Pin it
Made these easy homemade spicy sticks when my teenagers friends were coming over for game night. Found bags of Hot Cheetos in the pantry from my sons latest snack haul and thought why not. First batch disappeared so fast barely got em on the plate kids were grabbing em right outta the air fryer burning their tongues but not even caring. Now every time theres a sleepover or game day someones asking when Im making those spicy cheese things again. Even my husband who says Hot Cheetos are for kids sneaks em when he thinks nobodys looking.
You're Gonna Love These
These aren't your regular mozzarella sticks! First off, that Hot Cheeto coating is seriously addictive - it's spicy, crunchy, and turns regular cheese sticks into something totally amazing. They're super fun to make too - my kids love crushing up the Cheetos (and sneaking some while they work). Plus, you can make a bunch ahead of time and keep them in the freezer, perfect for when friends come over or you need a quick snack. That moment when you pull them apart and see that cheese stretch? Pure magic! Even my mother-in-law who doesn't like spicy food couldn't stop eating these.
Grabbing Your Stuff
|
- From The Store:
- 12 string cheese sticks cut em in half makes em perfect snack size learned that after watching kids trying to eat whole ones like corn on the cob
- couple bags Hot Cheetos get extra cause snacking while cooking is real guess how I know
- regular flour nothing fancy here
- 2 eggs plus splash water helps make coating stick better
- ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping though my kids just eat em straight cant wait long enough to dip
- parchment paper trust me makes cleanup way easier especially when cheese decides to escape
Getting Everything Ready
|
- Crushing The Cheetos
- Throw those Cheetos in food processor pulse till theyre crumbs. Did it by hand first time with rolling pin whole kitchen turned orange including the cat who walked through the dust. Set up your dipping station three bowls one flour one beaten eggs one Cheeto crumbs. Line em up assembly line style makes it go faster when you got hungry teenagers watching.
- The Messy Fun Part
- Roll each cheese stick in flour shake off extra dunk in egg then roll in those Cheeto crumbs. Your fingers gonna look like youve been spray tanned but worth it. Put em on parchment paper as you go. First time I did this straight onto the pan had to chisel them off later not fun at all.
- Crucial Waiting Time
- Stick em in freezer half hour minimum longer if you can stand the wait. Skipped this step once had melted cheese everywhere looked like some kind of orange volcano erupted in my air fryer. Now I make double batch keep extras in freezer for snack emergencies which happen more often than youd think with teenagers.
Pin it
Cooking Options
Air fryer is my best friend for these bad boys super quick like 6 minutes tops. Tried oven method works fine takes bit longer bout 8 minutes watch em close though they go from perfect to cheese explosion real quick. Deep fried em once for my sons birthday party dangerous cause you cant stop eating them when theyre that crispy. Whatever way you cook em do small batches otherwise they stick together had what my kids called the great cheese blob incident of last summer still finding orange crumbs behind the stove.
Tips From My Kitchen Disasters
Learned some things hard way making these dozen times over. Crush those Cheetos super fine otherwise coating falls off first bite ends up wearing spicy dust like makeup. Double dip em in egg mixture if you want extra thick crust my sons request now. Freezing part non negotiable unless you want cheese lava everywhere ask me how I know had to clean air fryer three times after that mistake. Keep paper towels handy cause that orange dust gets everywhere somehow ended up with orange handprints on the fridge handle ceiling fan and dont even ask about the white couch.
Switching Things Up
Started experimenting after making these so many times. Tried different Cheeto flavors jalapeno ones were hit with spice lovers ranch flavor surprisingly good. Mixed regular and hot Cheetos once for less burn still tasty. Added some garlic powder to flour coating cause everything better with garlic right? Made mini ones using those tiny cheese sticks perfect for little hands though takes forever to coat them all. Even tried mozzarella balls once but they were too juicy ended up with cheese bombs instead of sticks kids thought it was hilarious though.
Pin it
Game Day Legend
These spicy sticks become kinda famous in our neighborhood. Every time theres big game on phones start dinging with texts asking if Im making the hot cheese things. Kids friends mysteriously show up right around cooking time saying they were just passing by yeah right. Even made em for school fundraiser sold out in ten minutes had parents calling next day for recipe. Funny how bag of Cheetos and some string cheese turned into this whole thing but guess thats how family favorites start right? Just dont tell anyone how easy they really are let em think its some complicated recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why freeze before cooking?
Freezing prevents the cheese from melting too quickly while the coating crisps up. This ensures the cheese stays inside the crispy coating.
- → Can I deep fry these instead?
Yes, deep fry at 350°F for about 2-3 minutes until golden. Make sure they're frozen solid first to prevent cheese leakage.
- → Why double coat the cheese?
Double coating ensures complete coverage and creates a thicker crust that helps prevent the cheese from leaking during cooking.
- → Can I use different cheese?
String cheese works best because it melts slowly and holds its shape. Block mozzarella cut into sticks can work but might melt faster.
- → Why use room temperature eggs?
Room temperature eggs create a better coating that adheres more evenly to the cheese and Cheeto crumbs.