Description
Crispy bacon wrapped around gooey mozzarella sticks, coated with a spicy Nashville hot sauce for an irresistible appetizer that combines smoky, spicy, and cheesy flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 mozzarella sticks
- 8 slices of bacon
- 1/4 cup hot sauce (like Frank’s RedHot)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Toothpicks
Instructions
- Prep Your Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This temperature will ensure the bacon gets crispy while allowing the cheese to melt slowly without oozing out too quickly.
- Wrap The Mozzarella: Take each mozzarella stick and carefully wrap it with a slice of bacon, making sure to slightly overlap the bacon as you wrap to ensure complete coverage. Secure the ends with toothpicks to prevent the bacon from unwrapping during cooking.
- Mix The Nashville Hot Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the hot sauce, melted butter, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Whisk thoroughly to create a smooth, spicy Nashville-style sauce that will infuse the bacon with flavor as it cooks.
- Apply The Sauce: Using a pastry brush, generously coat each bacon-wrapped mozzarella stick with the hot sauce mixture. Make sure to cover all sides of the bacon for maximum flavor impact.
- Bake To Perfection: Arrange the prepared mozzarella sticks on the parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and golden brown and the cheese inside is melted but still contained within the bacon wrapper.
- Rest Before Serving: Remove from the oven and let the mozzarella sticks cool for 3-5 minutes before serving. This brief resting period allows the cheese to set slightly so it doesn’t immediately ooze out when bitten into.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, you can place the mozzarella sticks in the freezer for about 20 minutes before wrapping them in bacon.
- If you prefer a less spicy version, reduce the amount of cayenne pepper or substitute with a milder paprika.
- These can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- For best results, use regular-cut bacon rather than thick-cut, as it will wrap more easily and cook more quickly.
- Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping to balance the heat.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mozzarella stick
- Calories: 186
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 573mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 36mg