Description

These crispy air fryer mini corn dogs are a nostalgic, crowd-pleasing snack that delivers fairground flavor with less oil and mess. Perfect for parties, movie nights, or a fun family treat, they’re easy to make and irresistibly crunchy.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, room temperature
1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
12 beef or turkey hot dogs (or plant-based), each cut into thirds
36 toothpicks (soaked in water for 10 minutes)
Nonstick cooking spray
Optional: Mustard, ketchup, ranch, or cheese sauce for dipping

Instructions

Cut each hot dog into thirds (about 1.5 inches pieces). Insert a soaked toothpick into each piece, leaving half sticking out.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until smooth.
In a large bowl, beat the egg. Add milk and melted butter, whisking until blended.
Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, whisking gently until the batter is thick but pourable. Add more milk if needed.
Preheat the air fryer to 390°F for 3 minutes.
Pour batter into a tall glass. Dip each hot dog piece into the batter, coating fully and letting excess drip off.
Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick spray. Arrange battered mini dogs in the basket, leaving space between each.
Air fry at 390°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through with tongs, until golden brown and puffed.
Remove with tongs and let cool for a couple minutes before serving.
Repeat with remaining batches as needed.

Notes

For best results, pat hot dogs dry before dipping in batter. Chill batter if it seems runny. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Vegan option: use egg replacer, plant-based milk, and vegan hot dogs. Add smoked paprika or cayenne for a spicy twist.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Snack
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 3 mini corn dogs
Calories: 220
Sugar: 2
Sodium: 480
Fat: 10
Saturated Fat: 4
Carbohydrates: 24
Fiber: 2
Protein: 7

Keywords: air fryer corn dogs, mini corn dogs, party snacks, fair food, kid-friendly, easy snack, crispy corn dogs, homemade corn dogs