Ingredients
Scale
For the Mini Corn Dogs:
- 8-10 hot dogs (beef, pork, or turkey)
- Wooden skewers or toothpicks
For the Cornmeal Batter:
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for batter, not frying)
For Frying:
- Vegetable oil for deep frying (about 6-8 cups)
For Serving:
- Ketchup
- Yellow mustard
- Honey mustard
- Ranch dressing
- BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Prepare Hot Dogs: Cut each hot dog into thirds (for mini corn dogs) or halves (for slightly larger bites). Pat them very dry with paper towels—this is crucial for batter adhesion. Insert a toothpick or small wooden skewer into one end of each hot dog piece, leaving enough stick to hold while dipping and eating.
- Make Batter: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined. In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together milk, egg, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until just combined and smooth. The batter should be thick but pourable, similar to pancake batter. Let batter rest for 5 minutes.
- Transfer Batter to Tall Glass: Pour the batter into a tall, narrow glass or cup (at least 6 inches tall). This makes dipping hot dogs much easier than using a wide bowl. The batter should be deep enough to almost cover the hot dog pieces when dipped.
- Heat Oil: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350-375°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Maintaining proper temperature is crucial for crispy, non-greasy corn dogs. Don’t skip using a thermometer.
- Coat Hot Dogs: Working with one at a time, hold a hot dog by the stick and dip it into the batter, rotating to coat completely. Let excess batter drip back into the glass for 2-3 seconds. If batter isn’t coating evenly, it may be too thin—add 1-2 tablespoons more cornmeal. If too thick, add 1 tablespoon milk.
- Fry in Batches: Carefully lower 4-5 coated hot dogs into the hot oil, being cautious of splattering. Don’t overcrowd—this drops oil temperature and causes soggy coating. Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs or a slotted spoon, until deep golden brown all over.
- Drain: Remove fried mini corn dogs with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and transfer to a wire cooling rack set over paper towels or a baking sheet lined with paper towels. This allows excess oil to drip away while keeping the coating crispy.
- Continue Frying: Repeat coating and frying process with remaining hot dogs, working in batches. Monitor oil temperature between batches and adjust heat as needed to maintain 350-375°F.
- Serve: Let mini corn dogs cool for 2-3 minutes before serving (they’ll be very hot inside!). Serve warm with ketchup, mustard, and other favorite dipping sauces.
Notes
- Dry hot dogs thoroughly before dipping—moisture prevents batter from sticking.
- Batter should be thick enough to coat hot dogs without running off, but not so thick it’s pasty. Adjust consistency with cornmeal (to thicken) or milk (to thin).
- Maintain oil temperature at 350-375°F. If too hot, coating burns before hot dogs heat through. If too cool, corn dogs absorb excess oil and become greasy.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot—fry in small batches for consistent results.
- These are best served fresh and hot, but can be reheated in the oven.
- For extra crispy coating, double-dip: coat once, let excess drip, then dip again before frying.
- Leftover batter can be poured into a greased pan and baked as cornbread.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Deep Frying
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3-4 mini corn dogs
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 748mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 11g
- Cholesterol: 55mg