Do you love cheese fries? If you do, you'll love this easy Wingstop cheese fries recipe. It's simple to make and incredibly delicious. You'll love how crispy the fries are and how ooey-gooey the cheese is. Plus, it's perfect for a party or a game-day snack. So, what are you waiting for? Try this recipe today!
This post will show you how to make copycat Wingstop cheese fries. We will answer some frequently asked questions and give tips on making the perfect cheese fries. So, let's get started!
But first, let's gets familiar with why these fries are so special.
What are Wingstop cheese fries?
If you ever tried the Wingstop cheese fries, you know they're delicious. These fries are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Served with a creamy cheese sauce, they're addicting. Once you try them, you won't be able to stop. They're one of Wingstop's most popular menu items, and for a good reason. The reason why these fries are the crowd favorite is that they're so dang tasty.
Read:
What makes cheese fries Wingstop so good?
There are a few things that make Wingstop cheese fries so good.
- First, the fries are always crispy. They're never soggy or greasy.
- Second, the cheese is always melted and gooey. It's never dry or crumbly.
- Finally, the seasoning is always perfect. It's never too salty or too bland.
How to make copycat Wingstop cheese fries
This recipe is super simple to make and only requires a few ingredients. All you need is some frozen french fries, cheese sauce, and Wingstop seasoning. That's it! The following is a step-by-step guide on making these fries at home.
You can prepare the Wingstop cheese fries in either the oven or the air fryer. I prefer to make them in the air fryer because it's faster and easier. Plus, the air fryer gives the fries a nice crispy texture. But, if you don't have an air fryer, you can make them in the oven. Just note that the cooking time will be longer.
Now, let's get started!
Using frozen fries
I like to use frozen french fries to make this a quick weeknight dinner. You can absolutely use fresh potatoes, but it will take longer to cook them. I used frozen french fries, but you could also use crinkle cut or waffle fries.
I'm a huge advocate of cutting corners when it comes to cooking. And using frozen french fries is definitely a shortcut that I'm happy to take. It's one less step that I have to do, saving me time. So, if you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, go with frozen fries.
But of course, you can use fresh potatoes if you prefer. Just keep in mind that the cooking time will be longer. Just check below the instructions for how long to cook fresh potatoes.
Ingredients you'll need:
- 1 bag of frozen french fries (or you can use potatoes or sweet potatoes if in case you want to make french fries from scratch, you can follow the instructions below.)
- 1 cup of cheese sauce (you can use store-bought or homemade)
- Wingstop seasoning (or as desired). Check the recipe below.
How to make copycat Wingstop cheese sauce:
The key to making a good cheese sauce is to use quality ingredients. I recommend using a good cheddar cheese for this recipe. You can use either sharp or mild cheddar, depending on your preference. If you want a really cheesy sauce, you can also use a mix of cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
Option 1
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Melt the cheese in a saucepan over low heat.
2. Once it's melted, add the sour cream, milk, and garlic powder.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I like to add a little bit of cayenne pepper for a little bit of heat (optional).
4. If you want a really cheesy sauce, add some mozzarella cheese.
Option 2
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat and stir until everything is melted and smooth.
- Use immediately or store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Enjoy! Use this cheese sauce on your fries or whatever else you like.
How to make copycat Wingstop seasoning:
To make a copycat Wingstop seasoning, you'll need paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and black pepper. You can adjust the proportions of the spices to suit your taste. All you need to do is mix all the ingredients.
Ingredients you'll need:
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
Directions:
1. Mix paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and black pepper. Add some brown sugar and granulated white sugar.
2. Adjust the proportions of the spices to suit your taste.
3. Store the seasoning in an airtight container if you make more than you need.
How to prepare potatoes to make a french fries:
If you are not using frozen french fries and want to make them from scratch, here's how you can do it.
Step 1
Start by peeling the potatoes. If you like, you can leave the skin on, but I prefer to peel them. Why is that? When you leave the skin on, the potatoes tend to absorb more oil and don't get as crispy.
Step 2
Cut the potatoes into thin strips, about ¼-inch thick. If they're too thin, they'll burn. They'll take longer to cook if they're too thick and won't be as crispy.
Step 3
Soak the potatoes in cold water for about 30 minutes. This step is optional, but it helps remove some of the starch from the potatoes, making them even crispier.
Step 4
After soaking, dry the potatoes with a clean towel or paper towels. If they're too wet, they'll absorb too much oil and won't be as crispy.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Preheating the oven is necessary because it helps ensure that the potatoes will cook evenly. When the oven is not preheated, the outside of the potatoes will cook before the inside is done.
Step 6
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray. A lined baking sheet will keep potatoes from sticking and make cleanup easy.
Step 7
Spread the potatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil. In addition to keeping them from sticking to the foil, the olive oil makes them crisper.
Step 8
Sprinkle the potatoes with some Wingstop seasoning on top—Cook the fries for 20 minutes (25 minutes if they're thicker). Or until golden brown on the outside and crispy on the inside.
Step 9
Drizzle the fries with copycat Wingstop cheese sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
How to cook frozen french fries on the air fryer?
If you want to make crispy french fries without all the oil, you must try cooking them in the air fryer. I love using my air fryer because it cooks the potatoes perfectly, and they come out nice and crispy.
Here's how you do it:
Step 1
Preheat the air fryer to 400° F. Preheating is always essential when using an air fryer because it helps ensure that the food will cook evenly.
Step 2
Using an air fryer basket, lay out the frozen french fries in one layer. Lightly spray the fries with oil and sprinkle with Wingstop seasoning.
Step 3
Let them cook for ten minutes. Afterward, shake the basket, so the fries cook evenly, then air fry for an extra 5 minutes, depending on how crisp you want. Ideally, you should get golden, crispy fries.
Step 4
After the fries are ready, arrange them on a plate. Drizzle the fries with copycat Wingstop cheese sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Why soak strips of potatoes in cold water?
When you cut potatoes, free starch granules are released. If you leave these, they have two effects, they can make your potatoes waterlogged, and they will make them less crispy when fried.
Soaking the potato strips in cold water helps remove some of the starch from the potatoes. This step is optional, but it does result in crispier french fries. The less starch there is in the potatoes, the less likely they will stick together and turn out mushy.
It is important to pat the potatoes completely dry after soaking them; otherwise, they will not get as crispy in the oven. When you're ready to bake the french fries, drizzle them with olive oil and season them with just a bit of salt. This will help to give them that golden brown, crispy exterior.
How do you keep french fries from sticking to aluminum foil?
The best way to keep french fries from sticking to aluminum foil is to spray the foil with cooking spray before you bake them. You can also try lining the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Either way, ensure that you give the potatoes enough space, so they're not touching each other on the baking sheet. This will help to ensure that they bake evenly and don't stick together.
What is the best way to reheat french fries?
The best way to reheat french fries is in the air fryer. If you don't have an air fryer, you can reheat them in the oven on a baking sheet. Make sure you don't overcook them, or they'll be soggy.
What are some other dipping sauces you could try with these fries?
If you're not a fan of cheese sauce, there are plenty of other dipping sauces you could try with these fries. Other options include ketchup, BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, honey mustard, and more. Get creative and try whatever sounds good to you!
How do you keep french fries from getting soggy?
Soggy fries are the worst. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to prevent them:
- Cooking potatoes requires soaking them in cold water for at least 30 minutes before cooking. By doing this, the starch is removed, so they'll cook more evenly.
- Before baking the potatoes, pat them completely dry.
- Don't overcrowd the baking sheet. Make sure to give the potatoes enough space, so they're not touching each other on the baking sheet. This will help to ensure that they bake evenly and don't stick together.
To prevent french fries from getting soggy, cook them all the way through. If your fries get soggy, you can try reheating them in the oven or the air fryer. This will help to crisp them up and make them taste fresh again.
What is the best way to reheat french fries?
The best way to reheat french fries is in the air fryer. If you don't have an air fryer, you can reheat them in the oven on a baking sheet. Make sure you don't overcook them, or they'll be soggy.
What is the best way to keep french fries warm?
If you're looking for the best way to keep french fries warm, you can try using a slow cooker. Simply place the cooked fries in the slow cooker on the warm setting, and they'll stay nice and hot until you're ready to eat them. You can also try using an electric fryer. These work great for keeping french fries warm and can even help to crisp them up again if they've gotten soggy.
Full Recipe
Wingstop Cheese Fries (step by step guide)
Pin RecipeEquipments:
- Air Fryer
- Oven
Ingredients:
Main ingredients:
- 1 bag frozen french fries (or you can use potatoes or sweet potatoes if in case you want to make french fries from scratch, you can follow the instructions below.)
- 1 cup cheese sauce (you can use store-bought or homemade)
- 1 tablespoon Wingstop seasoning (use as desired)
Copycat Wingstop cheese sauce: Option 1
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Copycat Wingstop Cheese sauce: Option 2
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Copycat Wingstop seasoning:
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions:
How to cook frozen french fries on the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 400° F. Preheating is always essential when using an air fryer because it helps ensure that the food will cook evenly.
- Using an air fryer basket, lay out the frozen french fries in one layer. Lightly spray the fries with oil and sprinkle with Wingstop seasoning.
- Let them cook for ten minutes. Afterward, shake the basket, so the fries cook evenly, then air fry for an extra 5 minutes, depending on how crisp you want. Ideally, you should get golden, crispy fries.
- After the fries are ready, arrange them on a plate. Drizzle the fries with copycat Wingstop cheese sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Copycat Wingstop cheese sauce (Option 1):
- Melt the cheese in a saucepan over low heat.
- Once it’s melted, add the sour cream, milk, and garlic powder.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. I like to add a little bit of cayenne pepper for a little bit of heat (optional).
- If you want a really cheesy sauce, add some mozzarella cheese.
Copycat Wingstop cheese sauce (Option 2):
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat and stir until everything is melted and smooth.
- Use immediately or store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Enjoy! Use this cheese sauce on your fries or whatever else you like.
Copycat Wingstop seasoning:
- Mix paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and black pepper. Add some brown sugar and granulated white sugar.
- Adjust the proportions of the spices to suit your taste.
- Store the seasoning in an airtight container if you make more than you need.
Notes:
How to prepare potatoes to make a french fries:
step 1
Start by peeling the potatoes. If you like, you can leave the skin on, but I prefer to peel them. Why is that? When you leave the skin on, the potatoes tend to absorb more oil and don’t get as crispy.step 2
Cut the potatoes into thin strips, about ¼-inch thick. If they’re too thin, they’ll burn. They’ll take longer to cook if they’re too thick and won’t be as crispy.step 3
Soak the potatoes in cold water for about 30 minutes. This step is optional, but it helps remove some of the starch from the potatoes, making them even crispier.step 4
After soaking, dry the potatoes with a clean towel or paper towels. If they’re too wet, they’ll absorb too much oil and won’t be as crispy.step 5
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Preheating the oven is necessary because it helps ensure that the potatoes will cook evenly. When the oven is not preheated, the outside of the potatoes will cook before the inside is done.step 6
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray. A lined baking sheet will keep potatoes from sticking and make cleanup easy.step 7
Spread the potatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil. In addition to keeping them from sticking to the foil, the olive oil makes them crisper.step 8
Sprinkle the potatoes with some Wingstop seasoning on top—Cook the fries for 20 minutes (25 minutes if they’re thicker). Or until golden brown on the outside and crispy on the inside.step 9
Drizzle the fries with copycat Wingstop cheese sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!Nutrition Information:
Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
