This post was sponsored by Eggland’s Best. All opinions are my own. #ad
Homemade Mozzarella Cheese Sticks, a.k.a. Fried Cheese Sticks, are a classic restaurant appetizer favorite that can easily be made at home. Although they’re typically deep fried, my version are made in the air fryer, but if you don’t have one they can also be oven baked.
If you haven’t hopped on the air fryer bandwagon yet, now’s the time. It’s like having a miniature convection oven on your countertop, crisping up your favorite foods with little to no oil. The result? Guilt-free indulgence that’s crispy on the outside and oh-so-tender on the inside.
Why Make Mozzarella Cheese Sticks Homemade?
Of course, you could swing by the frozen food section at your grocery store and grab a box of pre-made mozzarella sticks, but where’s the fun in that? When you make them yourself, you control the ingredients, something you can’t do with frozen processed cheese sticks. And trust me, the taste – definitely unbeatable.
Let’s be honest, there’s also nothing quite like the satisfaction of making things from scratch.
Now here’s where things get interesting. Traditionally, mozzarella sticks are coated in a mixture of beaten eggs, flour and breadcrumbs. However, we’re shaking things up a bit and using only egg whites for our binder.
Instead of breaking open a few eggs, I’m using Eggland’s Best Liquid Egg Whites. They’re fat free, cholesterol free, and a fantastic source of protein (even without the yolk).
Egg whites, flour and bread crumbs provide that coveted crunch without the added richness of the yolks, making for a lighter, crispier bite.
A very important aspect of this recipe is the double dip. It will make your hands a little messy (unless you use tongs, but not sure how easy that would be), but each cheese stick needs to be taken through the breading assembly line twice.
That’s right – double dip the breading before placing them on the little tray or in the air fryer basket. This is very important to achieve a good, solid breading and a good crunch. It will also help prevent the loss of cheese while they’re cooking.
Loss of cheese = ☹️
Ingredients
- Whole Milk Mozzarella Cheese Sticks – Whole milk cheese vs. part skim cheese makes a difference in taste and texture. More fat renders a better taste.
- Eggland’s Best Liquid Egg Whites – Liquid egg whites means not having to worry about separating the yolks from whole eggs.
- All-Purpose Flour – Flour works as a binder between the bread crumbs and the egg whites.
- Bread Crumbs or Panko – Bread crumbs adds crunch and a stable form to the cheese sticks.
Variations
- Use Italian seasoned bread crumbs instead of plain.
- Crush Doritos, Cheetos or corn chips to substitute for the bread crumbs.
- Make Spring Roll cheese sticks by wrapping the cheese sticks with spring roll wrappers instead of dredging in bread crumbs.
- Make Buffalo Mozzarella Sticks by coating the cheese sticks in Buffalo sauce after frying or baking and serve with blue cheese or ranch.
- For a gluten-free version, make bread crumbs from gluten-free bread or replace the bread crumbs with chicharrones (pork rinds).
Tips and Tricks
- Always double dip before cooking!! Only one pass through the egg whites/flour/bread crumbs assembly line isn’t enough for full coverage and maximum crunch.
- Freeze for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- Serve immediately for the best mozzarella cheese stick experience.
Here’s your printable –
MOZZARELLA CHEESE STICKS
The cheesiest cheese sticks with the lightest, crispiest coating!
Ingredients
- 12 mozzarella cheese sticks
- 1 cup Eggland's Best Liquid Egg Whites
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup bread crumbs or panko
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 cup Marinara, for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 390°. Make a breading assembly line by placing the egg whites, flour and bread crumbs in separate bowls.
- Mix the salt and pepper with the bread crumbs.
- Bread the cheese sticks by dipping in egg whites, then flour, then bread crumbs, repeat, and place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Air fry* for 7-9 minutes, until soft and cheese is starting to ooze.
Notes
*These can also be baked at 400° for 10-12 minutes until soft.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 376Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 1040mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 23g
The provided nutrition calculated may not always be accurate.
Here’s your pinnable –
