Hot Cheeto Mozzarella Sticks Recipe
These Hot Cheeto Mozzarella Sticks are a fiery twist on the classic appetizer, featuring mozzarella cheese sticks coated in crushed flaming hot Cheetos for an extra crunchy, spicy crust. Perfect for game days or a bold snack, they are air fried to golden perfection and served with your choice of ranch or blue cheese dressing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 pieces
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Coating
- 1 bag (8.5 ounces / 6 cups) flaming hot Cheetos, crushed to 3 cups
- ½ cup (62.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Cheese
- 12 mozzarella string cheese sticks, cut in half
Garnish and Serving
- Parsley, chopped, for garnish
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for dipping
Instructions
- Crush the Cheetos. Place the bag of flaming hot Cheetos in a food processor and pulse until finely ground into crumbs, measuring about 3 cups.
- Prepare bowls for breading. Set out three shallow bowls: one with the flour, kosher salt, and garlic powder mixed; one with the beaten eggs; and one with the crushed Cheetos crumbs. Also, line a baking sheet with parchment paper to place coated sticks.
- Bread the mozzarella sticks. Working one at a time, thoroughly coat each mozzarella half-stick first in the flour mixture, then dip into the beaten eggs, followed by rolling in the Cheetos crumbs. Dip them again in the eggs and again in the Cheetos crumbs to create a thick, even coating. Place each coated stick onto the parchment-lined sheet.
- Freeze the coated sticks. Transfer the prepared mozzarella sticks to the freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm up the coating, up to an hour if possible.
- Preheat the air fryer. Once frozen, preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C) for 5 minutes.
- Air fry the mozzarella sticks. Lightly spray the coated sticks with cooking spray and place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving space between each stick to ensure crispiness. You may need to cook in batches depending on your air fryer size. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the coating is golden brown and crispy.
- Serve. Remove the sticks from the air fryer and let them cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping.
Notes
- Freezing the coated mozzarella sticks before air frying is crucial to prevent cheese from leaking out during cooking.
- Use room temperature eggs to ensure even coating.
- Adjust air frying time based on your appliance’s heat distribution.
- For extra crispiness, double coat the sticks by repeating the egg and Cheetos crumb dip a second time.
- Ensure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket to allow proper air circulation and even cooking.
