This Homemade Buffalo Sauce is hot sauce and butter whisked together with simple spices and a pinch of cayenne into the boldest most flavorful buffalo sauce you have ever made. Just 4 ingredients, 5 minutes, and just $0.16 a serving.
I ran out of Frank’s RedHot one day while making wings and decided to mix my own rather than make a store run — and it turned out better than the bottle I was replacing. My kids love it as a dipping sauce for everything from chicken nuggets to French fries and after 14 years of developing recipes I know this is the kind of simple homemade staple that once you make from scratch you never go back to buying again.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Budget Friendly — $2.63 total for a full batch versus $4–6 for a store-bought bottle
- Only 4 ingredients
- Ready in 5 minutes
- Easy to customize
- Makes a big batch to keep in the refrigerator for up to a month
If you love easy homemade sauces like this one you will also love our Homemade BBQ Sauce, Homemade Ranch Dip, and Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe. They are all budget-friendly, made with simple pantry ingredients, and so much better than anything from a store shelf.
Why Is It Called Buffalo Sauce?
Despite the name, buffalo sauce has nothing to do with the animal. It’s named after Buffalo, New York, where it was invented in 1964 at the Anchor Bar by Teressa Bellissimo — the same place credited with inventing the original buffalo wing.
What Makes Homemade Buffalo Sauce Better
Store-bought buffalo sauce is convenient, but homemade gives you more control over the flavor. You can adjust the heat, change the butter ratio, and skip the preservatives and additives. With just hot sauce, butter, garlic powder, and paprika, you get a bold, customizable sauce in only five minutes.
Ingredients
- Hot sauce — the base of the sauce. Frank’s RedHot is the classic choice and what Carrie recommends — it has the perfect balance of heat and vinegar tang that defines authentic buffalo flavor. Any hot sauce works but Frank’s gives the most traditional result
- Unsalted butter, melted — the ingredient that transforms hot sauce into buffalo sauce. Butter adds richness smoothness and that glossy coating that makes buffalo sauce cling to wings beautifully. Always use unsalted so you can control the saltiness. Let it cool completely before mixing
- Garlic powder — adds savory depth throughout the sauce. Garlic salt works as a substitute but reduce any additional salt accordingly
- Paprika — adds a subtle warm color and smokiness that rounds out the flavor. Smoked paprika gives an even deeper result
- Cayenne pepper — completely optional but what takes this from mild to hot. Start with ¼ teaspoon and add more to taste. Omit entirely for a mild family-friendly version
Carrie’s Tip: Let the melted butter cool to room temperature before adding the hot sauce. If the butter is too hot, the sauce can separate and turn oily. Letting it cool for a couple of minutes helps keep the sauce smooth.
How to Make Homemade Buffalo Sauce
Step 1 – Melt the butter using a microwave safe bowl. Set this aside and let it cool to room temperature.
Step 2 – Add the hot sauce and seasonings to the melted butter. Combine the mixture together in a medium bowl until smooth.
Step 3 – Finally, store this sauce in an airtight container in the fridge.
Tips for Success
- Always cool the butter before adding hot sauce. Hot butter and hot sauce separate instead of emulsifying — two minutes of cooling gives you a smooth glossy sauce every single time
- Use Frank’s RedHot for the most authentic result. The specific vinegar-to-heat ratio in Frank’s is what gives buffalo sauce its signature flavor — other hot sauces work but the flavor profile will be different
- Whisk vigorously. A proper buffalo sauce is emulsified — the butter and hot sauce should come together into a smooth unified sauce not separate into oily and watery layers
- Adjust the heat to your family. Start with ¼ teaspoon of cayenne and taste before adding more — it is easy to add heat but impossible to take it away
- Make a double batch. This sauce keeps for up to a month in the refrigerator and disappears fast — make extra and store in a mason jar for the best value
- Add Sweetness. Add 1-2 teaspoons of honey for a slightly sweeter sauce that clings better to wings or cauliflower instead of dripping off.
Recipes with Buffalo Sauce
- Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta Recipe
- Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas Recipe
- Grilled Buffalo Chicken Recipe
- Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
- Crock Pot Buffalo Wings Recipe
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
- Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta Oven Bake
All of these are amazing recipes are made with buffalo sauce with a spicy kick. We enjoy all of these but a favorite is definitely the buffalo chicken wings and buffalo chicken pizza. We even love to use it to dip Easy Homemade French Fries in it.
I love to put out a tray of vegetables such as celery sticks, cauliflower, carrot sticks, ranch dressing and blue cheese dressing. The combination is so delicious.
Storage and Freezer Instructions
Refrigerator
- Store in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 7 days. The sauce separates slightly as it sits so always shake or stir before using
Reheating
- Microwave in 30-second intervals stirring between each one until warmed through — or warm in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes
Room Temperature
- Do not store at room temperature — always refrigerate immediately after making for food safety and to maintain freshness for the full month
Frequently Asked Questions
Frank’s RedHot is the classic choice and gives the most authentic buffalo flavor — any Louisiana-style hot sauce works as a substitute but the flavor will be slightly different.
The butter was too hot when the hot sauce was added — always let the melted butter cool to room temperature before whisking in the hot sauce for a smooth emulsified result.
Omit the cayenne pepper entirely and use a milder hot sauce — the butter also helps tone down the heat so increase the butter ratio slightly for the mildest result.
Increase the cayenne pepper to ½ teaspoon or more and add a splash of your favorite hot sauce directly to the finished batch.
More Easy Homemade Sauces
This Homemade Buffalo Sauce has completely replaced the store bought version in our house. It is bold, rich, and costs just $0.16 per serving. My kids put it on everything from wings to French fries, and once you make it from scratch, you may never go back to the bottle.
Homemade Buffalo Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot sauce
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, add more if you like it hot
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl and let cool to room temperature
- Add hot sauce, melted butter and seasonings to a medium bowl
- Whisk together until smooth
- Store in airtight container in refrigerator
That is a lot of sodium! Daily recommended allowance is 2300mg. Is there a way to decrease that amount?
~Faithful Reader
Anna – That amount is for the entire amount of buffalo sauce that is made. Generally, I use this in Tablespoon amounts so I updated the recipe card and nutritional information to show per Tbsp amount. Thank you!
Does it have to be unsalted butter for storage purposes, or is it a preference?
It is used for preference for this recipe.