These Homemade Mozzarella Sticks are the perfect finger food. You will love the extra crispy coating that gives way to a gooey warm mozzarella encased by a beautifully crisp exterior. Panko breadcrumbs gives these homemade mozzarella sticks an extra crispy exterior that’s to die for! In This Article Video: watch us make this RecipeWhy This Recipe Stands OutKey Recipe IngredientsSubstitutions And VariationsStep-By-Step Recipe InstructionsHow To Prep AheadWhat To Serve With Homemade Mozzarella SticksCommonly Asked QuestionsHomemade Mozzarella Sticks - Extra Crispy RecipeMore to Cook And Eat View more This post may contain affiliate links, at no additional cost to you. Video: watch us make this Recipe Why This Recipe Stands Out We all love mozzarella sticks, but there’s something about homemade ones that makes them extra special. Here’s why this recipe works: Restaurant Quality: These mozzarella sticks are just as good as what you’d get at your favorite diner, if not better! Extra Crispy: The panko breading gives these mozzarella sticks an extra crispy texture that we can’t get enough of, as it does in our Panko Breaded Pork Chops! Perfectly Melty: Flash-freezing the cheese keeps it from falling apart in hot oil. The result is perfectly melted mozzarella in every bite. Ideal Finger Food: These mozzarella sticks are a guaranteed hit at any gathering. They’re one of the best party foods, just like our Extra Crispy Smashed Potatoes! Family-Friendly: The hubby and kids were all over this crispy, tasty finger food. It’s so much fun to be treated to one of our favorite appetizers without setting foot in a diner. Key Recipe Ingredients String Cheese – We use 16 mozzarella string cheese sticks for this recipe. They are the star of the dish, and when fried, they become deliciously gooey on the inside. Panko Bread Crumbs – Panko bread crumbs are the secret to achieving an extra crispy coating. They are lighter and flakier than regular bread crumbs, and they give our mozzarella sticks a satisfying crunch. Eggs and Milk – We use a mixture of beaten eggs and whole milk to help the bread crumbs adhere to the cheese sticks. This ensures that the coating stays on during frying, giving you that perfect crunch in every bite. Substitutions And Variations Here are our favorite substitutions and variations: Spices: You can play around with the spices in the breading. Try adding smoked paprika for a smoky flavor or cayenne pepper for some heat. Herbs: If you’re a fan of herbs, you can add some freshly chopped herbs to the breadcrumb mixture. We think basil would be delicious in these mozzarella sticks, as in our Bruschetta Pasta. Gluten-Free: If you’re gluten-free, you can use gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs. Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions Place flour in a dish. In a separate bowl, mix eggs and milk. In another bowl, combine panko with spices. Cut mozzarella sticks in halves. Roll a piece of mozzarella in flour, dip in the egg mixture, and roll well in the panko mixture. Press crumbs in place. Place coated mozzarella sticks on a wax-lined baking sheet and put in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Pour oil into a saucepan and heat to 365F. Cook a few frozen mozzarella sticks at a time for 25-30 seconds until golden brown. Drain and serve with marinara sauce. For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below. How To Prep Ahead Take a look at our favorite prep ahead tips and strategies: Coat in Advance: You can easily follow all the steps to coat the mozzarella sticks in flour, egg mixture, and panko breadcrumbs. Once coated, place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and store them in the freezer. Once they are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer bag. This way, you can have a batch ready to fry at a moment’s notice. Make Ahead: The fully cooked mozzarella sticks can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply reheat them in the oven to restore their crispy texture. This makes them perfect for meal prepping or for making ahead for a party. Mozzarella Sticks are tastier, crunchier, and meltier when you make them at home! What To Serve With Homemade Mozzarella Sticks Sauces and Dips Serve your mozzarella sticks with your favorite marinara sauce. The acidity of the marinara cuts through the richness of the cheese, balancing the flavors perfectly. Restaurant-Style Blender Salsa also goes incredibly well with these mozzarella sticks! They’re also great with other family favorites such as ranch dressing or even Roasted Garlic Hummus! Main Dishes You can’t go wrong with a cheese sticks and pizza combo! You’ll love our Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza. Looking for pizza flavors but with a twist? Try our One Pot Pizza Pasta or these delicious Pizza Quesadillas! They’re also delicious with these Teriyaki Burgers and Mexican Cheeseburgers! Side Dishes Serve your extra crispy mozzarella sticks alongside other family favorite sides such as these Easiest Garlic Cheese Bread. We also love serving it with our Best Creamy Caesar Salad Recipe! Commonly Asked Questions How do you keep mozzarella sticks from melting and oozing in the fryer? The key is to flash-freeze the coated mozzarella sticks for at least 30 minutes before frying. This helps the cheese to stay intact and not melt too quickly when it hits the hot oil. Can I use regular breadcrumbs instead of Panko? While you can use regular breadcrumbs, we highly recommend using Panko for this recipe. Panko gives the mozzarella sticks an extra crispy texture that you just can’t achieve with regular breadcrumbs. What type of oil is best for frying? We recommend using peanut oil for frying. It has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor, which makes it perfect for deep-frying. However, you can also use other high-smoke-point oils like canola or vegetable oil. How long do homemade mozzarella sticks keep? Homemade mozzarella sticks are best enjoyed fresh and hot. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Simply reheat them in the oven for a few minutes to restore their crispiness. Print Homemade Mozzarella Sticks – Extra Crispy If you are a cheese fan and enjoy a good crunch, you'll really appreciate these Homemade Mozzarella Sticks, made with Panko breadcrumbs for an extra crispy exterior. Course AppetizerCuisine AmericanDiet VegetarianMethod frying Prep Time 45 minutes minutesCook Time 5 minutes minutesTotal Time 50 minutes minutes Servings 32 Calories 60kcal Author Amy Dong EquipmentDeep Fry Thermometer Ingredients16 sticks mozzarella string cheese½ cup all purpose flour2 large eggs beaten¼ cup whole milk2 cups Panko bread crumbs1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp onion powder1 tsp freshly ground black pepper1 TB dried oreganooil for frying, peanut oil is a great optionMarinara sauce for dipping InstructionsPlace flour in a small dish. Set aside.In a bowl, mix together the eggs and milk. Set aside.In another bowl, combine panko bread crumbs with garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and oregano. Set aside.Cut mozzarella sticks into halves. Roll a piece of mozzarella in flour, dip into egg mixture, and roll well in panko mixture. Press crumbs in place so mozzarella stick is fully coated. Continue until all pieces are well coated.Place coated mozzarella sticks on a wax-lined baking sheet and put in freezer for at least 30 minutes. (The flash-freezing is important in keeping cheese from falling apart in hot oil.)Pour enough oil to fill a heavy, medium sized sauce pan one-third to halfway up. Over medium high heat, get oil to 365F – use a frying thermometer. Remove frozen mozzarella sticks and cook a few pieces – don't crowd – at a time, keeping oil temp at 365F throughout cooking process. Turn heat up or down as needed. Cook about 25-30 seconds, turning mozzarella sticks until they are an even golden brown. Drain on paper towel-lined serving plate.  Continue until entire batch is made.  Serve with your favorite marinara sauce and enjoy while hot! Video Notes Try not to let cheese leak while cooking, but a few tiny bubbles are fine.  Flash-freezing the coated mozzarella sticks for at least 30 minutes is crucial. It keeps the cheese from melting too quickly when frying, giving you that perfect gooey center and crispy exterior. Peanut oil is a great choice for frying as it can withstand high temperatures without smoking. This ensures that your mozzarella sticks are cooked to golden perfection without any burnt oil flavors. Maintaining the oil at 365F is important. This allows the sticks to cook quickly, preventing the cheese from oozing out and the breading from getting too greasy. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook a few pieces at a time, so the oil temperature stays consistent and the sticks cook evenly. Serve your mozzarella sticks with your favorite marinara sauce. The acidity of the marinara cuts through the richness of the cheese, balancing the flavors perfectly. These homemade mozzarella sticks are great alongside other easy party appetizers such as our Buffalo Chicken Wings and Air Fryer French Fries.   If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. We hearing from you!  Join our Free Recipe Club and get our newest, best recipes each week! NutritionCalories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.2g | Protein: 6.1g | Fat: 0.7g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14.4mg | Sodium: 160.2mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 0.8g More to Cook And Eat The Best Guacamole Recipe – This guacamole recipe is authentic and so easy, with bold and zesty flavors that will dazzle your taste buds. Jalapeño Popper Party Dip – This Jalapeño Popper Party Dip is just what the party or game day calls for. It’s crispy, cheesy, kicked-up, and pretty much ensures an empty bowl at the end of the night. Caramelized Onion Dip – This Caramelized Onion Dip recipe is super easy to make and is a crowd favorite. This party dip loves to show up on game days, holidays, and gatherings. Easy Crostini – Salty, sweet, creamy, and crunchy, this easy crostini recipe is an easy appetizer recipe for any reason throughout the year. The post Homemade Mozzarella Sticks – Extra Crispy appeared first on Chew Out Loud.