Hot Honey Mozzarella Sticks

Total Time Prep: 25 min. + freezing Cook: 10 min./batch
Yield 1 dozen
Test Kitchen Approved
Hot honey mozzarella sticks feed that perfect sweet-heat comfort-food craving, delivering crispy breading, stretchy cheese and just enough spice to make them impossible to stop eating.

Ingredients

  • HOT HONEY:
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • MOZZARELLA STICKS:
  • 2 cups dry bread crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 12 sticks string cheese
  • Cooking spray

Directions

  1. Heat honey and crushed red pepper flakes in a small saucepot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a low simmer for two minutes.
  2. Transfer to a canning jar; stir in cider vinegar. Cool completely. Let stand 1 hour before using. If desired, strain out crushed red pepper flakes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast bread crumbs until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Cool completely.
  4. Place flour in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, beat eggs and water. In a third shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and pepper. Coat cheese sticks with flour, then dip into egg mixture and coat with bread crumb mixture. Repeat egg and bread crumb coatings. Cover and freeze for 8 hours or overnight.
  5. Preheat an air fryer to 400°. In batches, place mozzarella sticks in a single layer on a greased tray in air-fryer basket; spritz with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown and heated through, 6-7 minutes, turning halfway through cooking and spritzing with additional cooking spray.
  6. Place hot honey in a shallow dish, microwave until thin, about 1 minute. Gently toss hot mozzarella sticks in honey immediately. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 196 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 250mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 0 fiber), 9g protein.

These hot honey mozzarella sticks are the perfect appetizer to serve on gameday. They're cooked in the air fryer, so they're more approachable to make than traditional fried mozza sticks! —Margaret Knoebel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Recipe Creator

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