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You get an awesome crunch on the outside and melty cheese in the middle with these Nashville hot mozzarella sticks. Once they come out of the fryer, they're drizzled with a spicy buttery glaze for extra flavor. The combo of creamy cheese and crispy coating hits just right, while the bold Nashville style heat keeps things exciting. These aren't your average cheese sticks—serve them at parties, game nights, or honestly, whenever you've got a craving and want to wow your friends and family.
My spin on these started after a trip down to Nashville where that signature hot chicken heat had me hooked. Later, I figured, why not put those spicy flavors on cheese sticks? Tried it for the first time at a family BBQ and everyone was asking how to make them by the end of the night. Now my brother wants them at every single family hangout we host.
Essential Ingredient Rundown
- Brown sugar: Adds just the right bit of sweet to balance the fire in the glaze.
- Unsalted butter: Lets you control the salt while making a rich, peppery sauce to finish.
- Panko breadcrumbs: Stay light and crispier than regular crumbs for that unbeatable crunch.
- Smoked paprika: Brings some smoky depth to keep those spicy notes in check.
- Cayenne pepper: Gives the classic kick that makes these sticks scream Nashville hot.
- High smoke point oil: Keeps things from burning while helping you hit a beautiful golden fry.
- All purpose flour: Gets the breading process started so everything sticks just right.
- Large eggs: Act like glue, keeping those crumbs on the cheese without sliding off.
- Low moisture mozzarella cheese: You want the cheese to get gooey but not watery for the best result.
Skip the shredded bag and grab a mozzarella block—shredded cheese often has powder on it so it doesn't melt as nicely. Look for "low moisture" or "melting" on the label since that's the stuff that gives you that ideal stretchy, cheesy pull inside.
Easy How-To Steps
- Jazz up that finishing touch:
- Once they're fried and hot, brush on or spoon over your glaze so it melts into the crust. Want more heat? Dip 'em again. Serve extra glaze on the side for dipping.
- Fry like a pro:
- Work in little groups—drop four to five frozen sticks into your hot oil so you don’t crowd things. Fry about a minute and a half till the outside’s a deep golden brown. Grab them out onto a paper towel to catch the oil.
- Get the oil hot:
- Pour enough neutral oil so it’s about three inches deep in your pot or fryer. Heat to 375°F and check with a thermometer to make sure it’s just right. You want crunch, not greasy cheese disasters.
- Prep your glaze:
- Warm half a cup butter on medium, stir in three tablespoons cayenne, a tablespoon smoked paprika, a tablespoon brown sugar, a tablespoon hot sauce, teaspoon garlic powder, and half a teaspoon salt. Whisk till totally smooth and bright red.
- Stick those in the freezer:
- Spread breaded sticks out on a tray and freeze them for at least twenty minutes—an hour's even better. This step is key or else the cheese will bust out before the crust gets crunchy.
- Coat each stick well:
- Dip each cooled cheese stick in seasoned flour first, then dunk in your egg, then roll them into your spicy breadcrumb mix. Want them extra thick and crunchy? Repeat egg and crumb steps for double breading. That helps seal the cheese in.
- Make your breading line-up:
- Get three pans ready: flour with some salt and pepper; eggs, beaten up; and panko mixed with spices like cayenne, smoked paprika, plus garlic powder, onion powder, and more salt. Keep everything in arm’s reach.
- Slice the cheese:
- Cut a mozzarella block into sticks—aim for pieces about three inches by half an inch so they all fry up the same. Line them on parchment and chill in the fridge while you get everything else out.
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My father-in-law isn’t into spicy food but totally shocked us all when he grabbed these mozzarella sticks for seconds and thirds. He used ranch to cool things off and loved the mix. So next time, I made twice as many sticks and a bunch of ranch—the plate was cleared in no time.
Best Way to Serve
Show off your glazed sticks on a big platter next to cool dips like ranch, blue cheese, or cucumber yogurt. That pop of bright red always gets people reaching for them. Let everyone mix and match dips depending how much heat they want—makes it feel special for any get-together.
Fun Tweaks You Can Try
Switch things up by swapping some mozzarella for pepper jack to get more heat inside the cheese. For a crunchier bite and subtle sweetness, mix crushed corn flakes with your panko. Also, try a spoonful of pickle juice in the egg wash for a background tang—kind of a nod to those classic Nashville chicken pickles.
How To Store and Reheat
Stash unfried but breaded sticks in the freezer in a single layer (with parchment between layers if stacking) for a month. Fry right from frozen—just add half a minute more cooking time. Leftover fried sticks? Keep ‘em in the fridge for up to two days and reheat in a hot oven for five minutes to get crispy again before glazing fresh.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why freeze mozzarella sticks before frying?
- Chilling your cheese sticks in the freezer for 15-20 minutes keeps the cheese from oozing out before the breading crisps up. If you skip freezing, the cheese will melt too fast and leak, which ruins your snack.
- → How can I make the Nashville hot sauce less spicy?
- It’s super easy to tone it down! Use just half a tablespoon of cayenne and go lighter on the hot sauce in your butter glaze. If you want it even hotter, throw in extra cayenne or a pinch of ghost pepper. Balance the sugar with any extra heat you use.
- → Which oil is best for frying?
- Avocado oil works great since it can handle high heat (up to about 520°F). But canola, peanut, and vegetable oils work too. The key is to fry at 375°F. If the oil’s too cool, they get greasy. Too hot, and the breading burns before the cheese melts.
- → Can I prep these cheese sticks ahead?
- You sure can. Bread them and freeze for a week max, in a flat layer with parchment between to stop them from sticking. Fry straight from frozen—just cook them a tiny bit longer. Once coated in the spicy sauce, eat right away. That’s when they’re crispiest and the cheese is perfect.
- → What sauces go well for dipping?
- Ranch or blue cheese dressings cool things off. If you want a little sweetness, grab honey mustard. For a fresh twist, mix sour cream and chives, or try avocado dip. Want more fire? Dip in chipotle mayo.
- → Why does the breading sometimes fall off?
- Breading falling off usually means the oil isn’t hot enough (always go for 375°F), you put too many in the pan, or you didn’t press the crumbs onto the cheese hard enough. Double breading helps, but make sure you press those crumbs in really well before frying.