Description
These easy homemade mini corn dogs are crispy, golden, and perfect for parties, game days, or a fun family meal. Juicy mini hot dogs are dipped in a lightly sweet cornmeal batter and fried until perfectly crisp, making a delightful snack or appetizer that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Hot Dogs
- 12 mini hot dogs or cocktail sausages
Batter
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Coating & Frying
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, for coating
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Serving
- Ketchup, mustard, or honey mustard, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Hot Dogs: Pat the mini hot dogs dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure the batter sticks. Insert a wooden skewer or a short food-safe stick into each hot dog, leaving enough length to hold while frying and eating.
- Make Dry Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
- Make Wet Mix: In a separate bowl, whisk the large egg, buttermilk, and melted butter together until smooth and well blended.
- Combine Batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until a thick, smooth batter forms. If it’s too thick to coat properly, add 1–2 tablespoons of buttermilk to loosen.
- Coat Hot Dogs: Lightly dust each hot dog with ¼ cup all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess to help the batter adhere better.
- Dip Hot Dogs: Pour the batter into a tall glass for easy dipping. Fully coat each floured hot dog in the batter, turning to cover evenly.
- Heat Oil: Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pot and heat to 350°F (175°C), using a thermometer to maintain the correct temperature.
- Fry Corn Dogs: Carefully lower the battered hot dogs into the hot oil in small batches, frying for 2–3 minutes while turning occasionally until the corn dogs are golden brown and crisp on all sides.
- Drain: Use a slotted spoon to remove the corn dogs and place them on a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to drain excess oil.
- Serve: Serve the mini corn dogs warm with ketchup, mustard, honey mustard, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Maintain the oil temperature around 350°F to ensure the batter cooks evenly without absorbing too much oil or becoming greasy.
- If the batter is thicker than desired making it hard to coat, add 1–2 tablespoons of buttermilk to thin it slightly.
- Avoid overcrowding the frying pot to prevent the temperature from dropping, which can cause soggy corn dogs.
- For a sweeter corn dog, increase the sugar in the batter by an additional tablespoon.
- Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat in an air fryer or oven for best results to maintain crispiness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Snack, Party Food, Kid-Friendly
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
