Marianne Martinez
Air fryers are a great way to make cheese sticks, especially if you're after that gooey, crispy texture. You can use a variety of cheeses, but mozzarella and cheddar are the most popular choices. The process is simple: coat your cheese sticks in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, freeze, and then air fry. However, there are a few important details to keep in mind to ensure your cheese sticks don't explode or stick to the fryer.
Cooking Cheese Sticks in an Air Fryer
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Cheese | Mozzarella, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, String Cheese, Halloumi |
| Other Ingredients | Flour, Eggs, Breadcrumbs, Oil, Parmesan Cheese, Marinara Sauce |
| Preparation | Cut cheese into sticks, dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg, roll in breadcrumbs, freeze, air fry |
| Air Fryer Temperature | 360-400°F |
| Air Fryer Cook Time | 4-10 minutes |
| Notes | Cheese sticks should be frozen before air frying, use cooking spray to prevent sticking |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right cheese
Mozzarella is the most common cheese used for making cheese sticks. You can use either string cheese or a block of mozzarella, although block mozzarella is considered to have a better flavour and will yield more sticks. If you are using string cheese, cut each piece in half. If you are using a block of mozzarella, cut it into 3-inch x ¾-inch pieces.
It is also possible to make cheese sticks with other types of cheese, such as cheddar. One recipe recommends using Cabot Lite50 Sharp Cheddar. Another suggests using whole milk mozzarella, which has a better flavour than part-skim mozzarella.
If you are using mozzarella, it is important to freeze the cheese sticks before cooking them in the air fryer. This will help to prevent the cheese from leaking out during cooking. Freeze the cheese sticks for at least 45 minutes to an hour, or until they are completely frozen.
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Preparing the coating
Next, you'll want to set up three separate stations for dredging: one shallow dish with flour, one shallow dish with beaten eggs, and another shallow dish with breadcrumbs, olive oil, and any desired seasonings. If you're using parmesan cheese, add it to the breadcrumbs and mix until well combined.
Now, it's time to coat the cheese sticks. Start by dredging the cheese sticks in the flour, shaking off any excess. Then, dip them in the egg mixture, allowing any excess to drip off before transferring to the breadcrumbs. Make sure the cheese sticks are fully coated in the breadcrumbs before returning them to the egg mixture for a second coating. Finally, give them one more coat of breadcrumbs, making sure no cheese is visible. This double-coating process is crucial to prevent the coating from sliding off during frying.
Once all the cheese sticks are coated, place them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to an hour to firm up the breading. This step is important to ensure the cheese sticks fry evenly and the coating doesn't fall off.
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Freezing the cheese sticks
Preparing the Cheese Sticks for Freezing
Before placing the cheese sticks in the freezer, they need to be coated. Start by cutting the cheese block into sticks. The number of sticks will depend on the size of the block. For a standard block of cheese, cut it in half crosswise into two chunks, then cut each chunk into slabs about 1/2-inch thick. Finally, cut the slabs into three sticks, yielding 12 sticks in total.
Prepare three shallow dishes. In the first dish, place some flour. In the second dish, whisk an egg until well blended. In the third dish, combine breadcrumbs with oil and seasonings like paprika, garlic powder, salt, and parmesan cheese. Now, dredge the cheese sticks in the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure the cheese sticks are completely coated with no exposed cheese. Place the coated cheese sticks on a baking sheet or plate.
Once the cheese sticks are coated, it's time to freeze them. Place the baking sheet or plate containing the coated cheese sticks into the freezer. Freeze for at least one hour, or until the breading is firm and the sticks are completely frozen. It is important that the cheese sticks are frozen solid before air frying to ensure even cooking and prevent the coating from falling off.
Storing Frozen Cheese Sticks
After the cheese sticks are frozen solid, transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag or a sealable freezer baggie. Make sure to freeze them in a single layer, with no sides touching each other, to prevent sticking or crowding, which can lead to sogginess. Properly stored, the frozen cheese sticks can be kept in the freezer for up to three months.
Cooking Frozen Cheese Sticks in the Air Fryer
When you're ready to cook the frozen cheese sticks, preheat your air fryer to a temperature between 360°F and 400°F. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or oil to prevent sticking, although this step is optional. Place the frozen cheese sticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they are not touching each other. Cook for 4 to 10 minutes, depending on the desired level of doneness and the brand of your air fryer. Keep a close eye on the cheese sticks as they cook, as they can quickly go from golden brown to split open and melting. Serve the cheese sticks hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
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Cooking time and temperature
The cooking time and temperature for cheese sticks in an air fryer depend on whether the cheese sticks are frozen or not.
If you are cooking frozen cheese sticks, preheat your air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, place the frozen cheese sticks in the fryer basket, ensuring they are in a single layer with space for air to circulate around them. Next, spray the cheese sticks with cooking spray and cook them for 4 minutes. Open the air fryer, flip the cheese sticks, spray them again, and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they cook, as they may split open if you leave them for too long. The cheese sticks are done when they are crispy and golden brown.
If you are cooking fresh cheese sticks, the process is similar, but the cooking time and temperature vary slightly depending on the source. One source recommends cooking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes, flipping the cheese sticks, and then cooking for another 3 minutes. Another source suggests cooking at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 minutes. A third source advises cooking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes, but notes that this is an inexact number and you should keep checking on the cheese sticks as they cook.
Regardless of whether you are cooking frozen or fresh cheese sticks, it is important to ensure that they are fully coated in the breading mixture before placing them in the air fryer. This will help to create a crispy texture and prevent the cheese from melting out of the breading.
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Sauces to serve with
There are several sauces that you can serve with cheese sticks cooked in an air fryer. The most popular choice seems to be marinara sauce, which is a smooth, bold, and flavourful sauce that pairs perfectly with cheese sticks. You can make your own marinara sauce at home with just five ingredients, including garlic cloves, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, and salt.
Other sauces that you can serve with air-fried cheese sticks include:
- Cocktail sauce
- Honey mustard
- BBQ sauce
- Buffalo Wing hot sauce
- Salsa
- Garlic aioli
- Raspberry or blackberry sauce
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Frequently asked questions
To cook cheese sticks in an air fryer, first dredge the cheese in a flour mixture, dip it in a beaten egg, and roll it in breadcrumbs. Repeat this process to create a second layer of coating. Place the cheese sticks in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to an hour. Set the air fryer to 360-400°F and coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Place the cheese sticks in the basket in a single layer and cook for 5-8 minutes until golden brown.
Mozzarella sticks are the classic choice for cheese sticks, but you can also use other melty cheeses such as cheddar, string cheese, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or halloumi.
Yes, you can make cheese sticks in an air fryer without breadcrumbs. Simply skip the breading process and cook the cheese sticks as they are. You may want to try using other coatings such as crushed chips or pretzels.
To cook frozen cheese sticks in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 360°F and cook the cheese sticks for 3-4 minutes, turning them halfway through. Keep a close eye on them as they may split open if you heat them for too long.
