Tips And Yummy Variations
The great thing about making mozzarella sticks at home is that you can customize them however youd like! Ive listed a few of my favorite seasonings and dips here for you to try. I hope you love them as much as I do!
- Seasonings: I love the simple flavor of bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. It makes your mozzarella sticks perfect for just about any sauce! If youre looking for a little extra flavor, though, feel free to add Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or lemon pepper to your bread crumb mixture! It makes each bite flavorful and divine. No dip needed!
- Sauces and Dips: These air fryer mozzarella sticks are perfect for dipping! Aside from marinara, my family always loves having them with buffalo, bbq, and honey mustard sauces.
- Crispier Texture: For a more crispy texture, dredge and coat the cheese sticks once. After freezing, coat them again and freeze for another 30 minutes, then cook and enjoy!
- Dont Overcook: If you overcook your mozzarella sticks, you run the risk of them bursting open and getting too melty. Keep an eye on them at the 6 minute mark to ensure you pull them out right when theyre golden and crispy.
How To Make Cheese Sticks From Scratch
If you want a recipe for a perfect starter or appetizer then cheese fingers or cheese sticks are ideal. This popular dish which is typical from American restaurants and bars is also a favourite for children, and now you do not need to leave the house to fully enjoy it. Ready to surprise everyone with this delicious food? in OneHowTo.com we explain how to make cheese sticks from scratch in simple steps.
- 300 grams of whole fat mozzarella
- 1 egg
- Regular wheat flour or batter
- Breadcrumbs
Making delicious and crunchy cheese sticks from scratch is very easy if we follow the instructions. To begin you should go for full fat mozzarella cheese, as this is the cheese of the traditional recipe, the mozzarella sticks. If you cannot find this opt for Gouda type cheese.
Cut the mozzarella into sticks of about a finger’s thickness. The length of your cheese sticks will depend on how you want them, but remember that the more they look like our fingers the better.
Once cut, put the cheese fingers in the freezer for at least 1 hour, thus when fried they will not melt.
Whilst the cooling time elapses you can prepare the breadcrumbs. The real secret to delicious mozzarella sticks is that the breadcrumbs be filled with that typical Italian flavour.
For this you must mix them with the garlic powder, parsley, basil, oregano and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and keep in a shallow dish.
Once they are fully breaded you should put them back in the freezer for 20 minutes.
How Do You Make Baked Cheese Sticks
Alternatively, feel free to bake them in the oven. It is also a healthier alternative to deep-frying them.
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How To Bread Mozzarella Cheese
Freeze Them For Later
Freeze the mozzarella sticks right on the tray for at least two hours. This is absolutely essential and this step should not be skipped, otherwise the cheese will melt too quickly in the fryer, before the shell has a chance to set.
Make-ahead: I always bag some of the frozen mozzarella sticks and save them for later. Write the date on the bag, and store them for up to 2 months. Simply deep fry them whenever youre ready to eat.
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Why Do You Need To Freeze Mozzarella Sticks Before Frying Them And Btw Can You Make Them Ahead Of Time
Freezing mozzarella sticks before you fry them is essential! Do not pass GO, do not collect $100, and most of all, do not skip this step. Why? Because if you were to drop a mozzarella stick right into the boiling oil, the coating would come off and the mozzarella stick would basically completely disintegrate before your eyes. Itd be a gooey, stringy mess. Freezing allows the crispy panko-and-egg coating to really solidify and get sturdy so that when it hits the oil it can withstand all of that heat. The nice thing about the freezing step is that it means yes! You could make these mozzarella sticks a few days ahead of time, if you want to! Follow the recipe up to the point of freezing, and then once the mozzarella sticks are frozen , you can pop them off the baking sheet and store them in a Ziploc freezer bag until youre ready to fry them.
How To Cook Cheese Sticks
These Cheese Sticks will have the best results deep fried, it makes them crispy and delicious. They can be baked in the oven or cooked in the air fryer but the best results come from frying! When baking or air frying, a bit of the cheese may leak out, this is normal and theyll still be delish!
- To Bake Cheese Sticks: Spray cheese sticks with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake 9-11 minutes or until crumbs are crisp and cheese is melted.
- To Cook Cheese Sticks in the Air Fryer: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Cook cheese sticks in small batches for 4-6 minutes or until crumbs are crisp and cheese is melted.
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Why Does Frying Cheese Not Melt
Moisture: A cheeses ability to melt well depends on a number of factors. The first and perhaps the most important is moisture. A cheese with more moisture will also have more loosely packed milk proteins, which separate more easily when heated. Fat: Cheeses also melt better when theyre higher in fat.
How Do You Make Cheese Sticks
This recipe is made very similar to the way we make most deep-fried recipes, including our Cheesecake Factory Honey Truffle Chicken.
Here are the steps:
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Time To Roll The Dough
Roll the dough into a large flat oval about 1/2 inch thick. Depending upon the size of the area that you are able to roll the dough, you might need to divide it into smaller portions. I have a marble rolling surface and I find that if I divide the dough in half, I can roll it perfectly to the size I need.
Once rolled, cut the dough into equal sized portions. I use a pizza cutting wheel and it cuts the dough very easily.
Take one portion of the dough and roll it into a breadstick shape that is 12-14 inches long. Lightly brush it all over with water.
Roll the breadstick dough in grated cheddar cheese. The first couple times I made these breadsticks, I did not brush them with water before rolling them in the cheese and the grated cheese would not stick to the dough. Brushing them with water lightly works great to get the cheese to stick to the outside of the breadstick.
Place the rolled breadsticks on a baking sheet or stone. With the remaining dough, make 11 more breadsticks and place them side by side, about 1 inch apart.
Can I Use Cheddar Cheese Sticks Instead Of Mozzarella
Yes, absolutely! You could use cheddar cheese sticks if you would rather. Just follow the same methods as instructed, and you will have a cheddar cheese stick to munch on in no time. Since there are so many varieties of cheese sticks out there, you can try several different flavors. They have some that are mixed mozzarella and cheddar, pepper jack, and more. So go wild and try all sorts of flavors if you want.
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How To Make Breadstick Dough
The first part of making breadsticks is preparing the dough. In the past, I have used bagged frozen pizza dough that I purchased from the supermarket. While that worked fine, I have since been making my own bread dough and I find that both the taste and texture of the breadsticks are far superior.
If you are looking for more information and tips for making bread dough, check out this link Artisan Bread.
After the dough has risen and doubled in size, punch it down and knead it with your hands for 30-60 seconds. Divide the dough into 12 equal sized portions.
How To Make Cheese Filled Breadsticks ~
Ingredients:
- Garlic Seasoning
Directions:
Make your homemade pizza dough first OR use store bought pizza dough for this cheese filled breadsticks recipe.
Roll out Pizza Dough fairly thin, in an oblong shape. Making sure that the dough is wide enough for string cheese with a 1/2 inch or so on end.
Cut dough into sections and cut one string cheese in 1/2 or 1/4ths..however cheesy you want the middle to be. Mozzarella cheese sticks are stringier than Cheddar. If you use a cheddar cheese for the middle , it wont be as stringy and your Cheese Sticks will be a bit more greasy.
Lay a piece of string cheese in the middle of each piece of dough
Now roll up and pinch together the opening. Put them onto the baking sheet close togetherso that they become a pull apart when cookedthen sprinkle with Cheddar Cheese and Garlic Seasoning
Hot tip: Sprinkle your baking sheet with Cornmeal! I always use cornmeal on my baking sheets when cooking breads or pizzas. It makes them not stick. Yay! Youll find that pizza establishments use cornmeal on their baking sheets also!
Then bake at 375 degrees for about 15 min..or until golden brown.
These school cheese sticks turned out fabulous!!
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How To Get Rid Of The Smell Of Cooking Oil
The fried food was delicious while you were eating it, but its less than ideal when you can still smell the cooking oil odors the next day. Here are some ways you can eliminate the smell :
- Ventilate! As soon as you start heating the oil for frying, turn on the hood vents. Weather permitting, open the windows, too. Air circulation is your friend.
- Line the area around your workstation with newspaper. It will catch the splatter and help make cleanup easier. But be careful it doesnt get too close to the stove flames!
- Clean up immediately. As soon as youre done cooking, dispose of the oil , clean the pot you used and clean your stovetop and counters .
- Simmer some homemade potpourri on the stove. I like to fill a small pot with a couple cups of water, a few tablespoons of vinegar, and an assortment of spices and fruit peels and let it simmer until the water has evaporated to help eliminate the oil odors. Im a big fan of orange and lemon peels with a cinnamon stick.
- When all else fails, bake! It feels like as good an excuse as any to make a batch of cookies or some banana bread. Your kitchen will smell great, and youll have even more delicious treats.
As my friend Jim said about these fried sticks of heaven, They have parsley on them. Which basically makes them a salad.
Obviously thats a jokeor is it?
After youve made this recipe, please consider coming back to share your experience with others by leaving a comment below with a star rating!
How Long Do You Freeze Mozzarella Sticks Before Frying Them
You have to freeze them before frying! For at least 1 hour. Absolutely, under no circumstance, and in no world, can you skip this step. If you dont freeze them and just skip right to frying them, theyre going to disintegrate into a melty cheesy mess right before your eyes and you will be very, very sad.
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Watch The Video For This Recipe:
Life is good and cheese makes it even better. These cheese sticks are a great salty snack for any occasion and even for holidays.
I have this recipe from my mother and works every time I make them. I really love them as they are buttery, crispy, with cheesy flavor and they can be made in advance with a couple of days. You can also sprinkle flax or sesame seeds on top, some paprika for more color, garlic powder for extra flavor or whatever seasoning and herbs you like best.
- Makes about 80 cheese sticks
- 1 stick butter, cut in smaller pieces
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/4 cup milk
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tbsp wheat bran, optional
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
All Cheese Sticks
Yes You Can Make At Home: Mozzarella Sticks Edition
And no, you dont need a deep fryer or a restaurant-quality hood. You just need to love mozzarella sticks and gather a little courage if youve never done deep frying before. Once you dive into this mozzarella stick recipe, though, youll probably be surprised by how simple they really are to make. And the best reason to make mozzarella sticks at homeOther than freshness, obviouslyis that you can make sure that youre eating the very best mozzarella sticks out there because you get to control the whole mozzarella stick-making process! Theres nothing worse than craving all of the deep-fried, crispy-crunchy, gooey-salty, cheesy greatness of a perfect mozzarella stick and excitedly getting an order of them only to find that youre faced with a dreaded pile of mediocre, lukewarm, soggy mozzarella sticks. Thats a disappointment that simply will not stand! Make them at home and you can banish that horrid mozzarella stick sadness for good.
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How Does The Air Fryer Work
So, the air fryer is a bit of magic. Its basically a convection oven that sits on your countertop. But because its small and mighty, it will heat up to temperature faster than your oven, and cook pretty fast, too.
The air fryer works from the outside in, which means if you dont do your prep work for these mozzarella sticks well enough, youre going to literally have a hot mess on your hands. The sticks will explode and stick to the inside of your air fryer.
- New to the air fryer? Check out our First Timer’s Guide to Using an Air Fryer.
Storing Leftovers And Making Ahead
My favorite part about this recipe is the fact that you can store your mozzarella sticks in the freezer for 6 months! I always make a bunch of these to have on hand, then throw them in the air fryer for when my hungry kids call! Its such a quick and easy snack.
- In the Refrigerator: Cooked mozzarella sticks can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- In the Freezer: Uncooked but breaded mozzarella sticks can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. No need to thaw before cooking! Simply pop them in the air fryer and go!
- Reheating: I like to reheat my mozzarella sticks in the air fryer for a minute or two at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also pop them in the microwave for 15-second intervals, then turning the mozzarella sticks and repeating as needed.
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How Long To Deep Fry Mozzarella Sticks
Heat the oil in the deep fryer to 355F. Once the oil has come to temperature, slowly drop in a handful of breaded cheese sticks. Let them cook for about 2 minutes. Turn them over after a minute, so that all sides of the breading can brown.
Take them out of the oil and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel. This will allow the excess oil to drain. After resting for about one minute, serve the cheese sticks with marinara or pizza sauce.
