This Air Fryer Corn Dogs recipe is homemade and from scratch. Making your own state fair dogs can't get any better than these! A frozen batch can be reheated and air fried to save time for weeknight meals.
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Welcome to the next saga of the recipes I am transforming from my childhood. I was fed a lot of frozen convenience foods growing up. I cringe at them all!
With the air fryer though, it's so easy to turn classic foods that are typically loaded with preservatives into a delicious homemade meal.
The great thing is that if you are looking to make frozen corn dogs, you can whip up a batch and freeze them to have on hand for later. Reheating them is very easy.
Table of Contents
What Kind of Hot Dogs to Use
I recommend uncured, nitrate-free beef franks. They can be found in most grocery stores. I picked these up from Trader Joe's.
A cured hot dog is preserved with nitrates and nitrites. The artificial nitrates and nitrites are used to prevent the meat from spoiling and also to enhance the flavor, color and smell of the hot dog.
Per Herald Standard, according to many health sources, artificial nitrates and nitrites can be detrimental to our health. Nitrates may also affect the way the human body uses sugar making it more likely to develop diabetes. Various other studies also show that artificial nitrates and nitrites can become carcinogenic when being digested.
Uncured hot dogs do not contain artificial nitrates or nitrites. The meat in an uncured hot dog is preserved with celery juice or celery powder, which happens to be a naturally occurring source of nitrates.
How to Cook Corn Dogs in an Air Fryer
- I use the Cosori 5.8 quart air fryer for this recipe. The basket is square as opposed to round and I have found that full size corn dogs will fit just fine. Examine your air fryer to determine if you will need to make full sized corn dogs or mini corn dogs.
- For mini corn dogs slice the hot dogs in half. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cut them in half.
- Thread the hot dogs using bamboo skewers.
- Add corn meal, all purpose flour, salt, sweetener, and baking powder to a mixing bowl and stir.
- Add in buttermilk, a beaten egg, and melted butter. Stir.
- Line the air fryer basket with air fryer parchment paper.
- Dip the hot dog in the mixture and place the corn dog on the parchment paper.
- Spritz with oil and air fry.
How Long to Cook/Cook Time
Allow 8-12 minutes. Check in on the corn dogs because cook time will vary based on the brand and model of the air fryer you use.
While testing this recipe I also noticed cook time varies based on how much batter landed on the hot dog. Some hot dogs may have more batter than others, which results in a longer cook time.
Air Fryer Temperature
I recommend 400 degrees.
How to Keep the Breading on the Hot Dogs
When you bread the hot dogs and place them in the air fryer basket, some of the breading will leak along the side of the corn dog. This is expected. I like to leave it.
Leave it because it will harden and form around the hot dog as it cooks. For presentation, you can always slice off any excess breading once the corn dogs have finished cooking. This is what I do.
I tested freezing the corn dogs immediately after breading them in an attempt to hold the breading securely in place. I did not find that it helped at all. I have done that with success with other air fryer wet batter recipes, but this one is different. If you add breadcrumbs, then freezing these would probably work.
Can You Use Jiffy Cornbread Mix?
You can use Jiffy if you wish. Follow the ingredients and instructions on the packaging. The air fryer cook time is similar to what is noted in this recipe.
Frozen Corn Dogs and Freezer Tips
You can absolutely freeze these for later! Store them in sealable bags or airtight packaging. To reheat them, place them in the air fryer on 350 degrees for 4-5 minutes or until warm.
Popular Air Fryer Recipes
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Air Fryer Corn Dogs
Ingredients
- ¾ cup yellow corn meal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons sweetener
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ tablespoons melted butter
- 6 hot dogs I use uncured, nitrate-free beef
- 6 wooden skewers or popsicle sticks
- cooking oil I use olive oil
Instructions
- Add the dry ingredients (corn meal, flour, baking powder, sweetener and salt) to a large bowl and stir.
- Add in the wet ingredients (beaten egg, melted butter, and buttermilk). Stir.
- Pour the batter into a large drinking glass to dip the dogs.
- Remove the hot dogs from the packaging and dry them completely. This will help the batter stick to the hot dogs.
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cut the hot dogs in half. I use a Cosori 5.8 quart and the corn dogs fit fine.
- Thread the hot dogs with the skewers. Push each stick into the hot dogs about ¾ths of the way into the hot dog.
- Line the air fryer basket with air fryer parchment paper. I have tested this recipe with and without the paper. It works best to use it.
- Dip each hot dog into the batter in the drinking glass and ensure each is coated.
- Set the hot dogs in the parchment paper-lined air fryer basket. If there are areas of the hot dog that are missing batter, use a spoon and add more batter to those areas. This is easier to do once you get the corn dogs in the air fryer.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if needed.
- Spray the corn dogs with cooking oil.
- Air fry the hot dogs for 8-12 minutes on 400 degrees until golden brown. I did not flip the corn dogs.
- Cool before serving.
Video
Notes
- Typically, wooden skewers should be soaked in water for 20 minutes prior to using them. I have tested soaking them and not soaking them and found them to work fine either way.
- While testing this recipe I also noticed cook time varies based on how much batter landed on the hot dog. Some hot dogs may have more batter than others, which results in a longer cook time.
- When you bread the hot dogs and place them in the air fryer basket, some of the breading will leak along the side of the corn dog. This is expected. I like to leave it. Leave it because it will harden and form around the hot dog as it cooks. For presentation, you can always slice off any excess breading once the corn dogs have finished cooking. This is what I do.
Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)
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Ann Inglet says
Can you use any other flour because of dietetics???
staysnatched says
You can use the flour you normally use for diabetic breading.
Anonymous says
Can I just cut the hot dogs in bite size pieces and dip pieces in batter and air fry that instead of using the sticks?
staysnatched says
Sure, if you want!
Sonja says
Can you use regular parchment paper?
staysnatched says
No