Classic American Corn Dogs (Print Version)

Juicy hot dogs dipped in sweet cornmeal batter, deep-fried and served on a stick for a classic snack.

# What You Need:

→ Hot Dogs

01 - 8 hot dogs
02 - 8 wooden sticks (popsicle or bamboo skewers)

→ Batter

03 - 1 cup (4.2 oz) yellow cornmeal
04 - 1 cup (4.4 oz) all-purpose flour
05 - 1/4 cup (1.8 oz) granulated sugar
06 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 cup (8 fl oz) whole milk
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

→ Frying

11 - 6 cups vegetable oil (for deep frying)

# Directions:

01 - Pat hot dogs dry with paper towels and insert a wooden stick into each, leaving enough to hold.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large, deep pot to 350°F.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly mixed.
04 - In a separate bowl, beat whole milk, eggs, and vegetable oil together until homogenized.
05 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth and thick.
06 - Pour batter into a tall glass to facilitate dipping hot dogs.
07 - Dip each hot dog into the batter, turning to coat fully.
08 - Carefully lower battered hot dogs into hot oil. Fry 2–3 at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally until golden brown.
09 - Remove corn dogs with tongs and drain on paper towel. Serve hot with optional ketchup or mustard.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're ready in under thirty minutes, which means you can satisfy that fairground craving without planning ahead.
  • The sweet cornmeal batter keeps its crunch for hours, so these are perfect for lunchboxes, picnics, or just snacking straight from the paper towels.
  • They're surprisingly forgiving—your first batch will be nearly as good as your tenth, and friends will ask for the recipe before they even finish eating.
02 -
  • If your batter is too thick, it won't slide off the dog smoothly—add milk one tablespoon at a time until it flows like pancake batter, not like cookie dough.
  • Don't crowd the pot; three dogs maximum per batch, or the oil temperature drops and you get greasy absorption instead of golden crispness.
  • The stick needs to go through the center of the hot dog lengthwise, not sideways, or it'll spin loose and you'll fish a naked dog out of oil.
03 -
  • Soaking your sticks in water for fifteen minutes prevents them from burning in the hot oil and makes the whole experience less risky.
  • A tall glass for dipping beats a bowl every single time—the shape lets you rotate the dog and coat it evenly without fighting the shape of your container.
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