Homemade Corn Dogs

With a light, puffy breading (and a touch of sweetness) that’s fried to golden brown perfection, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to make homemade corn dogs!

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About Homemade Corn Dogs

Being the foodie that I am, it probably comes as no surprise that my fondest memories are built entirely around food. I could easily build whole vacations around finding iconic eats to try. In fact, even when I went to Disneyland, I only had eyes for one goal:

To hit every booth, stall, and food cart I could find.

And on one of these trips to the magic kingdom, I found myself standing in front of a little red food cart, ordering what was fabled to be “the best hand dipped corn dogs ever. “

Which, of course, they totally were the best corn dogs I had ever had. Nothing beats that golden brown breading fresh out of the fryer.

So, naturally, once I had returned from the happiest place on earth, I knew I had to find a way to recreate a similar experience at home.

What are Disneyland corn dogs?

Made famous by the Little Red Wagon food cart on Main Street USA in Disneyland, this carnival classic is a must-try for newcomers and a can’t-miss for regulars. The hand dipped breading has a slightly sweet taste and is typically served with mustard, apple slices, and a bag of chips.

What tools do you need to make corn dogs?

• A mixing bowl and whisk for preparing the batter.
• A wide skillet that’s at least four inches deep.
• Sturdy wooden sticks. You can use almost any type of wooden stick (even popsicle sticks) so long as your skillet is wide enough to easily fit the corn dog and the popsicle stick. I used these: Sturdy Bamboo Sticks.
• A tall drinking glass. The batter is poured into the glass and the hotdog is dipped in the glass, making it very easy to get a full, even coat of breading on the hotdog.
• A candy thermometer for measuring the heat of the oil for frying. For best results, your oil should be 350 degrees F.
• Tongs to assist with turning the corn dogs in the oil.
• Paper towels and a large plate for resting the fried corn dogs on.

What ingredients do you need?

• Hot dogs – Can use any type that you’d like.
• Cornmeal – Yellow cornmeal specifically, and it should be finely ground. Not all brands of cornmeal will specify the texture on the box, but your best bet is to avoid any that clearly state “course” or “medium” texture.
• All-purpose flour, baking powder, egg, salt – Other key ingredients for making the batter.
• Buttermilk – Helps bring a creamy richness to the batter. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can create your own by adding one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a one-cup measuring cup, then fill the rest of the way up with milk. Allow it to sit for five or 10 minutes, stir well, and use as directed in the recipe.
• Sugar and honey – Adds a trademark sweetness to the corndogs that’s not too overpowering.
• Vegetable oil – Used to add moisture to the batter and for frying. You can also use other types of oil, but vegetable oil is the most common for corn dogs.

How long are corn dogs good for?

Once made, corn dogs can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four to six days.

Can you freeze homemade corn dogs?

Yes, you totally can!

Once the corn dogs are fried, let them cool to room temperature, then transfer them to a freezer container or bag.

For best quality, corn dogs can be frozen for one to two months.

How do you reheat corn dogs?

When ready to eat, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and arrange corn dogs on a baking sheet. If corn dogs are still frozen, bake for 15-18 minutes. If corn dogs have been thawed, bake for 10 minutes.

You can also reheat them in the microwave, but keep in mind that the breading will lose its crispiness.

Notes & tips for hand dipped corn dogs

• As mentioned above, this recipe requires about two quarts of vegetable oil to get the depth you need for frying corn dogs. But with that much oil, that also begs the question: Once you’re done frying, what do you do with it? You can either safely dispose of it (check out this article: How to Properly Dispose of Grease and Oil.) or store it for future fried goods (check out this article: How to Deal with Leftover Frying Oil.)
• If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can dip a piece of wood (like a toothpick or skewer) into the oil to see if it’s ready. If the oil bubbles around the wood then it’s hot enough to fry.

How to make homemade corn dogs

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – Make a creamy batter by mixing cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, buttermilk, an egg, honey, and vegetable oil.

Step 2 – Thread hot dogs on sturdy wooden sticks, leaving enough room for a handle at the bottom.

Step 3 – Dip the corn dogs in the batter, coating them all the way to the stick. I’ve found it’s easier (and way less messy) to pour the batter into a drinking glass and then dip the hot dog inside. This way you get a nice even coating of batter without getting any on your fingers.

Step 4 – Drop the hot dog into a large, wide skillet full of hot oil. Let the hot dogs cook until golden brown and puffy. Once ready, use some tongs to transfer the corn dogs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly.

Step 5 – Serve and enjoy!