Homemade Buffalo Sauce Recipe

This homemade buffalo sauce recipe is simple! Choose your spice level – great for game day, buffalo wings, chicken dips, and as a dipping sauce.

I love making any homemade condiment, spice mix, and my own sauces.

I started with taco seasoning mix, went on to make a delicious and very easy homemade pizza sauce recipe and even concocted a homemade onion soup mix.

My mom is so in love with buffalo wings that I decided to create a homemade buffalo wing sauce recipe just for her birthday. It is now one of her favorite recipes. 

Making buffalo sauce is very easy – so easy that I will never use store-bought sauce again.

After a literal year of ingredient tweaking, I created the perfect easy sauce recipe just for her. 

And you, since I’m sharing this original recipe here.

What is Buffalo Sauce?

Many people think that hot sauce and buffalo sauce are one and the same. They are not. 

Hot sauce is just that – hot sauce.

Buffalo sauce, however, is hot sauce, butter, and spices.

And if you’re interested in finding out why it is called buffalo sauce, I like Time’s brief history. Boy, am I glad the sauce made its way out of Buffalo, New York!

A lot of people ask me if buffalo sauce is healthy or if it is bad for you.

My answer to that is to eat it in moderation because it is high in fat because of the amount of butter. Don’t be turned off by the amount of butter though.It is an essential ingredient and the best part.

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How to Make Buffalo Sauce

To make the best buffalo wing sauce, you need to start with a basic hot pepper sauce. 

If you want, you can totally make the hot pepper sauce from scratch or you can pick up your favorite from the grocery store. Frank’s Redhot is a good place to start if you are overwhelmed by the hot sauce selection.

You can make a very basic hot wing sauce by mixing the hot sauce with melted butter in equal parts. Yes, that’s actually how the original buffalo sauce was made.

I like to take it to the next level and add some additional spices.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the remaining ingredients. 

Whisk well to combine. Bring to a simmer while whisking and turn off just before boiling. 

Allow the hot sauce to cool before serving.

Homemade Buffalo Sauce Ingredients

The main ingredients for buffalo sauce are butter and hot sauce but a good buffalo sauce recipe always includes a blend of spices. Different recipes include onion powder but I left it out after multiple tests.

Unsalted Butter – Unsalted butter forms the rich and creamy base of the sauce. It helps to balance the heat from the hot pepper sauce. Make sure you are using real butter and not a butter substitute.

Hot Pepper Sauce – Hot pepper sauce is the star of Buffalo sauce, providing the signature fiery kick. You can choose your preferred brand or heat level based on your spice tolerance. Common options include Frank’s Hot Sauce or Tabasco.

White Vinegar – White vinegar contributes a tangy and slightly acidic element to the sauce, enhancing its overall flavor profile.

Celery Salt – Celery salt imparts a subtle celery flavor and a hint of saltiness. It’s a classic ingredient in Buffalo sauce that complements the heat and tang.

Worcestershire Sauce – This umami-rich sauce adds depth of flavor with its savory and slightly sweet notes.

Cayenne Pepper – Cayenne pepper provides an additional layer of heat and enhances the red color of the sauce. The amount used can be adjusted to suit your preferred spice level. Add more if you want more of a spicy kick.

Ground White Pepper – White pepper delivers a milder heat compared to black pepper and blends seamlessly into the sauce. It contributes to the complex spiciness of my homemade buffalo sauce recipe.

Garlic Powder – Garlic powder infuses the sauce with a mild garlic flavor, adding depth and aroma without the need for fresh garlic.

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Buffalo Wing Sauce Recipe Notes

Type of ground pepper.

I prefer white ground pepper instead of black ground pepper for color reasons. I also consider it the secret ingredient in my recipe.

If you can’t find white pepper or want to use black pepper, just substitute in equal amounts. 

Spice level

This easy buffalo sauce recipe has a kick to it but you can change its spice level by adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper. 

This sauce has a medium-high heat level. If you want a less spicy sauce, consider using black pepper instead.

If you want a medium-low heat level, leave out the cayenne pepper.

Make sure to mix your sauce well

If your sauce starts to separate, mix it again.

You can also use an immersion blender to combine the sauce before you use or store it. This ensures a smooth consistency.

This immersion blender is my favorite – Kitchenaid 3-Speed Hand Blender.

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How To Store Homemade Buffalo Sauce

I store any leftover sauce in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge and give it a really good shake before using it.

That helps with any separation that may happen while it is being stored.

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Looking for recipes in which to use this sauce? Check out my list of buffalo flavored recipes.

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