Air Fryer Cheese Sticks are a dream come true! These mozzarella bites are crispy on the outside, with perfectly melted gooey cheese on the inside, and they pack an extra flavor punch from the pepperoni.
Learn how to make these mozzarella sticks without losing any cheese during the cooking process and NO need to freeze either!
THE SECRET TO KEEPING THE CHEESE INSIDE
Wait for it…. wonton wrappers! Yes, yes, yes! It works every time!
A lot of mozzarella cheese stick recipes recommend you double coat the cheese with bread crumbs or freeze the cheese stick for hours before cooking. Totally not necessary with my recipe for Air Fryer Cheese Sticks.
Start with a wonton wrapper, top it with two pepperoni pieces, a stick of mozzarella cheese, wrap it all up tight and coat it in seasoned bread crumbs. It’s that easy and there is NO freezing necessary! (Pepperoni is optional, and WAY worth adding.)
HOW DOES AN AIR FRYER WORK?
I have to admit, I wasn’t so sure about purchasing an air fryer. First, it’s another piece of equipment. Did I really need it? Would it be that much better? The answer is yes!
What’s so great about the air fryer is there is no actual frying happening. I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand the leftover smell that lingers from frying foods in my kitchen. It’s just not worth the mess and odor.
An air fryer actually cooks the food by blowing hot air around the food, giving a convection effect that browns the food making it crispy just like it came out of a hot oil bath. No grease equals a healthier version of the traditional fried cheese you get in a restaurant.
Are you new to air frying? Check out this helpful guide on how to use an air fryer.
INGREDIENTS
- Mozzarella String Cheese – You can use pre-cut mozzarella string cheese or you can cut pieces from a block.
- Wonton Wrappers – Use egg roll wrappers if you can’t find the wonton style, but you will need to cut them to size.
- Egg – The beaten egg works to insure that the wonton stays closed, keeping the cheese inside during the cooking process.
- Seasoned Bread Crumbs
- Panko Bread Crumbs – A mix of Panko bread crumbs and seasoned bread crumbs gives the sticks a great crunchy texture.
- Italian Seasoning
- Garlic Powder
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER CHEESE STICKS
- Remove each mozzarella cheese stick from the wrapper and cut each into three equal pieces.
- Add 1/2 c Panko bread crumbs, 1/4 c seasoned bread crumbs, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Beat 1 egg and 1 tbsp water in a small bowl.
- Lay out 6 wonton wrappers on a clean surface. Top each with two pieces of pepperoni and one piece of mozzarella cheese.
- Brush the edges of each wonton with the egg mixture.
- Take on corner of the wonton and wrap around the cheese. Fold corners and continue to roll until the wonton wrapper is sealed.
- Working with one cheese stick at a time, dip each into egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture. Press bread crumbs firmly onto each wonton making certain all areas are covered. Place on a plate.
- Continue the process until all 18 are rolled and coated.
- Spray the basket of the air fryer with cooking spray. This will insure that they don’t stick to the air fryer.
- Working in batches add 6-9 sticks to the air fryer so that they are not touching. Spray each stick with cooking spray.
- Set the air fryer to 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Half way through the cooking process flip the sticks. There is no need to preheat the air fryer, but all air fryers are different. Cook until crispy and brown.
- Serve warm with marinara or Ranch for dipping.
MORE POPULAR RECIPES:
AIR FRYER CHEESE STICKS
Air Fryer Cheese Sticks (With Pepperoni)
Ingredients
- 6 Part Skim Mozzarella String Cheese Sticks
- 18 Wonton Wrappers
- 36 Pepperoni Rounds Optional
- 1/2 c Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1/4 c Seasoned Bread Crumbs
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Egg Beaten
- Ranch or Marinara For dipping
Instructions
- Remove mozzarella cheese sticks from the wrapper and cut each into three equal pieces.
- Add 1/2 c Panko bread crumbs, 1/4 c seasoned bread crumbs, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Beat 1 egg and 1 tbsp water in a small bowl.
- Lay out 6 wonton wrappers on a clean surface. Top each with two pieces of pepperoni and one stick of mozzarella cheese.
- Brush the edges of each wonton with the egg mixture.
- Take on corner of the wonton and wrap around the cheese. Fold each side up onto the top of the first corner and continue to roll until the wonton wrapper is sealed.
- Working with one cheese stick at a time, dip into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture. Press bread crumbs firmly onto each wonton making certain all areas are covered. Place on a plate.
- Continue the process until all 18 are rolled and coated.
- Spray the basket of the air fryer with cooking spray. This will insure that they don't stick to the air fryer.
- Working in batches add 6-9 sticks to the air fryer so that they are not touching. Spray each stick with cooking spray.
- Set the air fryer to 400 degrees for 5 minutes, until crispy and brown. Turn the sticks half way through cooking process.
- Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces.
Notes
- Pepperoni is optional.
- Marinara or Ranch is great for dipping.
- They will hold in a 200 degree oven as you make sticks in batches.
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