Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds are a classic Midwestern staple. Made with fresh cheese curds, they are coated in a light batter and quickly fried until golden brown and crispy on the outside, but still warm and gooey on the inside.
Our recipe for Wisconsin cheese curds is easy to follow and can be replicated in the comfort of your own kitchen. The key is to use fresh cheese curds, which are widely available in Wisconsin but can also be found in specialty cheese shops across the country, or even online. And trust me, it’s worth it. Once you’ve tried these deep fried cheese curds, you’ll never want to go back to regular mozzarella sticks again!
This fried cheese curbs recipe is by far one of our favorite gluten-free recipes we have made to date! It has all the flavors we have been craving made with celiac-safe ingredients.
Up next, we will be serving cheese curds with our popular Cheese Curd Burger. We dare you to name a better combo to celebrate National Cheese Curd Day!
These homemade cheese curds are prepped, fried and ready to serve in under 30 minutes.
We often serve this recipe as is but pairing with a variety of dipping sauces is an easy way to elevate this comfort food for friends and family.
For more Wisconsin favorites, check out our recipes for Chicken Booyah, Brandy Slush (Wisconsin Version) and Pineapple Pretzel Salad.
To get started, gather the equipment and ingredients then follow the written instructions or printable recipe card. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup gluten-free flour
- 1 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda ✅
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 20 ounces fresh cheese curds ✅
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
Gluten-Free Guide: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.
How To Make Fried Cheese Curds
Add the oil to a stockpot. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F. Continue to monitor the oil temperature as you cook the cheese curds.
Prep the cheese curds
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, buttermilk, egg, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Add the cheese curds and gently stir with a spatula until they are all coated.
Fry the cheese curds
Prep a plate lined with paper towels. Using tongs, carefully place the cheese curds individually into the oil. You will need to work in batches.
Carefully move the cheese curds around until they are golden brown. They cook very quickly, about 20-30 seconds. Use tongs or a skimmer ladle to remove the cooked cheese curds and place them into the serving bowl.
Serve
Cheese curds are best enjoyed fresh out of the fryer so make sure to cook these only when you are ready to serve them.
What oil to use to fry cheese curds?
Vegetable or canola oil should be used when frying cheese because of the high smoke point. Keeping the oil at 375°F is also key.
When the temperature drops below this temp, the curds will start absorbing the oil and will become soggy. Higher temps will result in overly dark curds.
A kitchen thermometer allows you to monitor the oil temps to fry each batch to perfection every time.
Serving Suggestions
Serve as a main entree for your next meal or feature as an appetizer for an upcoming event. There is no doubt your guests will be impressed.
Consider these ideas when serving cheddar cheese curds:
- Serve as is or alongside a dipping sauce such as sriracha, ranch, marinara, honey mustard or ketchup.
- Add Gluten Free Sweet Potato Fries or Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips to the table with the curds.
- Pair with appetizers like Spinach Dip with Greek Yogurt, Frozen Meatballs in the Crockpot, Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers.
- Serve with Baked Chicken Burgers, Turkey Burgers in the Oven, Chicken Cutlet Sandwich, or Pork Roast Instant Pot.
- Turn into a fun mid-day snack on the weekend that the whole family can enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Fry in batches to prevent overcrowding the pot and the curds from clumping together.
- Add spices like salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder or your favorite to the flour batter.
- Keep a close eye when frying to prevent burning. The curds cook very quickly (under 30 seconds).
- Remove the curds with tongs or a wire strainer if available. Let any excess oil drip off then place on a paper towel to absorb additional oil.
- If in a pinch, you can swap with block cheddar cheese that has been cut into cubes.
- Don’t skip the baking soda as an ingredient. It helps to create a crispy crust when fried.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cheese curds are made as part of the cheese-making process. The curds are separated from the whey and sliced before being sold. The best curds to purchase are fresh ones that have been made that day. These will be squeaky and rubbery just like they should be.
The curds are ready to be removed from the oil or the oil is too hot if you find the cheese melting when frying. Remove the current batch from the pot and double check the oil temp before the next batch is added.
Mix the batter ingredients together as written in the instructions. The batter consistency should be similar to waffle or pancake batter. If too thick, add more buttermilk. If too thin, add 1 Tablespoon of gf flour until it thickens. Test fry a few cheese curds in the batter to see how it comes out then adjust the batter (or oil temp) if needed. This is a frying tip for everyone, but especially to anyone new to frying foods.
Storage Instructions
We do not recommend storing cheese curds once fried as they often lose the desired crispiness and flavor. Instead, make fresh each time. If you do have extras simply store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Microwave for 10-20 seconds. The curds won’t be crispy, but they will still be delicious!
Store fresh cheese curbs (that haven’t been fried) per package instructions.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- Carefully pour oil into a large stockpot then place the thermometer into the oil. It is important to use a kitchen thermometer when frying foods. Ask for assistance if the temperature goes below or above 375°F.
- Stir cheese curbs in flour mixture until all pieces are fully coated.
- Lining a plate with paper towel will help to absorb any excess oil when the curds are removed from the stockpot.
- Start counting to 30 seconds once the cheese curds are added to the oil. Then ask for assistance to remove from the hot oil. They cook super quick!
More Recipes with Cheese
- Velveeta Cheese Sauce
- Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Low Sodium Mac and Cheese
- Gluten Free Cheddar Bay Biscuits
- Veggie Mac and Cheese
- Sausage Mac and Cheese
- Egg and Cheese McMuffin
- Beef and Cheese Burrito
- Philly Cheesesteak Foil Packs
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Fried Cheese Curds Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cup gluten-free flour
- 1 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda ✅
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 20 ounces fresh cheese curds ✅
- 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- ⭐️ Prep the oil. Add the oil to a stockpot. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F. Continue to monitor the oil temperature as you cook the cheese curds.4 cups vegetable oil
- Prep the cheese curds. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, buttermilk, egg, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until smooth. Add the cheese curds and gently stir with a spatula until they are all coated.1 1/3 cup gluten-free flour, 1 1/3 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 20 ounces fresh cheese curds
- ⭐️ Fry the cheese curds. Prep a plate lined with paper towels. Using tongs, carefully place the cheese curds individually into the oil. You will need to work in batches. Carefully move the cheese curds around until they are golden brown. They cook very quickly, about 20-30 seconds. Use tongs or a skimmer ladle to remove the cooked cheese curds and place them into the serving bowl.
- Serve. Cheese curds are best enjoyed fresh out of the fryer so make sure to cook these only when you are ready to serve them.
Notes
Oil Temperature
Keeping the oil at 375°F is key. When the temperature drops below this the curds will start absorbing the oil and become soggy. Higher temps will result in overly dark curds.Tips
- Fry in batches to prevent overcrowding the pot and the curds from clumping together.
- Add spices like salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder or your favorite to the flour batter.
- Keep a close eye when frying to prevent burning. The curds cook very quickly (under 30 seconds).
- Remove the curds with tongs or a wire strainer if available. Let any excess oil drip off then place on a paper towel to absorb additional oil.
- If in a pinch, you can swap with block cheese that has been cut into cubes.
- Don’t skip the baking soda as an ingredient. It helps to create the crispy crust when fried.
- The batter consistency should be similar to waffle or pancake batter. If too thick, add more buttermilk. If too thin, add 1 Tablespoon of gf flour until it thickens.
Nutrition
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