This Spicy BBQ Sauce will be your new favorite condiment! It’s easy to make and comes together in under 20 minutes. Pair it with pizza, sandwiches, burgers, and more!
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I have a barbecue sauce obsession. It’s one of my all-time favorite condiments. I’m very picky about it, and since my grocery store stopped selling my favorite store bought version, I needed to come up with something just right that I could make at home.
It culminates in this spicy bbq sauce recipe. At first you get the sweetness of the pineapple juice and ketchup, and then all the spices start to warm your mouth and tingle your throat.
It’s the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and smoky flavors. I hope you’ll love it just as much as I do!
Ingredients
- Ketchup
- Dark brown sugar
- Molasses
- Pineapple juice
- Water
- Tomato paste
- Worcestershire sauce
- Creole seasoning
- Cajun seasoning
- Ground mustard
- Smoked paprika
- Coarse kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Cornstarch
How to make spicy bbq sauce
- Combine all ingredients except cornstarch in a medium sauce pot
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes
- Add cornstarch mixed with water, stir, and simmer until thickened
- Serve immediately or transfer to a covered container and store in the refrigerator until ready to use
Top tips
How to store homemade spicy bbq sauce
I like to store food in mason jars as much as possible. These large, wide-mouth jars (affiliate link to the ones I have) are just right for saving this sauce. If you only have a little leftover, these jars that I used in the photos are great too. It helps to have a funnel on hand so you get every last drop of sauce into the jar.
What to serve with spicy barbecue sauce
- BBQ Tempeh Stuffed Baked Potatoes
- BBQ Chickpea Salad with Cornbread Croutons
- Homemade Veggie Nuggets
- The Best Crispy Tofu
- Oven Baked Potato Wedges
- BBQ Tempeh
- BBQ Tofu
Tips for customizing homemade bbq sauce:
- If you can’t find Creole seasoning, you can substitute an equal amount of Cajun seasoning
- If you don’t have dark brown sugar, you can use light brown sugar and add a little more molasses
- Experiment with more cayenne pepper to make it even spicier
FAQ
Yes! Place cooled sauce in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw, move it to the fridge to thaw overnight, or thaw in the microwave or on the stovetop.
The combination of cayenne pepper, Creole seasoning, and Cajun seasoning make this bbq sauce recipe spicy.
To make it less spicy (or spicier!), simply adjust the amount of seasoning to your liking.
More condiment recipes
- Ginger Tahini Dressing
- Pumpkin Seed Butter
- Apple Butter
- Homemade Pesto
- Spinach Pesto
- Beetroot Hummus
- Basic Hummus
- Strawberry Chia Jam
- Avocado Chimichurri Dip
- Whipped Feta Dip
- Green Avocado Sauce
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Spicy BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground mustard
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ cup cold water mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except the cornstarch mixture in a medium sized sauce pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and reduce to a simmer for five minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the cornstarch mixture and simmer until desired thickness is reached, a few more minutes.
- Serve immediately or allow to cool, transfer to a covered container, and store in the refrigerator.
Sarah Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella) says
A few years ago, while on a spending diet, we ran out of ketchup and I ended up going into the pantry and whipping up a batch of homemade. That totally turned me onto making my own condiments. I love that you can control what goes into them, and create just the flavor you are looking for.
Mallory says
I’ve been looking for a good homeade barbeque sauce. I will have to try this!
Karis says
I just recently enjoyed my homemade BBQ sauce on a black bean burger and loved the combination.
Lindsay Moe says
Yes! I did the same thing and it was awesome.
Chris Melton says
This is great! Just made it! How long will this sauce stay good in the fridge?
Lindsay Moe says
I’m not sure exactly, but I probably wouldn’t keep it for more than a week. Otherwise you could freeze portions!