Step 1: Prepare the Cheese

Start by cutting your cheese into 1-inch cubes or sticks. It’s essential to cut the cheese evenly to ensure that it cooks uniformly. If you prefer larger pieces, you can opt for sticks or rectangular chunks, but make sure they are small enough to cook evenly without the cheese overflowing when it melts.

Cheese sticks tend to have a bit more cheese exposure on the edges, so ensure that the coating fully covers all sides of the cheese for the best results.

Step 2: Set Up the Coating Stations

Create an assembly line of ingredients for the breading process. In one shallow bowl, place the flour. In a second bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Coating the cheese in three separate steps—first in flour, then in egg, and finally in breadcrumbs—helps the cheese hold its shape while frying. The flour acts as a base layer to help the egg adhere, while the breadcrumbs give the bites their crispy exterior.

Step 3: Coat the Cheese

Dredge each piece of cheese into the flour, ensuring it’s fully coated. Next, dip it into the beaten eggs, letting any excess egg drip off. Finally, roll the cheese in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to ensure it’s completely covered. Repeat this process for each piece of cheese until all your cheese bites are coated.

After coating, place the cheese bites on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate. This ensures they don’t stick to each other while freezing.

Step 4: Freeze the Cheese Bites

Freezing the cheese bites before frying is crucial to getting the perfect crispy exterior. If you try to fry them immediately after coating, the cheese will likely melt too quickly and leak out, resulting in a mess. Freezing them for at least 30 minutes helps the coating set and prevents the cheese from melting prematurely.

Place the cheese bites in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. If you have time, freezing them for longer (up to 2 hours) will give you even better results.

Step 5: Heat the Oil

While the cheese bites are freezing, heat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pot over medium-high heat. The oil needs to reach a temperature of 350°F (175°C) to fry the cheese properly. You can check the temperature with a thermometer, or drop a small piece of bread into the oil—if it browns in about 60 seconds, the oil is ready.

Make sure the oil is deep enough to submerge the cheese bites completely, ensuring they fry evenly on all sides.

Step 6: Fry the Cheese Bites

Once the oil is hot, carefully lower the frozen cheese bites into the oil using a slotted spoon. Fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, which can lower the temperature of the oil and result in soggy cheese bites. Fry each batch for about 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese bites are golden brown and crispy on all sides.

Keep an eye on the cheese bites as they fry. You’ll see the coating crisp up, and the cheese will begin to melt and bubble. This is when they are ready to be removed from the oil.

Step 7: Drain and Serve

Once the cheese bites are golden and crispy, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.

Serve the Fried Cheese Bites hot and fresh. You can enjoy them as-is or pair them with your favorite dipping sauces like marinara, ranch, honey mustard, or even a spicy buffalo sauce for a fun twist.