliflower! Roast cauliflower florets in the oven until crispy. Then toss in the sauce for a full-flavor dish!

MACRO TRACKING FOR BUFFALO CHICKEN WING SAUCE RECIPE

Fun snacks and appetizers don’t have to throw you off your protein goals. But you do need to be intentional with your choices.

Crispy baked chicken wings are a yummy source of fat.

I know, you thought I was going to say protein.

But chicken wings actually get most of their calories from fat, and a small amount from protein. Same with this buffalo sauce recipe.

They’re still a delicious choice! Make the wings your main source of fat and add some lean protein and produce for a delicious meal.

HOMEMADE BUFFALO SAUCE RECIPE FAQS

MORE HOMEMADE SAUCE RECIPES

• Easy Homemade Hot Sauce (Frank’s Copycat) 
• Homemade Ketchup
• Red Enchilada Sauce
• BBQ Sauce
• 5 Minute Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
• Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce
• Easy Pizza Sauce

WATCH HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BUFFALO WING SAUCE