Mix the smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl

Make the brine: whisk together hot sauce, buttermilk, and half of the spice mixture

Add drumsticks and brine in a plastic bag. Let it soak for at least 1-2 hours or overnight

Make the dredge: add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and the rest of the spices in a plastic bag and shake to mix everything together

After the chicken has finished soaking, add up to 3 drumsticks at a time into the dredge bag. Coat the drumsticks by shaking the bag. Take the drumsticks out of the bag and set on a plate. Repeat this for all the drumsticks

Pour the remaining buttermilk mixture from the brine bag into a bowl and double dredge the drumsticks in the brine and then in the dredge.

Let the drumsticks rest for 10 minutes

Spray the drumsticks with oil to help the dredge adhere to the chicken. This will also crispen the chicken.

Spray the air fryer basket with oil and place 4 drumstick to the basket