Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels - this is crucial for crispiness. Toss in a large bowl with baking powder, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. Arrange on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, leaving space between each wing. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours (the longer, the crisper).

Preheat oven to 425F. Bake wings on the middle rack for 20 minutes, then flip each wing and continue baking 20-25 minutes until deeply golden and crisp, with internal temperature reaching 165F. If they need more color, broil for 2-3 minutes watching carefully.

While wings bake, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, grated Parmesan, parsley, and red pepper flakes if using. The mixture will thicken slightly as it sits.

Transfer hot wings to a large clean bowl. Pour the lemon parmesan mixture over top and toss vigorously until every wing is coated. The residual heat will help the cheese adhere. Transfer to a platter, shower with extra Parmesan, and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.