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It only takes 3 ingredients to make these easy, cheesy Pizza Sticks! Wrap cheese and mini pepperonis in wonton wrappers, then fry to crispy golden perfect. So great with marinara sauce, ranch, or nacho cheese dipping sauces!
Meggan’s notes
I never met a deep-fried snack that I didn’t love, but making them at home is always more satisfying. As a classically-trained chef, I’m well-versed in what makes a good snack, and I’ve got all the tips and tricks to make sure you succeed when you make pizza sticks at home.
To ensure maximum pepperoni flavor, I tuck mini pepperonis both inside of and next to a mozzarella cheese stick. Seal the wonton wrapper edges with water before carefully folding and rolling the pizza sticks into perfect little parcels.
350 degrees is the ideal frying temperature here, and just be sure you don’t overcrowd the fryer. Every time you add a stick, the temperature will drop, so keep an eye on that. With these tips and a fool-proof recipe, you’re guaranteed Pizza Stick Success every single time!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Cheese: Any string cheese works. If I’m snacking with adults, sometimes I grab smoked string cheese.
- Mini pepperoni: Or substitute full-size pepperoni and cut the pieces in half or in quarters.
- Egg roll wrappers: These are often sold in the refrigerated section of the produce aisle.
Step-by-step instructions
- Slice the string cheese sticks lengthwise about 75% of the way through to make a crevice. Fill each crevice with 4 slices of mini pepperoni.
- Working with one egg roll wrapper at a time, lay a wrapper on a cutting board or other flat surface and brush the edges with water. Arrange a filled cheese stick on one side. Add 4 more mini pepperoni on the wrapper next to the cheese stick.
- Starting at the end of the wrapper with the cheese stick, roll the wrapper tightly around the cheese stick and the pepperoni. When the cheese stick is about 75% rolled, fold in the sides like a burrito and continue rolling.
- Seal the edges of the egg roll wrapper on itself. Set aside on a plate covered with a damp paper towel and repeat with remaining wrappers, cheese, and pepperoni.
- Heat oil in a sauce pan, stock pot, or electric deep fryer to 350 degrees. Working in batches, deep-fry 3 to 4 pizza sticks at a time until the egg roll wrapper is golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes.
- Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and repeat with remaining pizza sticks.
- Serve pizza sticks warm with the marinara dipping sauce on the side.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 12 Pizza Sticks.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or air fryer.
- Make ahead: Wrap the cheese and pepperoni in the wonton wrappers up to one day in advance. Store covered, wrapped in damp paper towels, in the refrigerator. You don’t want the wrappers to dry out.
- Favorite dipping sauces for pizza sticks: Try Marinara Dipping Sauce, cool and creamy Ranch Dressing, or even Homemade Cheese Sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
A pizza stick is any kind of appetizer filled with pizza toppings such as sauce, cheese, pepperoni, or vegetables. They could be wrapped in bread dough, in a batter, or in a wonton wrapper.
I love classic tomato-based marinara, but ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, nacho cheese sauce, or any sort of garlic butter dip could be delicious as well. Need more inspiration? See what your favorite pizza chains are serving for dipping sauces.
You can use water or a mixture of egg and water depending on your recipe.
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Pizza Sticks
Ingredients
- 12 mozzarella string cheese sticks (see note 1)
- 1 package mini pepperoni (see note 2)
- 12 egg roll wrappers (see note 3)
- 2 quarts vegetable oil or canola oil, for frying
- marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
- Slice the string cheese sticks lengthwise about 75% of the way through to make a crevice. Fill each crevice with 4 slices of mini pepperoni.
- Working with one egg roll wrapper at a time, lay a wrapper on a cutting board or other flat surface and brush the edges with water. Arrange a filled cheese stick on one side. Add 4 more mini pepperoni on the wrapper next to the cheese stick.
- Starting at the end of the wrapper with the cheese stick, roll the wrapper tightly around the cheese stick and the pepperoni. When the cheese stick is about 75% rolled, fold in the sides like a burrito and continue rolling.
- Seal the edges of the egg roll wrapper on itself. Set aside on a plate covered with a damp paper towel and repeat with remaining wrappers, cheese, and pepperoni.
- Heat oil in a sauce pan, stock pot, or electric deep fryer to 350 degrees. Working in batches, deep-fry 3 to 4 pizza sticks at a time until the egg roll wrapper is golden brown on all sides, about 3 minutes.
- Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and repeat with remaining pizza sticks. Serve pizza sticks warm with the marinara dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
- Cheese: Any string cheese works. If I’m snacking with adults, sometimes I grab smoked string cheese.
- Mini pepperoni: Or substitute full-size pepperoni and cut the pieces in half or in quarters.
- Egg roll wrappers: These are often sold in the refrigerated section of the produce aisle.
- Yield: This recipe makes 12 Pizza Sticks.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or air fryer.
I don’t use canola oil and prefer not to fry in oil. This sound great! Would it work in the air fryer? If not, avocado oil?
Thank you!
Hi Linda, I just tested some coated brushed with avocado oil in the air fryer, and some without. I air fried them at 390 degrees in a preheated air fryer for 6 minutes. A good range would be 5 to 7 to account for your individual air fryer. I feel both the oiled and un-oiled egg roll wrappers were dry, and not as tasty as their fried counterparts. Otherwise, they were cheesy and delicious. They may taste better fried in avocado oil on the stove top. I hope this helps! – Meggan
You mentioned air frying leftovers but what time/temp could I air fry to begin with? For health reasons, we cannot deep fry.
Hi Norma, I just tested some coated brushed with oil in the air fryer. I air fried them at 390 degrees in a preheated air fryer for 6 minutes. A good range would be 5 to 7 to account for your individual air fryer. I feel the wrappers were dry, and not as tasty as their fried counterparts. Otherwise, they were cheesy and delicious. I hope this helps! – Meggan
Yum! Can you make them in an air fryer?
Hi Carolyn, I just tested some coated brushed with oil in the air fryer. I air fried them at 390 degrees in a preheated air fryer for 6 minutes. A good range would be 5 to 7 to account for your individual air fryer. I feel the egg roll wrappers were dry, and not as tasty as their fried counterparts. Otherwise, they were cheesy and delicious. I hope this helps! – Meggan
Can these be made ahead and frozen uncooked?
Hi Hannah! I haven’t tried that, but I think so. Freezing them would work fine, I just cannot predict for sure what the cook temperature and time would be coming from frozen. If you thawed them, then the recipe should work without issue. If you cook them straight from frozen, you might need to play around with that to figure out the time and temperature. To freeze, set them on a plate or something like that, not touching, and freeze individually, then transfer to a bag so they don’t get stuck together. Thank you! -Meggan
Can these be wrapped ahead of time, frozen and then fried up the day of? These look like the perfect little appetizer and my lil’ ones would absolutely love them! Thanks for sharing 🙂
hiya i used my AIR FRYER no mess no oil came out perfect yumm,,y
I bought an air fryer on Black Friday. I’ll definitely try these out in that! Thank you so much for the great idea. -Meggan
hi i use mmy air fryer no mess no grease came out perfext yummy
Thanx for another wonderful recipe…can’t wait to try it! HOWEVER, I can’t join you in your “frying dance” as my family will not eat fried food….boo hoo! Would you share the best way to bake these “little wonders” so they come out kidda like yours? I will try them this weekend!
You said it can be baked, what temp and how long?
I can’t say no to anything that includes warm, gooey cheese, especially when they are this simple to make! My husband would absolutely love these so I know I’ll be making them soon! Off to pin…
Thank you, Alyssa! I appreciate the pin too. 🙂
These look insanely good. I love those little pepperoni pieces wedged in the cheese. My guys will love these while watching football.
Thank you Cindy, they were definitely a hit in my household! It seems that on the weekends these days, it’s nothing but one football game after another, so no matter when I made these sticks, there would be football on. 🙂 But at least I could eat pizza sticks!!!
Meggan!!! You have totally and completely outdone yourself. I cannot take these more than adorable and most definitely drool-inducing pictures of pizza sticks!!! You are a genius, friend! Let the frying begin 😉
Kathi you are the sweetest! High praise coming from you. 🙂 Thank you so much, I definitely enjoyed making, and more importantly, DEVOURING all the pizza sticks! They were pretty delicious, if I say so myself. 🙂
Get out of here with that baking talk–we need to deep fry these babies all the way! Those are some sexy, sexy pictures of stringy, melting cheese and pepperoni–hot dang! I cannot WAIT to give these a try at my next party.
Yes, I try to leave the baking to YOU, my SugarHero, whenever possible. 🙂 I’ll do the deep-fry dance! I did work really hard on the stretchy-cheese shot. It finally worked out, so thank you for noticing!
Yes I shall leave the baking to you, I’ll stick to my deep-fryer. 🙂 Thanks for appreciating my stretchy-cheese shot too. 🙂
those mini pepperoni are adorable!! My husband is ALWAYS asking for mozzarella sticks, like to the point where it is annoying, but maybe I can shut him up if I make him these, haha!
Isadora, I find these soooo much easier to make than regular mozzarella sticks! No messing around with bread crumbs and egg or milk or whatever to batter the cheese, just wrap them in an egg roll! And hey, leave out the pepperoni and tell him it’s a mozzarella stick! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by!
These are amazing! I love this idea Meggan! And could those little pepperonis be any cuter? What a perfect football game day appetizer.
Thank you so much, Natalie! The pepperonis are super adorbs. I will probably always buy that size from now on, they are just too cute to pass up!
Whole lot of awesome here Meggan! Pinned and sharing on FB today!
Thank you for sharing to Facebook, Trish! I appreciate it! I also appreciate the pin. These were definitely a hit in my household!
Those pizza sticks are so yummy! And I didn’t expect there’s mini pepperoni inside! Cute and delicious! It’s interesting idea to cook with whole garlic cloves and then discard them. This version of marinara sauce looks so simple, definitely keeping this one!
Thank you so much, Maggie. 🙂 The mini pepperonis are so adorable and great for photography. I am very happy with and proud of the marinara sauce too, so thank you. 🙂
Oh now I know what I’m going to make for our next game day gathering! These are totally going on the list of foods to make for that gathering!
Thank you Julie, my husband and son just gobbled them up!
This looks like some seriously awesome comfort food!
Thank you Medha, I could eat the every day! 🙂
These are totally adorable! I love the little pepperoni slices in there, and that dipping sauce really does sound perfect! My kids would go nuts for this snack 😉
Thank you Allie, these are such a hit in my house. 🙂 I do love the tiny pepperonis, they make it all very fun!
I’ve never seen mini pepperoni! They’re so cute – and the perfect size for these delicious little bundles! So glad you worked on that marinara sauce until it was just right – those are always such wonderful kitchen moments! 🙂
Thank you, Kathleen! The mini pepperonis are truly adorable. I had seen them at the store but never bought them, but now I see that they are great for photos too!
These are so cute Meggan! My favorite simple pizza ingredients! Pinning for when I’m in a pizza mood 🙂
Thank you, Mira! I find that I’m usually in a pizza mood. 🙂
HOLD MOLY. I have just died and gone to snack food heaven! I know I should be excited about the sauce too (because that is really clever the way you flavour it!) but those cheese sticks….those cheese sticks…..oh help me, it’s 8am here and I want to make them for breakfast!!!
As you know, YOU inspired this recipe, so thank you. 🙂 And yes, I have eaten them for breakfast. It is a perfectly normal thing to do, right?!
But of course. I eat cookies, lasagna and all sorts of other inappropriate things for brekki so why not these??!
I definitely have a feeling you’ve studied this recipe scientifically, Meggan … lol! But of course this means you’ve made it extra delicious for us! I especially love the marinara sauce tips. 🙂
You are so funny, Helen! 🙂 They are pretty good, and personally I am thrilled with the results.
What perfect little cheesy packages. I Love these. I’m a big fan of the flavoring of the olive oil too because I don’t like eating chunks of garlic.
Thank you Janette! Cheesy packages of love. 🙂