Give Your Next Batch Of Mozzarella Sticks A Spicy Twist With This Snack Coating

Craving some mozzarella sticks this week, like our delicious gooey stringy mozzarella sticks recipe? Before you fry up a batch for dinner or as a snack, note that you can give the dish a fun and spicy twist with a unique snack coating. Take a bag of Flamin' Hot Cheetos and crush up the spicy corn puffs to turn them into crumbs. You're going to use these crumbs as the breading for your next batch of mozzarella sticks. The result will be vibrantly red-colored mozzarella sticks with a crunchy coating. They will remind you of buffalo wings, and those who enjoy a little kick and heat will love this fun dish. 

To start, you want to turn the Flamin' Hot Cheetos into crumbs; the best way to do this is by using a food processor. This way, you will end up with fine and even crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, fret not. Place the spicy corn puffs into a ziplock bag, seal the bag, and lay it flat on a kitchen counter. Roll a rolling pin over the puffs until they turn into crumbs. The crumbs won't be as even and fine, but they will still work as a breading for spicy mozzarella sticks. 

Fans of spicy food and snacks can also explore other chips to coat their mozzarella sticks with. For example, instead of Flamin' Hot Cheetos, one could crush up Flamin' Hot Doritos or jalapeño-flavored potato chips to make the breading instead. If you're not a lover of spicy food but love chips, consider using plain Cheetos or your favorite flavor of potato chips. As long as you're using a bag of chips or corn puff snacks, you'll end up with a crispy coating. 

Aside from using corn puffs or chips as the breading, be sure to check out our top pro tips for making restaurant-worthy mozzarella sticks at home. For example, it's important to choose the right type of cheese when making mozzarella sticks, which is low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese. 

After coating your mozzarella sticks perfectly with Flamin' Hot Cheetos crumbs, consider freezing them for about an hour before frying them. This trick will help prevent the cheese from melting into a goopy mess in the fryer. With these great tips and a deliciously crispy and spicy breading, you won't need to go back to frozen mozzarella sticks brands any time soon.