Crispy Baked Mozzarella Sticks (Printable)

Crunchy golden exterior with melty cheese inside. Easy baked version with less mess.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheese

01 - 14 oz low-moisture mozzarella cheese sticks (about 20 sticks)

→ Breading

02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1/4 cup milk
04 - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
06 - 1/2 cup fine dry Italian breadcrumbs
07 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ For Baking

12 - Olive oil spray

# How to Make It:

01 - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice mozzarella cheese into stick shapes if not pre-cut. Arrange sticks in a single layer on the baking sheet and freeze for at least 1 hour until very firm.
02 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a wire rack on a second baking sheet and lightly coat with olive oil spray.
03 - Set up three shallow bowls: Bowl 1 with flour, Bowl 2 with whisked eggs and milk, Bowl 3 with panko, Italian breadcrumbs, garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper mixed together.
04 - Working quickly with a few sticks at a time, coat each frozen mozzarella stick in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg mixture, then roll in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to adhere. For extra crunch, repeat egg and breadcrumb coating once more.
05 - Arrange breaded sticks on the prepared rack, spacing them apart. Generously spray the tops with olive oil spray.
06 - Bake for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway and spraying the other side, until golden and crisp. Watch closely to prevent cheese from oozing out.
07 - Let cool 2 minutes before serving with warm marinara sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get that golden crunch without the grease and cleanup of deep frying
  • The freezing step makes them practically foolproof for weeknight snacking
  • They reheat beautifully so you can make a big batch ahead
02 -
  • Skip the freezing step and you'll end up with cheese puddles instead of sticks
  • Working with cold, frozen cheese means moving fast so keep your coating station ready
  • The wire rack isn't optional, it lets air circulate for all-over crispiness
03 -
  • Use tongs for the coating steps to keep your hands from getting messy and warming up the cheese
  • If any spots look bare after breading, sprinkle extra crumbs and press gently to patch them

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