Crispy Baked Mozzarella Sticks (Printable)

Golden crunchy coating surrounds melted mozzarella in these easy baked sticks. Less mess than frying, maximum flavor for snacking.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cheese

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

→ Breading Station

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 tsp garlic powder
08 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
10 - 1/2 tsp salt
11 - 1/4 tsp black pepper

→ For Baking

12 - Olive oil spray

# How-to Steps:

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 (shake 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. Let cool 2 minutes before serving with warm marinara sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The satisfaction of that first crunch followed by warm melty cheese is something special
  • You get all the indulgence of deep fried food without the oil mess or guilt
  • These freeze beautifully so you can always have homemade appetizers ready for unexpected guests
02 -
  • Skip the freezing step and your cheese will melt into a flat disappointing puddle before the crust gets crispy
  • Work quickly when coating the frozen sticks because warm cheese becomes impossible to bread
  • The wire rack is not optional it allows air to circulate and creates that all over crunch instead of soggy bottoms
03 -
  • Use tongs to keep your hands clean during the breading process and work over a sheet pan to catch crumbs
  • Let the sticks rest for 2 minutes after baking so the cheese sets slightly and you get that perfect stretch when you bite in

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