Savory and succulent, these mini Homemade Corn Dog Bites are the ultimate kid-friendly afterschool snack or football food favorite!
Frozen corn dogs are fine, but they are NOTHING like these spectacular Homemade Corn Dog Bites! This easy recipe is just what you need for a quick pick-me-up, a fast, fun Friday night dinner, or a poppable party app! Everybody loves these yummy little nibbles, and you can whip them up in a jiffy! Featuring sliced, all-beef hot dogs dipped in a lightly sweet cornmeal batter (all pantry staples) and pan-fried to absolute crispy, tender perfection!
Homemade Mini Corn Dogs are Delicious and Dippable!
Pan-frying these babies is the KEY to making them so scrumptious! Baked corn dog recipes are easy to find, but they’re also kind of bland and dry. It’s that mouthwatering, warm, crisp from the frying oil that makes them irresistible!
Plus, we love simple, bite-sized food we can dip in our favorite sauces! Lightly sweet & salty Corn Dog minis taste amazing with every kind of dip from simple mustard and ketchup to a spicy relish, honey mustard with hot sauce, or a wonderful Warm Bacon Blue Cheese Dip!
Other Recipes to Serve with Corn Dog Bites
- The guys will flip for Beer Cheese Dip on game day to pair with these mini corn dog bites!
- Air Fryer Mac and Cheese is a cheesy and easy weeknight side dish for homemade corn dogs.
Ingredients
Hot Dogs: We prefer all-beef hot dogs, such as Hebrew National, but you can use any brand or variety you like – even turkey dogs or the cheese-filled type.
Dry Batter: We’re crafting the crispy, melt-in-your-mouth crust with yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and granulated sugar for a hint of sweetness.
Wet Batter: Unsalted butter, eggs, and whole milk finish the batter beautifully!
Extras: The hot dog bites are dipped in corn starch to help the batter adhere well and fried in vegetable oil for delicious, mouthwatering bites!
How to Make Homemade Mini Corn Dogs
STEP ONE: Mix the dry batter ingredients in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, mix the wet batter ingredients. Combine the two ingredients in the large bowl and stir until well combined. Set aside for 10 minutes.
STEP TWO: Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan with high sides (to prevent splattering) to 375°F. Cut the hot dogs into quarters or 1-inch pieces. Put the cornstarch into a baggie. Add the hot dog pieces to the corn starch and shake to coat thoroughly.
STEP THREE: Shake the excess cornstarch from several of the hot dog pieces (there should be a light coating) and place them into the batter. Stir to cover each one completely. Lift them out and gently place them, one at a time, into the heated oil. Cook until golden brown.
STEP FOUR: As each one finishes frying, remove and place on the paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain off the oil. Repeat this cooking and draining process until all the bites are finished.
STEP FIVE: Serve with your favorite dipping sauces or condiments and savor the taste!
Tips for Success
- We like using all-beef hot dogs to make these corn dogs, but you can use any hot dog you prefer, from cheese-filled to chicken, pork, or a combination.
- Whole milk helps the batter hold together better than low-fat or skim.
- If you substitute G-F flour for the all-purpose, you have a fully gluten-free protein snack!
- Don’t waste the leftover batter – add a shake of onion powder, mix, and scoop it straight into the oil to make a few tasty hush puppies!
Can I Freeze Mini Corn Dog Bites?
You sure can! Homemade Corn Dogs are a great “make in advance” easy snack or quick lunch! Once fried, let the bites cool down on a paper towel. Savory and succulent, these Homemade Corn Dog Bites are the ultimate kid-friendly. When ready to eat, reheat them in a 325°F oven or air fryer until warm and crispy. Enjoy!
How Do You Fry Mini Corn Dog Bites?
Frying hot dogs in a cornmeal batter is much easier than you might imagine! Mix the batter in a bowl and heat approximately 3 cups of vegetable oil in a pan with high sides to prevent splattering and making a mess. Cut the hot dogs into bite-size pieces and dry them with a paper towel or coat them in corn starch to absorb the moisture. When the oil is hot, dip each hot dog chunk into the batter, coating it all over, then gently drop it into the oil. Continue adding more coated bites to the oil, but avoid overcrowding the pan. As each one reaches a golden brown, remove it to a paper towel to cool and absorb the oil. That’s it!
Other Beautiful Bite-Sized Recipes Bursting with Flavor!
- Pepperoni Pizza Bites
- Meatball Parmesan Bites
- Loaded Tater Tot Bites
- Cowboy Nacho Bites
- Mushroom Sausage Bites
- Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rattlesnake Bites
*This post originally posted on 09/19/2016.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 1.5 quarts vegetable oil for frying
- 12 Hebrew National hot dogs (2 packages)
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the cornmeal mixture to the milk and whisk until just combined. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Add 1 quart of vegetable oil to a large pot or a deep-sided skillet and place over medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
- Cut the hot dogs into 1-inch pieces. Pour the cornstarch into a zip-top food storage bag and add the hot dog pieces. Seal the bag and shake to coat. As you pull hot dog pieces out of the bag, shake off the excess cornstarch (there should only be a light coating left).
- Once oil is heated to 375 degrees F, dip 10 hot dog pieces into the corn dog batter until coated. Add them to the pot and cook until golden brown. Remove them from the oil and place them on the prepared baking sheet to drain.
- Repeat dipping and frying the remaining hot dog pieces until they're all cooked. (About halfway through cooking, you'll want to add another 2 cups of oil to the pot. Let it come back up to temperature before continuing to cook.)
- Serve warm with ketchup, mustard, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Each hot dog should yield around six 1-inch pieces, for a total of 72 corn dog bites. (Hebrew National hot dogs come in packs of six.) Yield and nutritional information will vary based on the hot dog brand used.
- You can keep the corn dog bites in a 200 degree F oven so they stay warm while you cook the rest of the hot dogs.
Mwarabuu says
I love your recipes?
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Thank you so much for reading!