Homemade Corndogs
on Sep 09, 2022, Updated Apr 15, 2024
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Homemade Corndogs are super fun to make and easy to boot. It’s like having yummy carnival food in the comfort of your own home.
Is there a kid out there that doesn’t like a good corn dog? They are a fan favorite, and popular at fairs. If you want to try some other fair-like food, try my glazed donuts , beignets, and caramel corn!
Table of Contents:
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love homemade corndogs
These corndogs are crispy on the outside and cooked to perfection on the inside. You will be so surprised how easy it is to make homemade corndogs. First, make a simple batter consisting of cornmeal and flour and then simply fry them up. Your family and friends will think you are the best.
Tools Need:
- Something to fry your corndogs in: this could be a heavy bottom pan, a tall cast iron skillet (often called a fryer, a shallow cast iron pan isn’t ideal), or a Dutch oven. I love using a big cast iron or enamel Dutch oven for frying as they hold the heat well (this helps the oil not to fluctuate in temperate so much).
- Something to get them out of the hot oil: I have a spider strainer that I use for all of my fried food and love it, you could also use tongs or a slotted metal spoon.
- Paddle thermometer or instant read thermometer: when making deep fried food I LOVE to use a thermometer to know how hot my oil is. Oil is a little funny and can swing up and down in temperature quite a bit, so using a thermometer really helps you know where it’s at and if you need to adjust your heat/burner up or down.
- Sticks for the corndogs: more on that farther down the post, but they are bit of a specialty item you’ll want to make sure you have on hand. I normally just use popsicle sticks (wood craft sticks) or suck sticks. Both of those are really easy to find.
- Normal kitchen stuffs: you’ll want to have more traditional things like a whisk, mixing bowl, and measuring cups on hand too.
Ingredients:
- Hotdogs: I like Hebrew National brand but you can use what like or have on hand
- Oil for frying: good options for this is vegetable, corn, or canola oil. You could also use something like lard which is often used for frying though I haven’t and don’t have any experience with it
- Cornmeal: I love a good cornmeal batter, cornmeal adds great color, texture, and flavor to the corndog batter
- Flour: a little all-purpose flour helps the batter to hold together, the gluten in the flour adds structure to the batter
- Sugar: just a little is a nice balance to the salty hot dogs
- Eggs: these are added to help bind all of the ingredients together
- Milk: this is used to help make the corndog batter thin enough to dip the hot dogs into.
See recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Corndogs:
- Get all your bits and bobs out like your paper towels, thermometer, oil…
- Get your frying pot and oil set up and heating, it takes a little bit to heat so I like to get it started right off the bat.
- Mix up your simple batter.
- Pat your hotdogs dry and put the sticks in them.
- When the oil is hot dip the hotdogs into the batter.
- Fry until golden brown, repeat with remaining, and enjoy!
Professional Tips & Tricks:
- You can use popsicle sticks, candy apple sticks, craft sticks or popsicle sticks for corndogs. I’ve seen them at Walmart, Target, and Hobby Lobby. I’ve even used chopsticks and just washed them when we were done.
- Add your batter to a tall drinking glass so it’s easier to dip the long corndog into! It’s much easier than trying to dip into a shallow bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the best size of hot dog for making corndogs?
I like to buy the regular sized hotdogs-no extra long for this recipe. Choose your favorite brand of hot dog and go for it.
Why is the batter not sticking to the hotdog?
If you are struggling to get the batter to stick to the hot dog, try drying off the hot dog with a paper towel before dipping into the batter. That should work.
Can I freeze this homemade corndog recipe?
Yes! If you made a large batch, let the corndogs cool completely and then store in an airtight container. Makes a great snack for another day. Just reheat them in the oven or air fryer.
More Fried Food Recipes to Consider:
Side Dishes and Salads
Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
Chicken
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Chicken
Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
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Homemade Corndogs
My favorite corndog recipe with a simple cornmeal batter and is perfectly crispy but fluffy and just a little sweet! You’ll love them!
Ingredients
- 1 package hotdogs, (I like Hebrew National)
- 10-14 popsicle sticks or sucker sticks
- 2 quarts of oil for frying, (such as vegetable, corn, or canola oil)
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
Instructions
- Remove the hotdogs from the package and cut them in half (see photos above for orientation of cut)
- Poke a popsicle stick or sucker stick into the cut end of each hotdog (and push it at least half way into the hot dog) and place them on a paper towel lined, rimmed baking sheet.
- Add your oil to a large Dutch oven or high walled cast iron skillet and place it over medium-high heat to start heating your oil. If you have a paddle thermometer, you can clip it to the side to see the temperature (I recommend using a thermometer for best results).
- In a medium mixing bowl add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add the eggs and milk and stir to combine well.
- Place part of the cornmeal batter in a tall drinking cup.
- When your oil has reached 350 degrees to 375 degrees F., grab the corndog by the stick and dip it into the cup of batter. Remove it from the batter and place it in the hot oil. Repeat with a few more hotdogs so that you have 4-6 in your pan, depending on the size (don’t crowd the pan or add too many).
- Let the corndogs cook for 4-6 minute or until they are a deep golden brown. Use a spider strainer or a wire skimmer to remove the corndogs from the oil and place them on a paper towel lined baking sheet.
- Repeat with remaining hotdogs until they are all cooked, adjusting your burner temperature as needed to help maintain a steady oil temperature.
- Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces.
Notes
- I like using a half of a hotdog for corndogs, they are an easier size to work with, are a good size for my kids to eat, and I just prefer it. You can use a whole hot dog if you like.
- Sometimes I drizzle the hot corndogs with a little honey and it’s so good.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 of 8 servings, Calories: 413kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 51mg, Sodium: 383mg, Potassium: 213mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 158IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 177mg, Iron: 3mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Would this work with avocado oil?
Yep, that’ll work great.