Freeze cheese sticks in the package overnight. The cheese sticks must be frozen solid. The cheese sticks will keep frozen in the freezer for up to 4 months. I always keep some stocked in the freezer just for this recipe! If you want mini cheese sticks you can cut the cheese sticks in half and freeze them in a freezer friendly zip lock baggie too.
Place the 2 eggs in a small bowl big enough to fit the cheese sticks. Whip the eggs till fluffy. I use a mini bread loaf pan to hold the egg mixture so that when I dip the eggs it coats the cheese stick perfectly because of the height and depth of the pan without using more eggs.
In another small bowl that's large enough to hold a cheese stick, add the pork panko, paprika, sea salt, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix it until the mixture if fully combined.
Unwrap the frozen cheese sticks.
Dip each one in the egg mixture.
Remove the cheese stick from the egg mixture and immediately dip it in the pork panko. Firmly press the panko around the cheese stick if you like the extra coating on your cheese sticks.
Preheat the air fryer to 37o degrees.
Place the coated cheese sticks on the air fryer tray.
Bake at 370 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes. This is long enough to make them nice and soft but not too soft to where the melt through the tray. I have placed a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom of the air fryer too. This works nicely! The parchment paper is not required though.
Video
Notes
Serve with a sugar free marinara sauce.Makes 6 cheese sticks or 18 mini cheese sticks