Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks (Baked)

One of my favorite appetizers to order from restaurants is fried mozzarella sticks; is there anything better than fried cheese? I don’t think so. Unfortunately, once I went gluten free, ordering mozzarella sticks at a restaurant became a distant memory—sad times.

Anyway, I can’t imagine going through life without enjoying mozzarella sticks, so like with all of my favorite Italian recipes, I created a gluten free version. 

These gluten free mozzarella sticks are amazing, and everyone loves them – nobody even knows they’re gluten free.

Check out my gluten free appetizers; this hot spinach artichoke dip is another favorite.

Reasons you’ll love this recipe.

• Everything you love about fried mozzarella sticks, but made totally gluten free.
• Baked and not fried makes this appetizer a touch healthier and makes preparation and clean-up a breeze.
• Cheaper than purchasing store-bought gluten free mozzarella sticks.
• Make a couple of batches to freeze for a quick snack or an easy party appetizer on game day.

Ingredients

• Mozzarella string cheese. I recommend using whole milk mozzarella string cheese sticks for maximum ooey gooey stretch. You can use fresh mozzarella, but it will melt faster than store-bought cheese sticks, so you’ll need to shorten the baking time.
• Gluten free flour. You can use any gluten-free flour on hand in the pantry, and I mostly use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten-free flour. You can also use oat flour, white rice flour, and even almond flour.
• Gluten free bread crumbs. I’ve made gluten-free mozzarella sticks with regular breadcrumbs and panko, and I prefer panko. Panko breadcrumbs give a crisp coating and taste more like traditional mozzarella sticks. Since I put together a seasoning blend for the breadcrumbs, I recommend purchasing plain breadcrumbs.
• Seasoning. I use a seasoning blend of Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt for the best, most authentic restaurant-style mozzarella stick flavor. I strongly recommend using my homemade Italian seasoning, but if not, purchase a high-quality organic brand. Or use an equal amount of dried basil, oregano, or other italian spices and herbs.
• Eggs and milk are whisked together to form an egg wash that helps the flour and breadcrumbs stick to the cheese stick. Use large eggs so there’s enough egg wash for all of the sticks.
• Olive oil (not pictured) is used to brown the breadcrumb coating making crispy mozzarella sticks as they bake in the oven. You can also use canola or vegetable oil.

Supplies

• Large shallow bowls
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Silicone pastry brush

How to Make Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks

• Start by removing the cheese sticks from the plastic and then cut them in half.
• Next, get the dipping station ready. In one bowl, add the flour, and then in a second shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. In a third shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and seasonings.
• Lay parchment paper down on a large baking sheet.
• Now start the dredging process. Roll the cheese stick in flour and shake off the excess. Next, dip the cheese stick in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Then roll the cheese stick in the breadcrumbs. Last, double dip the cheese stick back into the egg wash and roll one more time in the breadcrumbs. During this last step, I find it helpful to lightly press the breadcrumbs with my hands onto the cheese stick to form the coating. 
• Place the prepared cheese stick onto the baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the cheese sticks.
• Place the prepared cheese sticks into the freezer for at least an hour but preferably overnight.

• After the cheese sticks freeze, place into a plastic bag or continue with cooking.
• To cook the gluten free mozzarella sticks. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
• Brush the olive oil onto a baking sheet. Place the number of gluten free mozzarella sticks you want to cook onto the baking sheet and lightly brush more olive oil over the top of the mozzarella sticks.
• Bake the homemade mozzarella sticks for 9 – 10 minutes or until cheese is melty and golden brown.
• Sprinkle with fresh parsley (optional) and serve hot with gluten free marinara sauce (optional).

Serving suggestions

Serve these baked mozzarella sticks with your favorite dipping sauce.

• Gluten-free marinara or gluten-free pizza sauce are our two favorites. 
• You can also use this gluten free alfredo sauce for extra cheesiness. 
• Ranch dressing is another favorite.

Cooking Tips

I’ve made this gluten free mozzarella sticks recipe numerous times, so I’ve learned a few tricks for perfectly crispy cheese sticks.

• You can leave the piece of string cheese whole if you want large mozzarella sticks.
• Keep a small bowl of water next to you because it does get messy.
• Double-dipping the mozzarella sticks into the egg and breadcrumbs is essential to creating a crispy coating that sticks. You might notice that the breadcrumbs are not thoroughly coating the cheese stick after the first coating, and that’s okay; they will after you double-dip in the eggs and breadcrumbs. 
• Make sure the entire piece of string cheese is coated in batter (flour, egg, and breadcrumbs) to help keep the cheese from spilling out of the crispy coating as it cooks.
• Freezing the homemade baked mozzarella sticks is an essential step, so don’t skip it. Without this step, the breading will come right off the mozzarella, and all you’ll have is a cheesy glob. Freezing the mozzarella sticks allows the breading and mozzarella to cook simultaneously, so you end up with a crispy coating and gooey center.
• If you have an olive oil spray that will work great for coating the mozzarella sticks before cooking.
• Watch the mozzarella sticks at around 8 minutes because you don’t want them to overcook. If the cheese starts to ooze out then remove them from the oven immediately.
• You can also skip the olive oil step if you prefer not to use any oil. Instead, lightly spray the pan with cooking spray before putting the mozzarella sticks into the oven.
• If you can’t fit a baking sheet in your freezer, place the homemade mozzarella sticks on plates, still using the parchment paper.
• If the breading is struggling to stay, use your hands to press and form the breading onto the cheese stick. This helps the thicker coating stay put.

Can I make gluten free mozzarella sticks in an air fryer?

You sure can. Here are the instructions.

• Start by setting your air fryer to 390 degrees.
• Then spray the air fryer basket and the mozzarella sticks with a nonstick cooking spray. 
• Place the frozen mozzarella sticks in the air fryer basket. Don’t crowd the basket, only add the number of sticks that space allows.  
• Air fry the mozzarella sticks for 6 to 8 minutes until the coating is golden and crispy.

Other Variations

Of course, traditional mozzarella sticks use mozzarella cheese, but you can get creative and use cheddar cheese sticks, pepper jack cheese, Colby jack cheese, or any of your favorites.

Add a pinch of ground cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, smoked paprika ground black pepper to the bread crumbs for a spicy mozzarella stick.

Storage tips.

For the week.

Leftover gluten free cheese sticks will keep in the refrigerator for three days. Warm them up in a 375-degree oven or air fryer for a few minutes instead of the microwave to keep the coating crispy. 

To freeze.

These mozzarella sticks are a labor of love and take time to prepare, so I recommend making a double batch to freeze. After the mozzarella sticks are entirely frozen, put them into a freezer bag and freeze.

When ready to eat, take out the amount you want to cook and continue with the recipe.

Other Gluten Free Italian Appetizers

• Pepperoni Dip
• Gluten free Garlic Bread

Did you make this recipe?

Have you tried this Gluten-free Mozzarella Sticks recipe yet? If so, I’d love for you to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. We all learn from each other’s experiences. Also, it would be awesome if you could share a picture on Instagram and tag it #glutenfreeitalianeats. I can’t wait to see it.