Pepperoni Cheese Logs
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Wrapped pizza-style logs with pepperoni and mozzarella, fried or frozen for later. Uses egg roll wrappers for crunch. Freeze well, fry to golden-brown crisp outside, gooey cheese inside. Swaps sausage for pepperoni, adds parmesan twist. Oil temp crucial at low 320-330°F. Avoid bursting cheese; fry low and watch bubbles. Quick prep, adaptable, snack or party food.
Prep:
22 min
Cook:
16 min
Total:
38 min
Servings:
12 servings
#snacks
#finger food
#party food
#fried foods
#American cuisine
Scattered ingredients, messy but manageable. The egg roll wrapper isn’t just a wrapper it’s your shield against exploding molten cheese. More than once a rushed fold has meant a lava leak. Pepperoni slices layer like cards stacked in a little line, adds that meaty pop. Skip sausage; pepperoni is convenient, smaller, crispier edges. Adding parmesan gives the edges an extra crunch and subtle saltiness, a little twist I picked up after second batch burned out. Freeze? Totally worth it. Frying hot oil sounds mean but watch the bubbles and golden hue. Perfect sound is soft sizzle, no violent splatter. No crowding or oil temp drops or you get rubbery yuck. Salad on side is a waste but marinara dipping is essential. I learned every step by mistakes; don’t rush folds or oil heaters. Also, toss a few logs frozen into the fryer for on-demand snack attacks.
Ingredients
- 12 large egg roll wrappers
- 1 egg beaten for sealing
- 5 slices pepperoni per log
- 1 mozzarella string cheese per log
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (replacement twist)
- Vegetable oil for frying
About the ingredients
Egg roll wrappers need to be handled gently; dry edges won’t seal right—use beaten egg generously. Pepperoni slices vary by brand; spicy or sweet, buy what you like but stick to slices for uniform layering. String cheese is non-negotiable, that melty core is what makes these logs worth the mess. Parmesan is the secret upgrade; no shredded jumbo cheese allowed, finely grated for quick affinity with oil surface. If out of egg use milk or water mixed with a tiny bit of flour as sealing agent but expect less hold. Vegetable oil needs volume and depth to submerge fully; peanut or canola oil work to avoid flavor clashes. Freeze logs separated by wax paper or squashing happens; label bag and push air out for keeping months. Logs can be swapped for turkey pepperoni or vegan cheese if desired; frying timing may vary slightly.
Method
- Set all ingredients out like a hot zone on a cutting board or plate; clutter kills speed.
- Brush edges of one large egg roll wrapper with egg wash; key for sealing, no leaks.
- Stack five pepperoni slices centered in an overlapping line; sprinkle a pinch of parmesan over pepperoni.
- Place a mozzarella string cheese right on top; the cheese stick anchors the filling.
- Fold the wrapper's bottom edge over the filling snugly, then fold in the sides like a loose envelope.
- Roll tightly upwards, sealing fully; tight wrapping prevents oil soaking and cheese escape.
- Line up logs on wax or parchment paper; no touching or pulling apart later will be a nightmare.
- Freeze loosely covered for at least 1 hour to firm up, but these keep well up to 6 months in a bag.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven until steady 320 to 330 degrees Fahrenheit; flick water drops to test, but thermometer is best.
- Drop 3-4 logs carefully in hot oil; don’t crowd or temperature plunges wreck the crust.
- Watch for bubbles around edges and the egg roll turns golden and slightly bubbled crust; about 1.5 to 2 minutes per side.
- Flip carefully and fry other side until evenly browned but before cheese tries to ooze out; cheese leak = waste and hot oil burns.
- Transfer to paper towels to absorb excess grease, gently, don’t puncture.
- Repeat with rest. Eat hot immediately with marinara or a tangy mustard dip.
- If freezing then frying later, no thawing needed; drop frozen logs right into oil, just add a minute or two longer frying.
Cooking tips
Set your workstation like a battle station; ingredient layout saves you time and nerves. Egg wash on edges is non-negotiable or you’ll be chasing melted cheese dripping in hot oil. Your folds resemble envelopes but tighter rolls equal less oil seepage and fewer breaks in frying. Freeze logs on a sheet first—warehousing loose versions in bags before firming causes stuck messes. Use a thermometer—not guesswork. 320 to 330°F is the sweet spot: too hot and wrapper burns fast, too cold and oil soaks in making soggy logs. Drop 3 to 4 max; crowding drops temp and leads to pale, greasy logs. Watch edges for bubbling and color change; sensory cues beat timers here. Flip once you see golden underside, fry just before cheese melts through cracks. After frying, blot but don’t flip too much or you break the crust. Serve immediately; leftovers turn chewy. No thawing needed if frozen, just add frying time.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Egg wash edges heavy; dry edges mean leaks and oil burns fast. Brush well or face cheese lava. Fold tight like envelope. Loose = oil seeps, wrapper soggy, cheese escapes. Roll upwards - keep tension. Don’t rush or tear. Practice folds on empty wrapper. Keep filling centered; uneven layers cause breaks.
- 💡 Oil temperature game changer. Keep 320 to 330 Fahrenheit. Flick water for test, bubbles small, sound soft sizzle but no violent splatter. Too hot? Wrapper chars fast, cheese melts too quick and oozes out. Too cool? Logs absorb oil like sponge, rubbery crust. Use thermometer if possible, worth hassle.
- 💡 Freezing logs saves hassle later. Freeze spaced on parchment or wax paper or logs stick and tear when separated. Label bag if long storage. Freeze solid minimum 1 hour or up to 6 months. Fry logs frozen directly; add extra minute or two to frying time. No thawing, wrapper stays crispier and filling stays intact.
- 💡 Parmesan on pepperoni slices adds crust texture and subtle salt punch. Use finely grated only; shredded bulky cheese won’t crisp well. Sprinkle light pinch as extra crunch upgrade found after many burned batches without it. Also try swapping turkey pepperoni, but adjust cooking time since thinner or less fat affects fry time.
- 💡 Handling logs after frying is delicate. Transfer with slotted spoon carefully; don’t poke or flip much on paper towel or crust may crack. Blot excess oil gently but avoid crushing, breaks wrapper seal. Serve hot or warm; crust loses crunch if sitting long. Reheated logs best in oven, not microwave, oven keeps wrapper firm.
Common questions
Why does cheese leak out sometimes?
Usually wrapper not tight enough. Egg wash edges missed or dry. Cheese expands fast under heat and pushes out weak spots. Foldings need tension; practice essential. Too hot oil also melts cheese faster than wrapper can hold. Patch tears with egg wash or rewrap before frying.
Can I bake these instead?
Yes, but expect differences. Oven bake 400 Fahrenheit 12-15 minutes; less oil, less crisp, softer edges. Texture changes. Cheese melts slower, less browning. Frying gives bubble pockets, crisp outside, ooze inside dynamics you won’t replicate in oven. Good choice if avoiding oil, but adjust expectations.
How to store leftovers?
Wrap airtight in fridge up to 2 days. Reheat in oven for best crunch. Avoid microwave - gets soggy wrapper. Logs freeze well frozen solid; thawing not recommended. Reheat frozen solids with extra time in fry or oven. Use wax paper between layers to prevent sticking when freezing multiples.
What if oil temperature drops when frying?
Crowding biggest cause. Drop to 300 or below = greasy, pale logs, rubbery crust. Fry max 3-4 logs at once, wait for temp rebound before next batch. Use thermometer if available or test flick water regularly. Use vegetable oil with high smoke point. Fresh oil keeps flavor crisp; reused oil darkens taste.
