Name: Buffalo Ranch Mozzarella Sticks
Prep time: 75 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 83 min
Yield: 24
Ingredients: 12 string cheese sticks (made from mozzarella cheese); 1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing; 2 tbsp buffalo wings sauce; 1/2 cup flour; 1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp kosher salt

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Disclosure: This easy recipe for baked Buffalo Ranch Mozzarella Sticks is sponsored by Hidden Valley. These homemade mozzarella sticks are perfect for serving as an appetizer at parties!

If I had to choose one appetizer that is my family’s all-time favorite, I would have to choose mozzarella sticks. I’ve been ordering them from restaurants for as long as I can remember. Before Brian and I started dating, we were at a restaurant with a large group of friends and the two of us ended up sitting at a table for two, where we split an order of mozzarella sticks. And we’ve passed this love of cheese on to our kids. Just last night, Zack ordered mozzarella sticks when we stopped at a restaurant for dinner. So, when we get together with friends this New Year’s Eve, I will be making homemade mozzarella sticks. We will have some that are plain and some that are spicy. Today I am sharing the recipe for spicy, baked Buffalo Ranch Mozzarella Sticks.

This recipe starts with a half cup of our favorite ranch dressing: Hidden Valley Ranch. We always have Hidden Valley Ranch dressing in our house and I keep a canister of Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing mix on hand as well. We use the bottled dressing for salad, of course, but we also like it for veggies, chicken nuggets, pizza and now mozzarella sticks!

Mix the Hidden Valley Ranch dressing with buffalo wings sauce.

Cut 12 cheese sticks in half. I used string cheese sticks made from mozzarella cheese.

First, coat the cheese sticks in flour.

Then, dunk them in the ranch dressing and buffalo wings sauce mixture.

Finally, give them a coat of panko breadcrumbs mixed with garlic, salt and black pepper.

Place the coated mozzarella sticks, on waxed paper, in the freezer for at least one hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the cheese sticks from the freezer and place them on a greased baking sheet.

Lightly spray the mozzarella sticks with cooking spray and bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

You want the cheese to be soft but be careful not to overbake or it will melt into one big mozzarella stick!

Ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness with a little heat!

Everyone in my family loved my test batches of these Buffalo Ranch Mozzarella Sticks and I can’t wait to serve these to our friends on New Year’s Eve. I hope you all have a happy New Year with lots of delicious food shared with your family and friends!

Buffalo Ranch Mozzarella Sticks

Prep Time

1 hr 15 mins

Cook Time

8 mins

Total Time

1 hr 23 mins

Course: Appetizer

Servings: 24

Author: The Gunny Sack

Ingredients

12 string cheese sticks made from mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
2 tbsp buffalo wings sauce
1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Cut the cheese sticks in half.
In a small bowl, mix together ranch dressing and buffalo wings sauce. Set aside.
In a second small bowl, mix together panko bread crumbs, black pepper and kosher salt. Set aside.
Put the flour in a third small bowl.
Coat the cheese sticks with flour.
Then, cover them in the ranch dressing and buffalo wings sauce mixture.
Finally, coat them with the bread crumbs mixture.
Place them on a sheet of waxed paper and freeze them for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Line the mozzarella sticks on a greased baking sheet and lightly spray them with cooking spray.
Bake for 6-8 minutes.