Homemade honey BBQ sauce tastes better than bottled
I’ve always kept a bottle of BBQ sauce in my fridge, but once I started making my own honey BBQ sauce, I realised how much fresher and more balanced it could be. The sweetness of honey blends with the smokiness of paprika and the tang of vinegar, creating a sauce that’s rich but not heavy. Unlike many shop-bought versions, homemade sauce lets you control the balance, more heat if you like it fiery, more honey if you prefer it mellow.
I tend to make this sauce in small batches so it’s always fresh. It’s especially handy because it doubles as both a glaze and a dipping sauce. I use it across my wing recipes, like my crispy oven-baked honey BBQ wings, and it always gives them a glossy, finger-licking finish. For a full collection of ways I’ve used it, you can find it in my honey roast chicken wing recipes roundup.
The key to a balanced honey BBQ flavour
Honey adds natural sweetness, but the real secret is balancing it with tang and smoke. Tomato paste or ketchup gives body, vinegar provides acidity, and paprika or liquid smoke adds depth. I also like to sauté garlic and onion powder into the base for extra savoury notes. The sauce cooks down in just 15 minutes and keeps well, so you can always have some on hand when a wing craving hits.
If you’re curious about how sweetness and spice interact in sauces, my sweet vs. spicy honey BBQ variations guide dives deeper into how to adapt this base recipe.
Ingredients (makes about 500 ml)
- 200 g ketchup or tomato passata
- 100 g runny honey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder (optional, for heat)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the ketchup, honey, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavours meld. Taste and adjust, add more honey for sweetness, more vinegar for tang, or more chilli if you like it hotter. Let it cool before using or storing in jars.
How to use homemade honey BBQ sauce on wings
Brush onto baked wings during the last 10 minutes of cooking for a sticky finish. Toss fried wings in the warm sauce right before serving. Or use as a dipping sauce alongside grilled or smoked wings. For more detailed cooking approaches, my guide to grilling vs. smoking wings breaks down how this sauce performs in different methods.
Tips for success when making honey BBQ sauce
Don’t rush the simmering — those 15 minutes mellow the vinegar and spices into a rounded flavour. Always taste and tweak as you go. A squeeze of lemon at the end can brighten the sauce, especially if you’re using it for summer dishes like my citrus honey BBQ wings.
Storage and reheating honey BBQ sauce
This sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 10 days in a sealed jar. Reheat gently in a pan or microwave before using. It also freezes well in small portions, thaw overnight in the fridge and stir before serving.
Ingredient notes and alternatives
If you’d like a less sweet version, replace half the honey with molasses for a deeper, smoky flavour. For gluten-free needs, check your Worcestershire sauce or swap with tamari. Vegan alternatives can use maple syrup instead of honey, which creates a similar sticky finish.