Baked Sticky Honey BBQ Wings (Printable)

Tender baked wings glazed in sticky honey BBQ sauce for sweet and smoky flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs chicken wings, separated at joints, tips removed

→ Seasoning

02 - 1 tsp garlic powder
03 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Honey BBQ Sauce

06 - 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
07 - 1/4 cup honey
08 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
10 - 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with foil; set a wire rack on top.
02 - Pat wings dry with paper towels and toss with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Arrange wings in a single layer on the wire rack and bake for 35 minutes, flipping halfway until skin is crisp and golden.
04 - Combine barbecue sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, melted butter, and hot sauce in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Remove wings from oven, transfer to a large bowl, pour warm honey BBQ sauce over, and toss to coat thoroughly.
06 - Return sauced wings to the wire rack and bake an additional 10 minutes until sauce is sticky and caramelized.
07 - Serve wings hot, optionally garnished with chopped parsley or green onions.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They come together in under an hour with minimal hands-on time, leaving you free to prep sides or set the table.
  • The sticky-crispy contrast is genuinely addictive—you'll find yourself reaching for just one more wing long after everyone else has finished.
  • Baking means no oil splatters, no deep fryer smell lingering in your kitchen for days, just the irresistible aroma of caramelizing honey and barbecue.
02 -
  • Patting the wings dry is non-negotiable—moisture is the enemy of crispiness, so take an extra moment with the paper towels.
  • The second bake with the sauce is shorter (10 minutes, not 35) because the sauce burns easily; watch carefully and pull them out when they're glossy and caramelized, not blackened.
03 -
  • Spray your foil-lined pan lightly with cooking spray before setting down the rack—it makes cleanup infinitely easier and prevents any sticking.
  • If you're short on time, you can prep the wings (pat dry and season) the night before and store them uncovered in the fridge; this actually makes them crisper when you bake them.
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