Homemade Mozzarella Sticks

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Ingredients (For 18 Sticks)

  • 2 Cups breadcrumbs (I take staling bread/end pieces, crumb it up and put it in the freezer ready to go but you could use store bought)
  • 2 Medium eggs
  • 3tbsp Cold water
  • 3tbsp Dried basil
  • 3tbsp Garlic granules
  • 1tbsp Cayenne pepper
  • 1/2tsp Salt
  • 1tbsp Black pepper
  • All-purpose flour (I just sieve and add more to the Tupperware as I need it to keep waste to a minimum but make sure you have at least 1/2 cup, preferably a little more, on hand)
  • 9 String cheese sticks, halved
  • Oil/Spray/Melted fat of preference for lightly coating to air-fry
  • Freezer-proof baking tray/sheet/storage container
  • Baking paper/parchment paper

Method

(Instagram reel of method here)

  1. Place breadcrumbs, dried basil, garlic granules, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper into a small container or on a plate and mix together
  2. In another container or plate put the flour; In another, specifically one that is safe to pick up and move around without a liquid spillage, beat the eggs and cold water together
  3. Dip a piece of mozzarella into the egg mixture followed by flour, egg mixture again followed by breadcrumbs. I use a fork to hold the stick and move through these stages before needing to press the breadcrumbs on well to coat the stick as much as possible (your hands might get a little messy but not too much!)
  4. Place the completed coated sticks on parchment paper on/in a freezer friendly container and put into the freezer for at least an hour
  5. Preheat your air-fryer to 390°F/200°C before putting the sticks, lightly brushed/sprayed with oil etc of preference for around seven minutes. If you don’t have an air-fryer you can do these in a pre-heated oven at 400°F/220°C for about ten minutes. Either way keep an eye on them to make sure all the cheese doesn’t ooze out!

Eating And Storage Tips

Given these cook from frozen after being prepared you can do these in advance and have them ready to go; Just make sure they are in a well-sealed container and use within a month to keep at maximum “freshness” without dreaded freezer chill kicking in.

Some people would serve these with a dipping sauce, such as a marinara sauce or ranch but go wild with your own preferences.

These are obviously best when served hot and eaten immediately to get that gooey pull effect but if you need to reheat them do it at a high temperature for a short amount of time and try keep a close eye on them to stop the breadcrumbs from burning or drying out too much.