Pat wings completely dry with paper towels. If wings are whole, separate at the joint into drummettes and wingettes and discard wing tips or save for stock.

Toss wings with baking powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated. If using cornstarch for extra crispness, add it here and toss to combine.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) if roasting. If frying, heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C).

For oven method: Arrange wings on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, skin side up, leaving space between pieces. Roast 35–45 minutes, turning once halfway, until skin is deep golden and crisp and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). For frying: Fry wings in batches 8–10 minutes until golden and cooked through; drain on paper towels.

Buff-style Spicy Sauce

While wings cook, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add hot sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne and salt. Whisk until smooth and warmed through, about 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust heat or salt as desired.

Reserve about 2 tablespoons of sauce for drizzling on finished wings, then toss hot cooked wings in the remaining sauce in a large bowl until evenly coated.

Toppings & Build (Sink 'Buff Style')

Prepare toppings while wings cook: crisp and chop the bacon, shred cheeses, dice tomato, slice pickles and scallions, chop cilantro, and cut avocado into slices or dice. Keep avocado in a bowl with a squeeze of lime to slow browning.

Place sauced wings on a large ovenproof platter or a shallow baking dish. Evenly distribute shredded cheddar and pepper jack over the hot wings.

Place under a broiler set to high (or in the hot oven at 425°F) for 1–3 minutes just until the cheese is melted and bubbly — watch carefully to avoid burning.

Remove from oven. Top the melted-cheese wings with chopped bacon, diced tomato, sliced pickles, avocado pieces, scallions and cilantro. Drizzle reserved sauce and/or ranch/blue cheese dressing over the top, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Finishing & Serving

Serve immediately while hot and cheesy. Provide extra napkins and a small bowl of ranch or blue cheese for dipping. Optionally garnish with extra cracked black pepper and a sprinkle of smoked paprika or red pepper flakes for more heat.