Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (trust me on this — cleanup is so much easier). Pat your 8 drumsticks dry with paper towels, since moisture is the enemy of crispiness. This step takes two minutes but makes a huge difference in how golden they turn out.

Mix your panko breadcrumbs, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and thyme in a shallow bowl. Whisk your egg and milk together in another bowl until smooth. Set both bowls next to your baking sheet so you've got an assembly line going.

Coat each drumstick in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off (don't panic if it looks messy). Then roll it in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks. You want a thick, even layer all over — this is what gets you that crispy finish.

Place your coated drumsticks on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Drizzle the olive oil over top, then brush it across each piece. The oil is essential here — it helps everything brown beautifully.

Bake for 35 minutes at 425°F, then brush each drumstick with the honey. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes until the honey caramelizes. The kitchen smells absolutely amazing at this point, and your family will start gathering.

Let them cool for 3-5 minutes on the pan (they'll continue crisping up as they cool). I made this mistake once and pulled them off too early — they were still a tiny bit soft. Now I always wait those few minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter and serve while they're still warm. These are incredible fresh from the oven, but they're also great at room temperature if you're meal prepping baked chicken drumsticks for the week.