Golden Crispy Cheese Bites with Melty Centers
These golden-brown mozzarella bites offer a delightful contrast of textures and flavors. Each bite features a savory, crisp exterior that gives way to a warm, gooey, and stretchy melted mozzarella interior. Prepared simply, they provide a satisfying cheesy experience, perfect as an appetizer or a light snack.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- Cooking spray (olive oil or avocado oil)
- Fresh parsley or chives, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place the mozzarella cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 30 minutes to firm them up. This helps prevent excessive melting during cooking.
- Set up a dredging station: In a shallow bowl, combine the gluten-free flour. In a second shallow bowl, beat the eggs. In a third shallow bowl, mix the gluten-free breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.
- Working with a few mozzarella cubes at a time, first dredge each cube in the gluten-free flour, shaking off any excess.
- Next, dip the floured cubes into the beaten egg, ensuring they are fully coated.
- Finally, roll the egg-coated cubes in the seasoned gluten-free breadcrumbs, pressing gently to ensure a thick, even coating. Place the coated bites back on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- For best results, freeze the coated mozzarella bites for another 30 minutes to 1 hour. This second freeze helps the coating adhere and prevents cheese leakage.
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Arrange the frozen mozzarella bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not touch. You may need to cook them in batches.
- Lightly spray the tops of the mozzarella bites with cooking spray.
- Air fry for 8-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy, and the cheese is melted and gooey.
- Remove from the air fryer and serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley or chives if desired.
Notes
For an extra crispy coating, double-dredge the mozzarella bites by repeating the egg and breadcrumb steps after the first coating.
Ensure the mozzarella is very cold before cooking to minimize cheese leakage.
Serve these bites with a side of warm marinara sauce for dipping.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated gently in an air fryer or oven.
Nutrition
- Calories: 310 per serving
- Fat: 17g per serving
- Carbohydrates: 18g per serving
- Protein: 22g per serving