Crispy Baked Buffalo Wings
Baking powder and a wire rack get the skin shatter-crisp with no fryer, then a hot sauce-butter toss right before they hit the table.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Written
Method
-
Pat the wings completely dry, then toss in a bowl with the baking powder, salt, and pepper until every piece is evenly coated.
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Arrange skin side up in a single layer on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, with space between pieces.
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Bake at 425°F, flipping once, until the skin is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 45 minutes.
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While the wings bake, melt the butter with the hot sauce and honey in a small saucepan, whisking until glossy and combined.
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Toss the hot wings in the sauce until fully coated and serve immediately with celery and blue cheese dressing.
Notes
The baking powder is doing the work a deep fryer usually does: it raises the surface pH so the skin browns faster and pulls moisture out as it bakes, which is the difference between crisp skin and rubbery skin at 425°F. Don’t skip patting the wings dry first, or the powder clumps instead of coating evenly.
Toss the wings in sauce right before serving, not before they finish baking — sauced skin sitting under residual heat goes soft in minutes. If you want a smokier version, swap half the hot sauce for a smoked chili sauce, but keep the butter ratio the same so it still clings.