These Baked Grilled Cheese Sticks are an 'adult' grilled cheese. They are made in the oven so you can prep large batches ahead of time that will serve a crowd! Pair your sticks with tomato soup shooters for easy dipping!
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We had a Christmas party last December and I served my Sweet and Sour Meatballs and these grilled cheese appetizer sticks!
These sticks were literally a last minute appetizer I threw in the oven that I am SO glad I made. Baked grilled cheese is SO much more convenient!!
Funny thing is, I was sick and could not breathe through my nose. No big deal except for the fact that you can't taste ANYTHING when your nose is stuffed up! So when I was making this recipe, I completely winged it crossing my fingers the whole time!
It wasn't until later on when people were RAVING over "the grilled cheese". I was shocked. I mean, I thought the kids at the party would be the only guests eating it but apparently the adults LOVED it too! Because they were such huge hit (AND SO EASY), I told friends and family I would post a recipe. So here it is! I paired these sticks here with a tomato soup shooter to make it more of an adult appetizer but kids will enjoy them too!
Cut them into squares and serve on a toothpick for a fancy hors d'oeuvre!
Is Mayo or Butter?
Believe it or not, mayonnaise IS a something people put on grilled cheese! And it's FABULOUS!
I mean, if you think about it, mayo is really just oil and egg yolk mixed together...BOTH of which would be yummy in/on a grilled cheese so don't knock it until you try it!!
As for the question, "Butter or Mayo"?
I actually use BOTH!
I spread my mayonnaise/ketchup sauce INSIDE of my grilled cheese and use butter OUTSIDE of my grilled cheese. Boom. Thank me later.
How to cut and bake your grilled cheese
Baked grilled cheese is a thousand times easier than grilling your sandwiches! AND it comes out just as good if not better!
Step 1: Mix up your sauce and slather it onto your bread.
Step 2: Add your shredded cheese and brush butter onto both sides.
Step 3: Lay onto a baking sheet and bake
Another fun and easy bite sized appetizer you can bake are these Baked Potato Wedges!
Tips For Serving These At Your Next Party:
- Bake and cut them AHEAD of time! Why? Because you need these to fully cool in order to neatly cut them. Once they're cut into sticks, you can reheat them later as company arrives.
- Use a serrated knife to cut up your grilled cheese!
- Reheat your grilled cheese at 350F for just a few minutes right before guests arrive.
- Do not use tin foil underneath! The cheese will stick and make it difficult to remove.
- Serve tomato soup in something that can handle the heat! Glass shot glasses are awesome but they have some great plastic ones too! Some plastics either get too hot to hold or may even melt. (no bueno)
- Keep these warm all party long by using these electric warming plates. They are AWESOME!!
- You can cut these into squares too and skewer a few onto each skewer if you prefer.
What Makes THIS Grilled Cheese Recipe Unique?
The SAUCE!!
This sauce has always been my go-to sauce for things like chicken wraps, burgers and now...for GRILLED CHEESE!!!
It is a combination of mayo, ketchup, garlic powder and onion powder. Simple but delicious!! I like to call it my ketchup "aioli".
Even if you don't like mayonnaise, you will LOVE this sauce. It just adds a little somethin' somthin'.
Here are some other appetizers you may like:
Grilled Cheese Sandwich w/ Cream Cheese, Roasted Peppers & Basil
Avocado Cream Cheese Wontons With Sesame
Mini Canapé Toasts With Sweet Cheese
Puff Pastry Garlic n' Herb Pinwheels
BAKED Grilled Cheese Sticks (w/ Tomato Soup Shooters)
Ingredients
- 10 Slices Sandwich bread
- 1 ½ Cup Shredded Colby Jack Cheese (*I used a mixed package)
- 1 Stick Unsalted Butter ((Melted))
Ketchup Sauce
- ½ Cup Ketchup
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- ¾ Tsp. Onion Powder
- ½ Tsp. Garlic Powder
- ¼ Tsp. Salt (*If using unsalted butter)
Instructions
- Mix your ketchup aioli and set aside.
- Lay your bread slices out onto your counter and add a spoonful of sauce to EACH side.
- Sprinkle about ⅓ cup of cheese evenly on one side of each sandwich and close them up.
- Brush melted butter onto each side of your sandwiches making sure to get the edges.
- Bake at 374 F on the BOTTOM rack for 6 minutes or until browned. Flip sandwiches and bake another 3 minutes or so. Take out and let cool before cutting. (TIP* If you do not want your cheese to ooze out and get messy when cutting, let your grilled cheese cool completely. Then reheat all the sticks in the oven for a minute or two right before serving.) Trimming crusts is optional but makes for a better presentation.
- Serve with warm tomato soup on the side or in plastic shooters for dipping!
Fresh tomato soup made with roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs. Seasoned with smoked salt and pepper. Simple, easy recipe and delicious in taste.
Thank you!! 🙂