Keto mozzarella sticks are an easy, kid-friendly, low-carb snack or appetizer. Keep some of these gluten-free cheese sticks in the freezer for a quick bite any time!
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Why You'll Love Them
I’ve been working on creating more keto recipes for kids to encourage my whole family to eat healthier. Luckily, we have no special dietary needs to consider, making it a little easier.
My kids have always enjoyed fried breaded cheese sticks, but I have an issue with the high-carb coating that's loaded with wheat flour. So I set out for a low-carb alternative.
It took me a few tries to get the recipe just right. But, I believe I nailed these keto mozzarella sticks after the third attempt. And the reaction from my kids was enough for me to call it a success.
In this recipe, I'll share how to make the best fried mozzarella sticks. I'll also give you tips for making cooked mozzarella sticks and how to use the air fryer too.
The Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make mozzarella sticks keto. Here's some more information about what I used in my fried mozzarella sticks recipe.
String Cheese
Use some mozzarella string cheese for the base or main part of these finger foods.
Egg
You need an egg to act as the emulsifier to hold all of the breading together.
Almond Flour
Use almond flour, not almond meal. It will give the sticks a delightfully crunchy texture.
Parmesan Cheese
Freshly grated parmesan cheese becomes crispy as it fries. It's the best thing to add to the breading.
Coconut Flour
Coconut flour reacts perfectly with the oil to create a crispy coating on these keto mozzarella sticks.
Spices
I used a combination of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt. For a little kick, you could sprinkle some cayenne pepper into the mix.
Please Note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Make mozzarella sticks ahead. Just bread the cheese sticks and keep them in the freezer until you are ready to serve them.
- Cook the sticks at 375F. If you’ve ever had issues with making your own homemade low-carb mozzarella sticks, check the temperature of your oil. If the oil gets too hot, it could result in the cheese turning into a melted gooey mess.
- Use frozen cheese sticks. If you have the option to buy pre-frozen cheese sticks, they will save you lots of time.
Recipe Instructions
It’s super easy to make low-carb cheese sticks at home. You just coat string cheese in a gluten-free flour breading and fry until crisp. Of course, the flour you use will also need to be keto-friendly.
1. Coat the cheese sticks
To coat the cheese, it’s dipped in a beaten egg first, so the coating has something to stick to. You’ll want to double coat each piece for the best results.
2. Fry the keto mozzarella sticks
The keto cheese sticks are then cooked in hot oil or an air fryer. They can also be put in the oven on a baking sheet, but I find the outside isn’t as crispy.
3. Fry to a golden brown
You'll know they are finished frying when the coated mozzarella sticks turn a delicious golden brown.
Serving Suggestions
I love to serve these mozzarella sticks with keto marinara sauce! You don't have to make your own marinara; just make sure that the kind you buy is keto-friendly and made without added sugar.
They also go well with my bacon-wrapped chicken tenders. Both are quick and easy finger foods that are low in carbs.
If you are serving these at a party, then make some keto onion rings on the side with them! They are another popular finger food.
Recipe Variations
There are a lot of different ways you can change up these keto mozzarella sticks. If you make any adjustments, please let me know in the comments.
- Use pork rind crumbs. Try them for the keto breading instead of coconut or almond flour.
- Cook them in the air fryer. This will make clean-up easier.
- Make them spicier. Add a dash of cayenne pepper or paprika to the coating.
Recipe FAQs
Below are some questions people often ask about making this keto mozzarella sticks recipe. If you don't see your question in this list, please leave it in the comments.
The first thing you can do is to freeze the cheese before you fry them. Then, make sure you get the oil temperature just right. Your oil should be about 375F before you fry the mozzarella sticks.
I chose to bake the frozen, low-carb, gluten-free mozzarella sticks at 400°F for a few minutes on each side. Although the cheese didn't melt as it does in the oil, the outside did not get golden and crispy.
Perhaps for baking, you'll need to reduce the oven temperature and place it under the broiler to brown. However, I ended up going back to the frying method.
Make the keto mozzarella stick recipe completely, and let them cool to room temperature. Then, place them in the freezer. Reheat them in the oven or air fryer for best results.
Use any kind of your favorite keto-friendly oil. I prefer avocado oil because it has such a fantastic flavor and healthy fats.
Related recipes
For more keto snack ideas, check out my low-carb appetizers collection. Or take a look at some of my favorites:
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings are always a crowd pleaser on game days.
- Almond Flour Low Carb Crackers have been enjoyed by everyone - even those not on keto devour them.
- Baked Sea Scallops can be the highlight of any special get-together.
- Low Carb Falafel is a terrific way to eat your greens!
- Keto Chicken Nuggets are always a hit with the kids.
Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!
Recipe
Keto Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Video
Ingredients
- 6 pieces string cheese
- 1 large eggs beaten
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese the powdered kind in a can
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt coarse Kosher salt works best
Instructions
- Cut string cheese in half crosswise.
- Beat 1 egg in small bowl. Set aside.
- Place almond flour, Parmesan cheese, coconut flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in zipper sandwich bag. Shake bag to blend.
- Dip each piece of mozzarella into the beaten egg and then coat by shaking in the sandwich bag. Freeze for at least one hour.
- Heat oil in small frying pan to at least half inch high. Temperature of oil should be about 325-375°F. Higher temperatures tend to brown too quickly with cheese melting out. Air frying works too using a temperature of about 370 to 400°F for about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Cook each coated piece of mozzarella in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Enjoy!
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
Margaret
Is there a reason you specify processed grated Parmesan in a can vs. a finely, freshly grated block of Parmesan cheese? Thanks — I’m anxious to try this delicious-sounding recipe but I only use freshly-grated (vs. processed, canned, grated) Parmesan.
Kathy
Hi Lisa - can any other cheese other than mozzarella be used? Hubby is a hot pepper cheese fan. Thanks for a great recipe.
Lisa MarcAurele
Any type of cheese that melts about the same should be okay to use.
Adelaide C Geer
Made these for Memorial Day. I did not have a thermometer to check the temperature so my oil must have been too hot so a few did pop on me but even with them popping the were a huge hit!!!! And everyone couldn't believe they were keto!!!! I made a total of 48 sticks and had 0 left overs!!!! Popped or not, no left overs is a huge success in my book!!!!!! Thank u for this recipe, I already know I will use this one many more times!!!!
Lisa MarcAurele
It is tough to keep the cheese from popping out when frying but I've never had any complaints about it either.
Mandy McCormick
One trick I learned to make them perfect, after you coat them and freeze them, take them out and coat them and freeze them again for about 30 minutes. It will make them taste better than the restaurants!!!
Thomas W Bartley
Instead of coconut flour, I used oat fiber. I hope it turns out ok.
Lisa MarcAurele
It's a little different, but should work in this recipe.
Jaiden
Is there a sub for coconut flour? I’m allergic to coconut!!
Lisa MarcAurele
You could try using more almond flour or another low-carb flour like sesame.
Raja
This is literally the BEST keto mozzarella sticks recipe I’ve tried. Sooooo darn good!
Thanks
Ashley
These were very good. I had taken a cursory glance at the recipe card and bought the ingredients, then when I went to actually make them I read the instructions and was a bit concerned from all the rambling about temperature and freezing it was going to be a lot of hassle. I didn’t have time to freeze them so I didn’t, but they shallow fried perfectly! I just turned it up so it was very hot but didn’t check the temperature. I used olive oil as I didn’t have avocado and thought coconut oil might spoil the savoury flavours. I double dipper and shook these as suggested to get a thicker coating and it made a big difference - there was also exactly the correct amount of dry ingredients for this, with the last stick I made using up the dregs. The only criticism of this recipe is that for me they were much too salty, next time I will do half the quantity of salt.
Ashleigh
I used the air fryer for 5 minutes for a
couple, and 7 for the rest. They both came out looking basically the same, only the edges were slightly darker on the 7min ones. I would recommend pan frying over air frying, and I will try that next time. I did think the flavor was a bit bland (I went with the 1/2 tsp salt) and would also change that next time I make them but this was a great start for me!
Jackie
What type of oil do you recommend to fry them in?
Lisa MarcAurele
I use avocado oil, but coconut oil should work too. I try to stay away from vegetable oils.
Araksi Der-Barseghian
Did you use blanched almond flour or regular? Sorry, I'm new to keto and trying to figure it all out!
Also, the serving aize, does that mean 3 full sticks or 3 mini sticks?
Thank you in advance!!!
Lisa MarcAurele
Unless specified, I always used blanched almond flour. The serving size is 3 of the mozzarella sticks made with half a string cheese.
Morgan
can I freeze them and while frozen do the egg wash and flour mix again ? For w.e reason its like my flour mix won't stick. Hence why I'm thinking doing a double dip. I would freeze them of course again before frying. Thanks
Lisa MarcAurele
I find these are better with a double dip. You could freeze then do the egg and flour mix again.
lev
i dont have coconut powder, only almond. Do you think I can get away with only using almond?
Lisa MarcAurele
It should work, but you may want to use a little more.
Maritta
Mine completely melted into a mess after following directions to a T
Lisa MarcAurele
You can't keep them in the hot oil very long. It's only a few seconds on each side.
Susan Riley
I have a question can you bread them all at once and leave them in the freezer at cook them a few at a time?
Lisa MarcAurele
Yes. You can prepare them ahead and only cook the amount you want from the freezer.
Patricia Gregory
Very Good! Thank you 🙂
Wendy Marshall
I would like to try this recipe, but need some measurements or amounts of the ingredients in the coating mix. Also what oil do you use? Can I use olive oil? Waiting for your reply. Thankswendy
Lisa MarcAurele
The amounts are listed in the ingredient list. I use a small amount of avocado oil or coconut oil for frying. But any high temp oil should work.
David
Nowhere do I see mention of the type of oil you are using to generate the resultant nutritional data.
Lisa MarcAurele
I use a thin layer coconut oil for frying.
Catherine
The video of your daughter making the cheese sticks is adorable 🙂 thanks for the great recipe!
Lisa MarcAurele
Thanks Catherine! My daughter really loves making these mozzarella sticks. It's her favorite appetizer.
Becky
Is there any way these can be baked?
Lisa MarcAurele
They can be baked but you'll need to keep an eye on them so they don't turn into melted cheese globs. I found frying was easier to watch and made a crispier outside.
Marilynn
What type of oil did you use? Did not see a quantity or type listed. How did these turn our in the Air Fryer?
Lisa MarcAurele
I used a thin layer of avocado oil. When using an air fryer, you need to experiment with the time/temp so they don't turn into melted cheese blobs. I set my fryer to 360°F and checked after a 4-5 minutes.
Renee
These are great! I've been a big fan of mozzarella sticks but shied away from them when I was on a low fat diet for years, and then had to avoid them once I started keto. I'm glad I tried this recipe.
However, I find there is SOOOO much breading left over if I only make 6 string pieces as the recipe calls for. So, I instead make at least 12 string pieces, prep them, and just leave them in the freezer until I'm ready to fry them. Easy! And actually, there's still a considerable amount of the breading left, so I could probably use the recipe amount to make ~18 string pieces. (I only coat in the breading once.)
Lisa MarcAurele
I actually like to double coat the pieces, but you can make more cheese sticks too.
Anita
How do you "double coat" them? I would assume if you dip into the egg again the first layer will come off in the egg. Also, in reading the comments, sometimes you wrote that you used avocado oil and others you wrote that you used coconut oil. Is one better than the other?
Lisa MarcAurele
Egg is much better than using oil as it gives a thicker coating. When I double coat, I do quickly dip in egg again and not much of the coating comes off.
Jennifer Coward
Can this recipe be frozen longer than a few hours? I have a son who doesn't like to cook. He needs to lose a significant amount of weight. I need recipes that freeze well. Please include specific information in your recipes on how to package items for deep freezer and how long you think it will keep. I would love this info for keto friendly "junk food " items such as mini pizza, egg rolls, pizza rolls, etc. I am new to low carb, and I really need to help him.!! I need to replace all his convenience foods with low carb, so I need to make ahead...We need help!
Thanks so much!
Lisa MarcAurele
These can be kept frozen for months.
Jennifer
Hello I failed horribly with my air fryer????. Any tips for air fryer use? I tried lower temp and time but they just melted and made a huge mess . Thanks so much
Lisa MarcAurele
The air fryer and oven are a bit tricky when doing homemade mozzarella sticks. Maybe try a higher temp and shorter time and make sure they go in frozen.
Mark Hensley
Just tried the recipe. It worked great and tasted great.
Thank you!
Karen Babnaw
Omg! This is my go to breading for everything now! It’s so good on chicken, thin steak, veggies and more! You should market this breading! Yum,yum,yum! Btw- great for cheese sticks too!?
Lisa MarcAurele
Thanks for that! I'll try it with chicken nuggets as my daughter really likes these mozzarella sticks.
KC Kelly
I got up one morning hungry for fried cheese! These did the trick for sure. I ended up tripling the recipe because I was going to double the amount of cheese sticks, but in the end didn’t have enough bread mixture to do that. I used 8 cheese sticks and added onion powder, ground pepper, an extra tablespoon of coconut flour and a tsp. of paprika to the breading mixture. I chose to dip them three times for fear of them leaking during the fry process. I also froze them for 2 hours prior to frying them in canola oil. Made some homemade marinara sauce from my garden tomatoes and was set for a nice low carb lunch!
Debbie
What type of oil did u use to fry?
Lisa MarcAurele
I prefer tallow, lard, or coconut oil. But cheaper oils like peanut oil can be used.
Queenie
Looks easy but big time failure!!
I frozen the mozzarella sticks for hours and cooked them in airfryer, everything melt like a snowman! Urh!
Lisa MarcAurele
I usually fry them in oil. The air fryer will work, but you may need to adjust the temperature and or time down to get them right.
Rachel
Sounds yum will try it. Allergic to almond AND cocnut! Can i use flax meal or sunflower meal?
Lisa MarcAurele
Those should work. Just use a similar total amount.
Heather
Thanks for some great frying tips on making these! I almost always have cheese blow outs when I fry these!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Oh my goodness i love that these are low carb!! Mozza sticks are my weakness. These look amazing! Your video is adorable too, by the way!
Linda
I love snacking on mozzarella sticks. So comforting and addictive. Glad you shared the tip on how to keep it in one-piece.
Jean
This was my favorite growing up and I love that you made a GF and low carb version! Cannot wait to try this.
paleoglutenfreeguy
Whoa. Cheese wrapped in cheese and then fried? Heaven. This is so great!
ChihYu
Deliciously addictive! Crispy, cheesy goodness!
Raia Todd
I looooove mozzarella sticks! These look perfect - exactly like a restaurant!
Debbie
Can you use the packaged string cheese?
Lisa MarcAurele
The packaged string cheese is exactly what I use for the recipe.
jennifer
lol, years ago in college when the dorm didn't serve dinner on Sunday . .I would sustain myself on an entire order of fried cheese from this place called Spanky's -- it was probably an entire pound of cheese and your healthier recipe is making me nostalgic. 🙂
Sarah Miller
Recipe sounds great! However, in the explanation you say to fry at 325 and in the recipe itself you say 400. Big difference!
Lisa MarcAurele
It should be fixed now. I found about 375°F was a good cooking oil temperature.
Karen
In the instructions you said to fry at 325. In the recipe it says just under 400. Which is correct?
Lisa MarcAurele
It's best to stick to the lower temp so it doesn't brown too quickly and start melting out.
Lisa MarcAurele
It should have said 375°F which is the high end for frying oil.
Kathy
Does it not work to use regular solid mozzarella cheese cut into sections? Does it only work with actual string cheese?
Lisa MarcAurele
It should work with any mozzarella as long as you freeze the coated pieces before frying. Just be careful that the oil isn't too hot.
Joni Gomes
Two thumbs up from me and my 3-year old niece who made these together and it was a success! I true comfort food made healthier!
Lorie Burton
Thank you. I can't wait to try them
Megan
Wow, I didn’t even know it was possible to make these homemade and so easily. Thank you, I look forward to making them! SO yummy!
Michael Green
Is there a substitute for coconut flour? We have an allergy to coconut. They look good. We could not make them because of the coconut flour. Thank you
Lisa MarcAurele
You can sub it out with more almond flour or parmesan cheese or a mix of them.
Zee
I am very interested in trying...what kind of oil did you use?
There also is a misspelling of the word food in your bio.
Lisa MarcAurele
I used avocado but you can use a cheaper oil if you'd rather. And you don't need to use too much oil. Thanks for letting me know about the typo!
Janel
These were amazing! I did not have a thermometer that could track the temp so I just watched it closely, no oozing of the cheese. They came out perfect and so delicious! Thank you!! I need to buy way more string cheese to make these often!
Lisa
Can you make these without the almond flower and just use coconut flour? I have a nut allergy.
Lisa MarcAurele
You can, but it's a lot drier. I'd recommend using less and and try using a little more egg on each piece.
Sandi
Could these be deep fried?
Lisa MarcAurele
They can, but I find it's difficult to keep the cheese from melting out. An air fryer or frying in a skillet works better.
Tomekia
Made these last night and put them in the freezer, just put them in my air fryer and I probably didn’t cook them right but they still tasted REALLY good! Thanks for the recipe!
Lisa MarcAurele
Maybe try different temps and times on the Air Fryer. I found the air frying to work better (and less messy) than pan frying.
Janice
What type of oil did you use?
Lisa MarcAurele
I use either a little coconut oil or avocado oil. And lately, I just use a little coconut oil in the air fryer.
Ruthann
Curious if anyone has attempted these in an air fryer?
Lisa MarcAurele
I have and it works well and it only takes like 6 minutes.
Michele
What temp did you use for air frying? Also how did you use oil in the air fryer? I have a nuwave and I’m trying to figure that out with this air fryer.
Lisa MarcAurele
I usually set it for 360°F and cook for about 6 minutes. I rub a little coconut oil in the basket.
Shae
Hey I am making these tonight and I’m just curious how you would calculate the macros with all the excess flour and what not so I can calculate mine with the ingredients I used! I can’t wait to try them thank you for the recipe!
Lisa MarcAurele
You can try putting in different amounts into a recipe calculator like the one at MyFitnessPal.com
Sarah N
I am guessing these are Keto friendly? I’m new to the Keto plan. Still learning.
Lisa MarcAurele
Yes! These are very low carb and perfect for keto.
Tim Wasson
Ok, these were AMAZING. I was diagnosed with Celiac disease 4 years ago (in my early 30’s), and I have not found a store bought mozzarell stick I like. Then someone posted the link to this article on Facebook. Oh my GOODNESS. They are really amazing. I did have some blowout with the cheese, but that may have had to do with the fact that I used reduced fat string cheese. I also had some of the breading left over and I had some thawed chicken breasts, so I breaded them up and made some KILLER GF chicken nuggets! Way better than the store-bought ones. Now I think I need to get an air fryer to do all of these because I’m having on to this recipe FOREVER. Thank you so much for this, you have no idea.
Lisa MarcAurele
Good to know this breading works well for chicken nuggets too. A little blowout of the cheese is normal. I just remove them from the heat before too much cheese oozes out.
Tim Wasson
Yeah, I just wasn’t prepared for how fast they’d cook. I’ll be ready next time. And yeah, I dusted the nuggets with some of the coconut flour before going into the egg, but everything else was the same.
Jennifer
I think I'll try these, but add some crushed pork rind crumbs to this. Then go with the air fryer
Lisa MarcAurele
I've made them in the air fryer and they do work out well.
Rick
Curious why the pork rinds?
Mabelyn M
Pork rinds are keto friendly and easy to get a hold of. I thought of them first before flour.
Chelsea
I have no idea how this tastes good or comes out good for anyone. This came out horrible. I did it in the air fryer. The breading looks nothing even close to mozzarella sticks. I follow the instructions exactly. Don't even get me started on the taste ?
Lisa
I've made these in the air fryer without issue. Are you coating well with egg then covering well with the flour/cheese mix?
Tim Wasson
You’re not doing it right then.
Maria
Do you leave the mozzarella sticks in the bag and put them right in the freezer or do you take out and freeze on parchment paper?
Lisa
I freeze them on a tray or baking pan so the coating doesn't come off and then place in a bag.
Carl
I make a huge bag of them and keep them in the freezer. Great quick snack. I cook mine in a Air Fryer and you cut out the oil this way and they even taste better.
Ebonie
Hello. I just made these. 400 degrees in my air fryer for 5 minutes. They ended up oozing. Is the breading supposed to crisp up? Mine didn’t. The coating taste great but what can I do to make them look like yours? (I also put them in the freezer a little over an hour)
Lisa
The key is to have them well frozen. You may not have had them in the freezer long enough. When I did them in the air fryer, they did ooze a bit, but not a lot.
Samantha
Hi! Do these freeze for later use?
Lisa
Yes. You can make them and keep them in the freezer to cook later.
Dalia
Can I make this without using coconut flour?
Lisa
You can try subbing in something else like a little almond flour.
Janel
I left the coconut flour out and just used the 1/4 almond flour and it was delicious!
Jenny
Did you post the recipe for the marinara dipping sauce? I didn’t catch it...
Lisa
It's on the post at https://lowcarbyum.com/perfect-marinara-sauce/
Gigi
Could you bake these instead of frying them like regular cheese sticks?
Lisa
You can, but you need to watch them as the cheese can ooze out quickly. I've had success making them in the air fryer, though.
Cake
Could I bake these in the oven instead of frying?
Also I wouldn't be using the coconut flour. I couldn't find it in the market.
Lisa
You can, but you have to keep a good eye on them as the cheese can easily melt in the oven. I find the quick fry method works and tastes much better. I have used an air fryer which is similar to a convection oven with good results.
Patricia merica
Can u use olive oil for frying?
Lisa
It's not the best as it has a lower smoke point. It's better to use one that smokes at a higher temperature.
Julia
Is there a specific reason for the coconut flour? Would the recipe work without it? I have all the ingredients on hand except for that one.
Lisa
You can probably replace it with almond flour. I just find that the breading holds better with a little bit of coconut flour.
Erin
I wondered the same thing. I have everything else. Gonna give it a shot. Did you?
Patty
Has anyone tried this recipe in an air fryer? If so, how did they come out?
Lisa
I need to get an air fryer to test it out. I don't have one.
Wendy
You say string cheese? Is that mozzarella? Not sure I've seen that type of mozzarella iny local store (Qld Australia here)
Lisa
It's a mozzarella cheese stick. They call it string cheese here because it's typically eaten by pulling apart strands like string.
Naomi Fron
Would Coconut oil work, it is supposed to be used for higher temperatures? Can't wait to try these
Lisa
The smoke point for coconut oil is like 350°F so I wouldn't use it.
Yvonne
What kind of oil did you use?
Lisa
I used avocado oil. It's smoke point is 520°F. I maintained the temperature at 400°F and filter the oil to reuse for frying.
Jess
How about an avocado/sunflower mixture?
Lisa
For the oil? Any oil is okay but I avoid seed oils.