Cheese Frenchee
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Crispy on the outside and cheesy in the middle, Cheese Frenchees are a Nebraska classic you’ll want to make again and again. This twist on a grilled cheese gets dipped in batter, coated in crushed cornflakes, and fried until golden brown. The result is a crunchy sandwich with a warm, melty American cheese center that’s every bit as good as you may remember from King’s Food Host.
If you grew up in Nebraska like I did, chances are you’ve heard of and probably eaten your fair share of Cheese Frenchies. These crispy, golden, deep-fried grilled cheese sandwiches are more than just a recipe to me; they’re a childhood core memory.
Back in the day, there was a local chain called King’s Food Host. It wasn’t just a place to grab a burger or sandwich; it was an experience. Every table had a telephone, and that’s how you placed your order. You pick up the phone and talk directly to the kitchen. As a kid, it felt like the coolest thing in the world. And our go-to order? Always a Cheese Frenchee.
What Are Cheese Frenchies?
A Cheese Frenchie is a deep-fried grilled cheese sandwich, but with a Midwestern twist. White bread is slathered with mayonnaise, layered with melty American cheese, dipped in a batter, rolled in crushed cornflakes, and fried until the outside is golden and crunchy, while the inside remains gooey and cheesy.
They were a King’s Food Host signature, and the chain served them alongside other nostalgic favorites like Tuna Frenchies. Even after King’s closed in the late 1970s, Nebraska Cheese Frenchies lived on in school cafeterias, diners, and a few local restaurants that still keep the tradition alive, like Don & Millie’s and Amigos/Kings Classic.
Cheese Frenchees aren’t just about the flavor, though that crispy, buttery breading and molten cheese combination is irresistible. They’re about the nostalgia. For so many of us, they were part of Friday night dinners with our families or school lunches with friends. They’re the kind of Midwest comfort food that brings you right back to a simpler time.
Plus, they’re fun to make. There’s something satisfying about dipping those sandwich triangles into batter, coating them in cornflakes, and watching them fry to golden perfection.
Ingredients in a Cheese Frenchie
For complete measurements and instructions, please see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
This recipe is simple to make and uses basic pantry ingredients. For the sandwich, you’ll need white sandwich bread or Texas Toast, mayonnaise, and American cheese. For the batter: eggs, milk, flour, and salt. To get that crunchy coating, you’ll need crushed cornflakes and oil for frying.
How to Make Cheese Frenchies
If you can’t make it to Nebraska to grab one, I have good news. Cheese Frenchies are easy to make at home. The key is to always use American cheese for that authentic melty texture, a generous coating of crushed cornflakes for crunch, and hot oil (around 375°F) for frying.
Make a simple grilled cheese with mayo and American cheese on white sandwich bread or Texas Toast.
Cut the crusts off the white bread and then cut each sandwich into triangles.
Dip each piece into a batter made from egg, milk, flour, and salt.
Coat generously in crushed cornflakes.
Fry until golden brown and crispy. (Watch closely! They brown quickly!)
They’re best served hot, with a side of pickles, ketchup, or even a bowl of tomato soup for dipping.
Love it? Pin it!
If you love this Cheese Frenchee recipe and want to make them at home, make sure you can find them. Pin this recipe to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go.
King’s Food Host Cheese Frenchee Recipe
For me, Cheese Frenchies will always be more than a recipe; they’re a piece of Nebraska history. They remind me of the excitement of picking up that King’s Food Host phone and placing my order all by myself, feeling grown-up even if I was just getting a fried cheese sandwich.
More Sandwich Recipes to Love
Two other Nebraska Classic Sandwich recipes that you will find here are the Runza (pictured above) and the Reuben. A Nebraska girl’s website wouldn’t be complete without them.
I have some great grilled cheese recipes here on my website, and tons of tasty sandwich recipes to go around. Some of my favorites are my Pizza Grilled Cheese and Grilled Turkey Havarti Sandwiches, these Iowa classics: Breaded Pork Tenderloin and Dunker Burger, and my Toasted Italian Subs, French Dip, and this Muffuletta, too!
Find all of my sandwich recipes here and check out my huge collection of restaurant copycat recipes before you go!
If you’ve never had a Cheese Frenchee, you’re missing out on a classic grilled cheese with a crispy, golden twist that’s every bit as comforting as it sounds. And if you grew up in Nebraska, maybe this is your sign to make a batch at home and bring back those phone-ordering memories from King’s Food Host.
I’d love to hear your stories! Please share in the comments if you remember Cheese Frenchees from back in the day or know a place that still serves them. And if you try this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and a star rating so others can see how it turned out for you.
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Cheese Frenchee Recipe (King’s Food Host Copycat)
Ingredients
- 3 cups cornflakes crushed
- ½ cup flour
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 4 slices of Texas Toast or soft white sandwich bread crusts removed
- 4 slices of American cheese
- vegetable oil
Instructions
- Place the cornflakes in a zip-top bag and gently crush them with a rolling pin until they resemble coarse crumbs, similar in texture to panko. Pour the crumbs into a shallow bowl or pie plate. In a second shallow bowl or pie plate, whisk together the flour, egg, milk, and salt until smooth. Set both bowls aside.
- Spread 1/2 tablespoon of mayonnaise onto one side of each slice of bread. Place 2 slices of bread, mayonnaise side up, on your work surface. Lay two slices of cheese on top of each, then close with the remaining slices of bread, mayonnaise side down, to form sandwiches.
- Using a serrated bread knife, trim the crusts from all four sides of each sandwich to create clean, straight edges. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally to make triangular wedges.
- Working one wedge at a time, dip each side into the flour batter, making sure it’s fully coated. Let any excess batter drip off, then press all sides into the crushed cornflakes, coating thoroughly. Use your hands to gently press in more crumbs as needed for even coverage. Transfer each wedge to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces. Place the coated sandwiches in the refrigerator to chill while you heat the oil, for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 day. Chilling helps the sandwiches hold their shape during frying.
- While the sandwiches rest, line a large plate with paper towels or set a wire rack inside a baking sheet and set aside. In a large Dutch oven or 10-inch cast iron skillet, pour in oil until it reaches a depth of 1 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F.
- Using tongs or a spider skimmer, carefully lower two sandwich wedges into the hot oil. Fry, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain an oil temperature between 330°F and 350°F, until the bottoms are a deep golden brown, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, for another 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Transfer the cooked wedges to the prepared plate or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
