16 Ways To Elevate Corn Dogs

Corn dogs are a delicious easy-to-eat food. Whether you make them from scratch, purchase them as a snack at the fair, or buy them frozen, there are plenty of ways to elevate corn dogs. From customizing the batter with a spicy boost or using pancake batter to turn it into a brunch item, there are many ways to switch up your corn dogs simply with the batter. Other methods include the hot dog itself, whether you grill it or use a different type of sausage altogether. You can even plate the corn dogs, so they seem like a chic dish to serve at a party.

We'll share why you'll want to try these methods and what makes them so tasty. Luckily, there are plenty of ways not only to enjoy but improve corn dogs, so it's not something you only think about as fair food — although that is a perfectly delicious place to eat them. Most of these tips are for when you make corn dogs from scratch, but we'll specify if the upgrade applies to store-bought, fair fare, or frozen corn dogs.

Although the stick seems like an integral part of what makes a corn dog a corn dog, you can serve it in other ways as well. Shake up the way you eat corn dogs with just a muffin tin as a spin on the hands-on aspect, or make them into mini muffins. This smaller version is a great grab-and-go snack, breakfast, or lunch for kids. Just pop out a couple of the mini muffins and serve with some fruit or yogurt.

Turn a corn dog into a meal by making a corn dog casserole and serving it in a casserole dish. It certainly strays away from eating it on a stick and makes it seem more like a meal, especially since you can add things like jalapeños, cheese, bacon, corn, or scallions into the batter. Cook the casserole like you would any cornbread, or according to the directions, and just add the hot dogs.

Give the corn dog batter extra flavor with sriracha and honey. This method mixes spicy with sweet to create a mouthwatering combination that might not be obvious until you take a couple of bites. You'll get hints of sweetness from the honey and that delicious kick from the sriracha. This incredible contrast can transform an average corn dog with minimal effort.

You simply incorporate the ingredients into the batter, then dip the corn dogs accordingly. To complete the corn dog, drizzle sriracha and honey on top to amp up the flavor of each bite. It's spicy, but not overwhelmingly so with the honey to mellow everything out. These deliciously sweet and spicy corn dogs aren't noticeable when you look at them. It's not like the hot dog batter turns a bright red, so the flavor comes through once you take a bite.

Give corn dogs a slight color change with blue cornmeal, which, compared to yellow cornmeal, is sweeter and has a slightly nutty flavor. It's a natural blue hue and since it comes from nature, don't expect a bright and bold color. It's subtle but it's there since it's also mixed with all-purpose flour and other ingredients. It changes the color and brings a bit of novelty to your corn dog while offering unique flavor profiles to your dish.

Substitute the blue cornmeal for your standard cornmeal in the recipe; there's no math involved. This is a great way to elevate your corn dog with a different ingredient. It has a complexity you likely wouldn't find at the grocery store or fair. Since this is on the nuttier and sweeter side, you could add a touch of honey to the batter to give it a light sweetness.

Korean corn dogs are filled with wonder and imagination. They stray from your standard ketchup and mustard versions and come with many toppings and textures. If you visit your local Korean corn dog establishment, it might have options like dipping the corn dog in sugar, a squid ink batter, or covering it with diced potatoes. The batter itself might even be made with rice as opposed to a flour-based corn dog.

Whether you make it at home or go to your local business, there are a lot of toppings, sauces, and options to savor. The range of textures can be chewy or crispy so you can find a combination that you truly love. If you want to replicate the experience at home, try dicing and frying up some potatoes. Dip your hot dog in the batter, then roll it in the fried potatoes, fry the corn dog, and dig in.

Put a fresh spin on how you think of brunch by integrating corn dogs into your mid-day menu. You might think of corn dogs as something for lunch or to eat when you're feeling starved at the local fair but if you batter your corn dogs in pancake mix, it can make a delicious breakfast or brunch option. Just pick your favorite sausage and cook it as directed. Make a homemade pancake batter or keep things quick and simple with a box mix where you can just add the liquid components.

Put your hot dog on the skewer, dip it in the pancake batter, and then fry it, but you could skip the hot dog and use breakfast sausage instead. Pancake-battered corn dogs are tasty and allow you to eat a pancake in a completely new format. Drizzle it in maple syrup, add your favorite nut butter, or sprinkle mini chocolate chips into the batter. It opens the doors to how you think of eating a corn dog. Have fun with the pancake batter, whether you use a gluten-free batter or high-protein batter, or flavor it by spooning in lemon curd.

Pop your hot dogs on the grill to give them a smokiness that can offer depth to any corn dog. The great thing about hot dogs is that they don't need a lot of cooking time. You're not stuck there for 30 minutes to make sure it cooks properly; you only need a few minutes. If you're having a barbecue, throw your hot dogs on the grill to get nice and toasty and blistered, then dip them in the batter. The blend of the smokiness with a slightly crunchy hot dog exterior is incredible.

There are other ways to cook hot dogs if you don't have a grill. Pan-fry them or use a grill pan with built-in lines that can give a similar look to putting them on a grill. It gives it a bit of brown without having to set up and turn on a barbecue, which is particularly helpful on a hot day when you just want to streamline the process. You don't have to grill it long since it'll cook during the frying process.

Transform your corn dogs by topping them with items you'd usually find on elote or grilled Mexican street corn. Use ingredients like mayo, Mexican crema, lime juice, cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, and chili powder to give it a rise in seasoning. You could even roast some corn to put on top so you essentially have esquites (Mexican street corn salad) on your corn dog. This is a fun activity to have at home when you can place all the toppings on the side and then each person can dress their corn dog.

It can be a bit messy if you include corn kernels so rather than simply holding your corn dog, you'll want to serve it in a plate or a bowl with cutlery to eat it with. This mixes creamy, sour, and spicy components into one dish. You can use frozen or homemade corn dogs for this. Serve this at a party and set the ingredients up in bowls, so people can add the toppings as they want.

Air fryers are a popular home appliance because they simplify the cooking process; you don't have to sit around and keep an eye on the stove or stir as you fry stuff on a pan. Set a temperature and a time for the corn dogs and cook them in the air fryer. Have you ever microwaved a frozen corn dog, and felt displeased with how it turned out? Some of it is soggy with the batter sticking to the plate, while the hot dog is chewy and almost inedible.

Air frying creates an even cooking rate and crisps up the exterior, so it practically tastes like you made it yourself. Preheat the air fryer and then put the corn dogs in the basket. Make sure everything is evenly dispersed in a single layer. You don't want to stack them against each other, which prevents them from cooking evenly. Start cooking it for eight minutes and then check to see if it's at your desired crispiness level. You could also choose to flip them at the halfway point.