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Homemade BBQ Sauce

By Sarah On   |  Updated:

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This homemade BBQ sauce is so easy to make at home in minutes and perfectly sweet, tangy, and loaded with flavor! Try brushing it on grilled meats or using it as a dipping sauce.

This homemade BBQ sauce is so easy to make at home in minutes and perfectly sweet, tangy, and loaded with flavor! Try brushing it on grilled meats or using it as a dipping sauce.

BBQ sauce lovers!! You haven’t lived until you’ve tried making this classic sauce from scratch at home.

Convenience-wise, you really can’t beat the bottled stuff but when it comes to flavor that’s where homemade absolutely shines.

And the best part is that it’s seriously the easiest thing to whip up in minutes and you can easily double or triple the recipe to have lots of BBQ on standby for whenever you need it.

This homemade BBQ sauce is so easy to make at home in minutes and perfectly sweet, tangy, and loaded with flavor! Try brushing it on grilled meats or using it as a dipping sauce.

 

Trust me, your grill game is going to thank you BIG time for this!

This BBQ Sauce features…

  • A perfectly thick texture that’s very similar to bottled BBQ sauce
  • Sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors
  • Only 15 minutes and one pot needed to make
This homemade BBQ sauce is so easy to make at home in minutes and perfectly sweet, tangy, and loaded with flavor! Try brushing it on grilled meats or using it as a dipping sauce.

Making the BBQ Sauce

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

  • Ketchup
  • Brown sugar
  • Molasses
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Dijon mustard
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Garlic powder
  • Paprika
  • Chili powder

How To Store Sauce

We love making big batches of this sauce and storing them in mason jars. They will store well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Can this BBQ sauce be frozen? Yes it can! Allow the sauce to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container leaving 2 inches of air on top. Freeze sauce up to 2 months and thaw completely in refrigerator when you’re ready to use it.

This homemade BBQ sauce is so easy to make at home in minutes and perfectly sweet, tangy, and loaded with flavor! Try brushing it on grilled meats or using it as a dipping sauce.

Tips for Perfect BBQ

  1. Start with a ketchup base – ketchup has a lot of flavor in it and a perfect thick texture which serves as an amazing base for homemade BBQ.
  2. Use a mix of brown sugar and molasses – these two sweeteners add a perfect level of sweetness to the sauce and give it that signature dark, sugary flavor you’ll find in BBQ sauce.
  3. Simmer sauce – allow the sauce to simmer 8-10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on this sauce!

  • Add fruit – try adding 1/2 cup mango or pineapple puree for a fruity sauce.
  • Make it spicy – add cayenne pepper or your favorite hot sauce to taste for a spicy sauce.
  • Try a different sweetener – try honey or maple syrup in place of the molasses
  • Make it smoky – add a few drops of liquid smoke for a smoky kick.

How To Use Sauce

The sky’s the limit for what you can use this BBQ sauce for! Check out some of these ideas…

  • Grilled chicken, steak, or ribs
  • Use as a pizza sauce
  • Pulled pork, chicken, or beef
  • Smoked brisket
  • A dipping sauce for chicken tenders, wings, or nuggets
  • Drizzle on top of burgers, brats, or hot dogs
  • Homemade baked beans
This homemade BBQ sauce is so easy to make at home in minutes and perfectly sweet, tangy, and loaded with flavor! Try brushing it on grilled meats or using it as a dipping sauce.

For how simple this BBQ sauce is to pull off, you wouldn’t believe the amount of flavor we’re packing inside! It’s got the perfect level of sweetness, lots of flavor from the spices, and just a little tangy from the apple cider vinegar and mustard.

Your grilling game just got an effortless, yet MAJOR level-up!

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

This homemade BBQ sauce is so easy to make at home in minutes and perfectly sweet, tangy, and loaded with flavor! Try brushing it on grilled meats or using it as a dipping sauce.

Watch this barbecue sauce made step-by-step on Google web stories.

Try these recipe favorites with your barbecue sauce!

This homemade BBQ sauce is so easy to make at home in minutes and perfectly sweet, tangy, and loaded with flavor! Try brushing it on grilled meats or using it as a dipping sauce.
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4.80 from 5 votes

Homemade BBQ Sauce

This homemade BBQ sauce is so easy to make at home in minutes and perfectly sweet, tangy, and loaded with flavor! Try brushing it on grilled meats or using it as a dipping sauce.

This recipe may included paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 2 cups barbecue sauce
Calories 115kcal

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups ketchup
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer 5-10 minutes until bubbly and slightly reduced, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove barbecue sauce from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste if needed. Cool barbecue sauce and store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Store BBQ sauce in refrigerator up to 1 week. Sauce may also be frozen up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 4 tablespoons sauce | Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.6g | Protein: 0.8g | Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 25.2g | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below. Feel free to share a picture on Instagram and tag @wholeandheavenlyoven or hashtag it #wholeandheavenlyoven

This post was updated with new recipe tips and photos on 5/25/23.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Ashley says

    I love making my own BBQ sauce! It’s so good – and really quite easy! This looks delicious – or should I say finger lickin’ good! : )

    Reply

    • Sarah says

      Thanks Ashley! Isn’t homemade BBQ sauce the best?! Totally finger-lickin’ worthy. I may or may not have ended up doing this. LOL.

      Reply

  4. Danielle says

    I love homemade versions of things, they really are better than any store bought item! I’ve never made BBQ sauce before, but that needs to change soon. I love that you used coconut sugar too, I would’ve never thought to do that! Pinning!

    Reply

    • Sarah says

      Homemade almost always trumps storebought, in my opinion and it’s def the case in this BBQ sauce! I hope you get around to trying this recipe sometime this summer, Danielle! and thanks for the pin love, girl! 🙂

      Reply

  8. Allison says

    Yes! I love that you used coconut sugar and molasses in this recipe! Those are a couple of my favourite natural sweeteners. I am totally with you on the HFCS thing -icky. I’d take this sauce any day over a bottle. And I love the styling in the Ball jar! Perfection.

    Reply

  10. Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says

    You are so talented making your own BBQ sauce! I’ve never made my own before, but I think I just so happen to have all of those ingredients at home. I bet freshly made tastes a million times better than store bought.

    Reply

    • Sarah says

      Awww..Nat you’re so sweet. 🙂 And awesome that you have everything you need to make this BBQ sauce! Sooo you should make it like now. LOL 😉

      Reply

  11. Isadora @ she likes food says

    I’ve been thinking about trying to make my own BBQ sauce for some time now and you have convinced me! I’ll be there right with you, eating it with a spoon! It looks so easy to make and I’m pretty sure I have most of those ingredients in the kitchen already! That’s it, no more excuses, I’m making BBQ sauce this week! I’m so glad you shared this recipe 🙂

    Reply

  12. Kelly says

    Wow, this BBQ sauce looks amazing Sarah! I loved that you used coconut sugar – I would be eating this straight from the jar too!

    Reply

  13. Rachel (teacher-chef) says

    I really enjoy the fact that this uses tomato sauce instead of ketchup – that has all those yucky added fillers to it too! What a beautiful looking sauce – and the want to eat with a spoon is the only way that I consider a sauce/marinade a success!

    Reply

    • Sarah says

      I’ll admit that I WAS thinking of adding ketchup this sauce, since nearly every recipe I found called for it, but then I was like oh what the heck, it’ll be so much healthier if I just sub tomato sauce. I guess it worked! LOL. 😉 Thank you so much, Rachel!

      Reply

  15. marcie says

    I love making my own barbecue sauce — it’s the best! This sounds like it has all the flavors I love, and is perfect for whatever I’m grilling. 🙂

    Reply
4.80 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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