My idea was a baked mozzarella stick with pepperoni and hot honey. They came out looking more like rolls. Regardless, this recipe is delish! And since I’m in full-on fall recipe mode, I knew these would be great to share for fall tailgating and game nights at home. I’m all about a good game day/night appetizer situation! Once I knew I wanted to make these mozzarella sticks, I got creative. Instead of frying the sticks in oil, I wrapped up slices of mozzarella and provolone cheese in phyllo dough. Some of the sticks will ooze with cheese, and some will come out perfectly intact. No matter how they look, they’re so delicious. They’ll be a great appetizer for entertaining all season long, whether it is your next tailgating party or upcoming holiday cocktail or dinner party. Everyone finds these scrumptious!
Working With Phyllo Dough
Phyllo dough can be intimidating to work with. But as long as you keep the dough covered with a damp towel while working, it’s not difficult! Because phyllo is so thin, it tears easily, so just go slowly while assembling. And, as I said, keep the dough covered. When phyllo dries out, it cracks and becomes hard to work with. Also, you should know that your first roll will not be perfect. But have extra sheets of phyllo on hand. By the end, you’ll have the rolling perfected.
Step 1: make the hot honey This is honey + jalapeños simmered together until the honey is infused with the heat from the jalapeños. It takes about 5 minutes. Then, season the hot honey with flaky sea salt. It’s very simple. Step 2: make the sticks I use the Pepperidge Farm frozen phyllo dough which comes in rectangular sheets. This phyllo dough is most widely available, and I think it’s the easiest to work with. I lay the sheet of dough flat and fold it in half to create a double layer. The doubled layers of dough are easier to work with.
Step 3: the filling Next, layer one slice of pepperoni, one slice of mozzarella, and 1/2 a slice of provolone over the dough. Then add a couple of honey-soaked jalapeños.
Step 4: roll the sticks up Roll each stick up like a burrito, folding the side of the dough in over the filling and rolling to seal. Your first couple of rolls might be tricky, but stick with it, and you will get a better feel for the process. As mentioned above, not every stick will be perfect. It’s OK. These can be messy, but they will be delicious no matter what. Step 5: bake Now, bake the sticks. They’ll smell delicious in the oven. When they come out, they should be golden brown and sizzling. About half of my sticks almost always end up oozing with cheese, but I find the escaped cheese to be the yummiest. It gets kind of caramelized and crisp! Snack on this cheese, or scoop it up and serve with each stick.
Step 6: serve Serve the cheesy sticks with parmesan and garlic mixed together. Then add extra hot honey, of course! I’m excited to serve these for Sunday night games and the upcoming holiday season! They’re great for Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, and all the holiday parties to come! They’re even festive and pretty. I am excited for it all!
Looking for other appetizer recipes? Here are a few ideas: Crispy Buffalo Ranch Chicken Salad with Goddess Dressing Cheesy Buffalo Chicken French Bread Fried Buffalo Goat Cheese Balls Baked Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls with Cilantro Lime Ranch Garlic Butter Pizza Egg Rolls Lastly, if you make these Hot Honey Mozzarella Sticks be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
