You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own fried cheese sticks at home! Crispy on the outside, melty on the inside – kids love them!

Homemade Cheese Sticks

As a kid, I loved fried mozzarella cheese sticks! They were my favorite after school snack because I could grab some out of the freezer and heat them up myself in the oven or microwave (yes, microwave…I was a teenager ok?!)

These homemade cheese sticks are surprisingly easy to make, with our little shortcut. And they taste just as good or better than what you’d get in a restaurant! (I think most restaurants probably just serve the frozen cheese sticks anyway!)

These cheese sticks can also be prepped a day in advance and fried the day you want to serve them, so they’re a great quick dinner for busy weeknights. They also fit perfectly into a lunchbox!

Ingredients

• 10 Mozzarella String Cheese Sticks
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup panko-style bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons mustard powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 cups cooking oil, for frying

Helpful Kitchen Tools

• Baking Sheet
• Dutch Oven Pot

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Whisk together the milk and egg in a shallow bowl.
3. In a second shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, panko bread crumbs, mustard powder, salt, and pepper.
4. Dip each string cheese stick in the egg bath and then into the flour mixture, turning to coat completely.
5. Place the breaded cheese sticks on your prepared pan and freeze for at least 20 minutes before frying.

How To Fry The Cheese Sticks

1. Heat your oil in a skillet, dutch oven or deep fryer until it reaches 375°F.
2. Remove the cheesesticks from the freezer and carefully place 6 at a time in the oil, turning once to ensure both sides are completely golden brown.
3. Place the fried cheesesticks on a plate lined with paper towels, to soak up excess oil.
4. Repeat until all cheese sticks are fried.

 Prep Tips

• Meal Prepping: The cheese sticks can be made up to a day ahead of time. Once you’ve breaded all of the cheese sticks, place them on a baking sheet, cover, and keep in the freezer until ready to fry.
• Cheese Types: Mozzarella cheese is a traditional filling for fried cheese sticks, but you can use any kind of cheese you like: cheddar and colby jack are other options you might see in the refrigerator section. You don’t have to use “string cheese” – only mozzarella will be labeled as string cheese.
• Size: You can fry the whole cheesesticks, or cut them in half so they are shorter and easier for little hands to hold.
• Yield: This recipe will make 10-20 cheese sticks, depending on whether or not you cut them in half.
• Serve With: These cheese sticks are best enjoyed while still warm. You can serve with marinara or your favorite dipping sauce. Personally, I love ketchup.

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Homemade Cheese Sticks Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)

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