1-Gathering and Prepping Your Ingredients: First, get all your ingredients lined up. Start by crushing the Panko breadcrumbs slightly and mixing them with the Italian seasoning, dried parsley, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt in a bowl. This seasoned mix is what gives your sticks that extra flavor punch. Set up three shallow bowls: one for the beaten eggs and another for the all-purpose flour.

2-Coating the Cheese: Next, if you’re using a mozzarella block, cut it into sticks about the size of your finger for even cooking. Dip each stick first in the flour, shaking off any excess to avoid a messy coating. Then, dunk it in the beaten eggs, making sure it’s fully covered. Finally, roll it in the seasoned Panko mixture, pressing gently to coat it completely for that perfect crunch.

3-Freezing and Cooking: Arrange your coated sticks on a wire rack over a baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for at least 1 hour this step is key to keeping the cheese from leaking out. Once frozen, heat your vegetable oil to 350°F and fry the sticks in small batches for about 1 minute until they’re golden brown. Drain them on paper towels and serve right away with marinara sauce for dipping.

For alternative methods, you can bake them by preheating your oven to 415°F, lightly spraying a foil-lined baking sheet, and arranging the sticks with space between them. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden, though they won’t be as crispy as the fried version. Or, use an air fryer: Preheat to 390°F, lightly spray the basket, and cook for 6-8 minutes, tossing halfway through. Prep time is about 25 minutes, with 1 hour for chilling, and cooking takes around 3 minutes, making the total time roughly 1 hour and 28 minutes.