These oven-baked honey BBQ wings have become a regular in our house — crispy skin, a sticky-sweet glaze with just enough tang, and no deep fryer needed. I started making them for game day, but my family requests them so often now that any night is a good enough excuse.
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Table of contents
Oven Baked Honey Barbecue Chicken Wings
Seasoned, baked until crispy, then tossed in a honey BBQ glaze that’s sweet, smoky, and a little tangy. These wings are perfect for game day spreads, backyard cookouts, or any Friday night when dinner needs to feel a bit more fun. Serve with ranch or blue cheese and watch them disappear.
What You’ll Need to Cook
- Chicken wings — Split wings (flats and drumettes already separated) save prep time, but whole wings work fine if you don’t mind cutting them yourself.
- Baking powder — This is the secret weapon for crispy oven wings. It raises the pH of the skin, promoting browning and crunch without any frying. Make sure you’re using baking powder, not baking soda — they are not interchangeable here.
- Honey — Clover honey works beautifully as an everyday choice, but wildflower honey adds a slightly floral depth that pairs wonderfully with smoky BBQ sauce.
- BBQ sauce — Choose a sauce you genuinely love eating on its own, since it forms the flavor backbone of the glaze. A hickory-smoked or Kansas City-style sauce works especially well, giving the glaze that classic sweet-and-smoky character.
- Smoked paprika
Additional ingredients you’ll need:
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Apple cider vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Cayenne pepper (optional)
Ingredient Substitutes
Don’t want to make the glaze from scratch? No problem — just grab a bottle of your favorite store-bought honey BBQ sauce and use it straight as the glaze. Brands like Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ, Stubb’s Honey & Pecan, or Kraft Honey BBQ all work great and save you the extra saucepan step entirely. You can still add a pat of butter and a splash of apple cider vinegar to the warmed sauce if you want to punch it up a little, but it’s completely optional.
BBQ sauce alternatives: If you want to make this gluten-free, check the label on your BBQ sauce carefully — many store-bought brands contain hidden gluten from Worcestershire or malt vinegar. Certified GF options like Stubb’s Original work perfectly here without changing the flavor profile at all.
Honey alternatives: Maple syrup is an excellent swap for honey and gives the glaze a slightly deeper, earthier sweetness. Agave nectar works as well, though the flavor will be a bit more neutral.
How to Make Baked Honey BBQ Wings
Step 1: Dry Out the Wings
Before anything else, remove your wings from the fridge and pat them completely dry with several layers of paper towels. Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin, so take your time with this step. For even better results, place the uncovered wings on a wire rack in the fridge for 1–2 hours (or overnight) to air-dry. This extra drying time makes a noticeable difference in how the skin crisps up during baking.
Step 2: Season and Set Up the Rack
Toss the dried wings in olive oil, then add the baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Make sure every surface is coated. Baking powder works by drawing moisture to the surface and reacting with heat to create microbubbles in the skin — this is what gives you that satisfying crunch.
Place the seasoned wings skin-side up on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet. The rack allows hot air to circulate underneath, preventing the bottoms from steaming and going soft.
Step 3: Bake Low-and-High
Slide the wings into your preheated 425°F oven. Bake for 25 minutes, then carefully flip each wing and continue baking for another 20 minutes. By the end, the skin should be deeply golden and audibly crispy when you tap it — if it’s still looking a little pale, give it another 5 minutes before glazing. The internal temperature should read at least 165°F, though most wings at this size will be well above that after 45 minutes at high heat.
Step 4: Make the Honey BBQ Glaze
While the wings are in their final stretch of baking, make the glaze. Combine your BBQ sauce, honey, butter, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and optional cayenne in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly and let it simmer gently for 5–7 minutes.
You’re looking for the glaze to reduce slightly and coat the back of a spoon. Don’t rush this over high heat — you want a glossy, thickened sauce, not a scorched one. Remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly before using.
Step 5: Glaze and Caramelize
Transfer the baked wings into a large mixing bowl and pour about three-quarters of the warm glaze over them. Toss thoroughly to coat every surface, then return them to the rack for a final 5-minute blast in the oven.
This last step caramelizes the glaze onto the skin, creating that slightly sticky, lacquered finish that makes these wings so irresistible. Pull them out, brush on the remaining glaze for a fresh, glossy layer, and they’re ready to serve.
How To Store Leftovers and Reheat
Let the wings cool to room temperature before storing — no more than 2 hours out. Transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat, place wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet and warm in a 375°F oven for 10–12 minutes until heated through and the skin crisps back up. Avoid the microwave if you can — it makes the skin rubbery. Wings can also be frozen in a zip-lock bag for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Sides to Serve With Chicken Wings
🥕 Grilled Carrots with Brown Butter
🥦 Grilled Broccoli
🌽 Grilled Cornbread
🥔 Baked Sweet Potato
🍞 Smoked Garlic Bread
🥒 Smoked Pickles
🧀 Pit Boss Smoked Mac and Cheese
🌽 Smoked Corn Bread
🥔 Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
More Appetizers to Serve With Wings
- Smoked Queso Dip
- Grilled Jalapeño Poppers
- Traeger Buffalo Chicken Dip
- BBQ Meatballs
- Traeger Smoked Onion Bombs
- Game Day Crunchy Meatballs
Baked Honey BBQ Wings
Ingredients
Wings
- 3 lbs chicken wings split into flats and drumettes
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Honey BBQ Glaze
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/3 cup honey
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly coat the rack with cooking spray.
- Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels. Toss them with olive oil, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Arrange the wings in a single layer on the wire rack, skin-side up, making sure none are touching.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then flip each wing and bake for another 20 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy.
- While the wings bake, combine BBQ sauce, honey, butter, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir and simmer for 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Transfer the baked wings to a large bowl and pour 3/4 of the glaze over them. Toss until every wing is well coated.
- Return the glazed wings to the rack and bake for another 5 minutes to caramelize the sauce.
- Brush with remaining glaze before serving.
Smoke On!
Charlie
Author: Charlie Reeves
Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).
I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!
You can read more about me on our About Us page.
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