Homemade Mozzarella Sticks are lightly battered in a bread crumb mixture with Italian seasoning and oven baked until golden brown outside and stringy inside. They are a great appetizer that is perfect for dipping into your favorite marinara sauce or ranch dressing.
These homemade mozzarella sticks with the gooey cheese inside are a great recipe to serve at your next party food line up. A healthy recipe without all the added fat you get from fried cheese sticks and easily adapted to use in the air fryer.
❤️ Why you'll love it
✔️ It is an easy recipe to make at home and are healthy mozzarella sticks with excellent flavor and without deep frying.
✔️ These are easy to prep ahead of time and store unbaked cheese sticks in an airtight freezer bag until ready to bake.
✔️ Homemade cheese sticks are a finger foods that far more budget friendly than store bought.
🥘 Ingredients
Whole milk mozzarella cheese sticks, frozen
Panko crumbs
Dried oregano
Dried basil
Large eggs , beaten
🔪 Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a blender on high speed, whiz the panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt, and red pepper flakes (if using) for 10 seconds. Place panko mixture in a shallow bowl.
- In another shallow bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended.
- Dip a frozen mozzarella stick in the egg mixture, then dip in the bread crumbs. Repeat with remaining mozzarella sticks.
- Place coated mozzarella stick on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray the tops of the cheese sticks with a coating of cooking spray. Place tray in the freezer and freeze for 15 minutes and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and Bake mozzarella sticks for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, gently turn over mozzarella sticks. Place back in oven for 4 minutes, or until golden brown.
🥄 Equipment
Blender
Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Shallow bowls
Hand whisk
Tongs
🥫Storage
Store homemade mozzarella sticks in the fridge up to 3 days, in the freezer in an airtight container up to 3 months.
📖 Variations
- Substitute Italian seasoning for the basil and oregano.
- For a thicker breading, add a second coating of egg wash and bread crumbs.
- Substitute Italian breadcrumbs for the panko and seasonings.
💭 Tips
- For best results, freeze cheese sticks before and after breading to help prevent the cheese from melting out of the bread crumb coating when baking.
- If freezing to bake later, place breaded sticks on a baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes. Remove from the freezer and store in an airtight bag in the freezer.
- If you can find full fat mozzarella sticks of string cheese, these will be more stringy and gooey than part-skim cheese sticks.
FAQ about this recipe
Yes. As a matter of fact, part-skim cheese sticks may hold up better. They just will not be as stringy.
Yes, you can substitute either. If your low carb, go with the pork rinds for sure. If you do sub bread crumbs, be aware that your coating may not come out as crispy.
Well, this could happen just because it is cheese, and cheese melts! The best way to try and avoid this is to be sure your cheese sticks are frozen when you start, and put them back in the freezer for a while before you bake them. There's little you can do about this when baking cheeses.
📚 Related Recipes
- Baked Eggplant Fries with Basil Dipping Sauce
- Air Fryer BBQ Boneless Chicken Wings
- Baked Chipotle Avocado Fries
- Crispy Baked Sweet Hot Chicken Wings
- Fried Pickles
🍽 Serve with...
Serve these melty mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce as a snack or appetizer to any party.
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces whole milk mozzarella cheese sticks , frozen
- ¾ cup panko crumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon basil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 large eggs , beaten
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a blender on high speed, whiz the panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt, and red pepper flakes (if using) for 10 seconds. Place panko mixture in a shallow bowl.In another shallow bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended.
- Dip a frozen mozzarella stick in the egg mixture, then dip in the bread crumbs. Repeat with remaining mozzarella sticks.
- Place coated mozzarella stick on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray the tops of the cheese sticks with a coating of cooking spray. Place tray in the freezer and freeze for 15 minutes and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and Bake mozzarella sticks for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, gently turn over mozzarella sticks. Place back in oven for 4 minutes, or until golden brown.
Mcl says
If you freeze like the recipe says, these will take much longer to bake! This had me running late because they ended up taking about double the time.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Thank you for sharing your experience. There could be many reasons this took longer to cook for you, it could be your oven temp, the length of time left in the freezer (the recipe indicates 15 minutes before baking which isn't that long). I don't know if you used whole milk mozzarella or part-skim. I made this with whole milk mozzarella sticks which are super soft and need to be frozen. Its possible using part skim mozzarella may not need to be frozen to start as it has less moisture than whole milk.
Debi says
What is the nutritional values of the cheese sticks.? I made my own breadcrumbs out of pork rinds and spices and they will hopeful do good. I’m baking them now and I can’t wait to try them. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us.
Shelby says
Hi Debi, I use myfitnesspal to calculate nutritional values and that will vary depending on the brand. I personally like the fact you used pork rinds for breadcrumbs as this reduces the carbs and makes it perfect for eating Keto! This recipe was made by me prior to starting Keto and I think I need to try your method now to fit my current lifestyle 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Marion Myers says
I LOVE homemade mozzarella sticks and baking them is even better, because I don't like to fry at home! Using the whole milk mozzarella sticks makes these even better no doubt! I wish I had a TJ's near me, but I will definitely pick some up whenever I'm near a TJ's. Thanks for that tip! A note to Trader Joe's: If you're listening, please, please build a store in Brevard County, FL!! We need you! haha
Cindys Recipes and Writings says
I'd eat a plate full of these!
cheri says
These really do look scrumptious, love that you used panko.
Jersey Girl Cooks says
I am always in the mood for mozzarella sticks! These look so good!
Wendy Klik says
I would love one of these ooey gooey sticks of deliciousness!
The Ninja Baker says
Mmm. Your mozzarella appetizers may take first place in yumminess! Glad, too, that the cheese sticks are baked in the oven.
Valentina | The Baking Fairy says
These look absolutely delicious and so easy to make! I love mozzarella sticks at restaurants but I hate buying the frozen kind to make at home because they always come out soggy. These look perfect!
Andrea | From the Bookshelf says
Always wanted to make my own!
Deanna says
I love mozzarella sticks! I admit I never made my own! This makes me want to try 🙂
Liz says
Oh, my. There's something about gooey melted cheese that makes my stomach do flip flops---these cheese sticks look incredible!!
Nichole says
I love mozzarella sticks when dining out, and you know they're homemade - but for whatever reason I have never made them at home - I bet they're SO good. I definitely plan to make yours, soon!
Hezzi-D says
I love mozzarella sticks and can't wait to make them for myself!