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A white plate of mini corn dogs on sticks, made with a classic corn dog recipe, sits on a wooden board with a checkered towel underneath. A small bowl of ketchup is placed next to the plate.
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4.34 from 3 votes

Best Corn Dog Recipe

Corn Dog Recipe with crispy, golden coating made from simple pantry staples. This easy method delivers carnival-style results with a hint of sweetness in just 30 minutes!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Melissa Griffiths

Equipment

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 for orientation of cut.)
    1 package hotdogs
  • Poke a popsicle or sucker stick into the cut end of each hotdog, pushing it at least half way into the hot dog. Place them on a paper towel-lined, rimmed baking sheet. 
    10-14 popsicle sticks or sucker sticks
  • Add your oil to a large Dutch oven or high-walled cast iron skillet, and place it over medium-high heat to start heating. If you have a paddle thermometer, you can clip it to the side to see the temperature. I do recommend using a thermometer for best results!
    2 quarts of oil for frying
  • In a medium mixing bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine.
    1 cup cornmeal, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Add the eggs and milk and stir to combine well.
    2 large eggs, 2 cups whole milk
  • Place part of the cornmeal batter in a tall drinking cup.
  • When the oil has reached 350° to 375°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

Hot Dog Size: I like using half a hotdog for corndogs. They are an easier size to work with, a good size for my kids to eat, and I just prefer them. You can use a whole hot dog if you like. 
Honey Drizzle: Sometimes, I drizzle the hot corndogs with a bit of honey, and it's so good!
Pat Hotdogs Completely Dry: Moisture is the enemy of good batter adhesion. After cutting your hotdogs, pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Any surface moisture will cause the batter to slide off during frying, leaving you with naked hotdogs.
Cornmeal Love: I love a good cornmeal batter! Cornmeal adds great color, texture, and flavor to the corndog batter and really makes it replicate that fair-type food.

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

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