Double breaded, crisp, and gooey air-fried cheese sticks are an irresistible snack! This easy air fryer recipe has steps for homemade and frozen mozzarella sticks.
Set out three bowls. Place the eggs and milk and one bowl. Whisk to combine. In the second bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and ground black pepper. Mix well. Place the all-purpose flour in the third bowl.
Unwrap the cheese sticks and cut in half to create 24 pieces. Toss the cheese sticks in the flour until well coated.
Set out a large baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. One at a time, dunk the floured cheese sticks in egg wash, then in breadcrumbs, back into the egg wash, and back in the breadcrumbs. That’s one coating of flour, but two coatings of egg wash and breadcrumbs, for a thick coating to hold in the melted cheese. Place on a baking sheet. Then repeat, repeat, repeat.
Once all the cheese sticks are breaded, place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least one hour. *Once the cheese sticks are frozen solid, you can place them in a freezer bag and keep them frozen for later use.
DO NOT THAW THE CHEESE STICKS. *When ready to air fry, preheat the air fryer to 360°F. Spray the air fryer basket with oil spray, then place half the cheese sticks in the basket in a single layer. Spray the tops of the cheese sticks with the oil spray.
Air fry for 5 minutes. Gently shake the basket, then air fry for another 1 to 3 minutes. Be sure to check the air fryer after 6 minutes to make sure they do not overcook and bust open.
Repeat with the remaining mozzarella sticks. Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.
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Notes
Store homemade mozzarella sticks in an airtight ziplock bag and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.