How to Make Homemade Corn Dogs in the Air Fryer

Can You Make Homemade Corn Dogs in the Air Fryer?

Yes! Today, I am excited to share with you this fun, healthy, and simple air fryer recipe with you that the kids will love! This homemade corn dog recipe is the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of school.

These corndogs don’t taste like your typical frozen corn dogs, they are tastier, healthier, and so worth making! Plus, you can involve the kids for a fun activity together before they head off to school for the next 9 months.

How to Make Homemade Corn Dogs

This recipe is fairly simple. I was surprised by how many of the ingredients I already had on hand. You will need these 11 ingredients to make this homemade corn dog recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal (keep it clean with stone-ground whole-grain) 
• 1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour, plus 1/3 cup
• 3 tablespoon organic evaporated cane juice (or granulated sugar) 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 teaspoon onion powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, frozen  
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk 
• 8 hot dogs (keep it clean with all-natural uncured nitrite-free beef) 
• 2 large egg whites 

You will also need 8 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 mins to make homemade corn dogs. I’ve also used coffee stir sticks for the skewers and they worked perfectly!

Easy Air Fryer Corn Dogs

First, you need to make the dough for the corn dogs. In a large bowl, whisk cornmeal, 1 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, onion powder, and cayenne. Then, with the large holes of a box grater (Be sure to use a grater with pretty large holes to grate the frozen butter and to work quickly to grate it before it begins to soften), shred butter over top of flour mixture, stopping 2 or 3 times to toss flour over the butter to prevent clumping. Next, stir everything until combined, breaking up any large clumps. Finally, add the buttermilk and stir until just moistened. 

After your dough is all mixed together, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly with floured hands just until dough forms a ball. Divide into 2 equal pieces and press each into a thick disk. 

Wrap each loosely in plastic wrap or parchment and freeze for 10 minutes. Note: Do not freeze for longer, or dough will be too stiff to roll.

Remove 1 disk of dough from freezer and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Using a lightly floured roller, roll into a 13-in-wide oval, only a scant 1/4 inch thick. Cut into about 4 strips that will wrap around the hot dogs vertically, about 3  inches wide and 4.5 inches tall, depending on the size of the hot dogs. 

How to Fry Corn Dogs in the Air Fryer

Dip a hot dog in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg whites. Using moist hands, wrap the hot dog with dough, gently pushing the seam together to seal. 

Two Important Tips

1. Definitely remoisten hands between wrapping each hot dog or else the crust becomes too crumbly as you are trying to wrap it around. The moistness ensures that it stays pliable.
2. Use your entire hand and fingers to help you wrap the crust around the corndog and apply gentle pressure to spread out the crust.

Repeat by dipping and wrapping 3 more hot dogs. Pinch off excess dough from ends to completely cover the tip and leave a scant 1/4 inch of hot dog exposed at the skewer end. 

Lightly spray air fryer basket with oil, then place corn dogs into the air fryer (leave space between the corn dogs). 

Cook  at 370°F/190°C for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crusts are golden brown.

Carefully remove from the air fryer basket and enjoy!

How to Freeze Corn Dogs

The best part about this recipe is that you can make and freeze them! All you have to do is completely assemble them ahead of time and then allow the batch to come to room temperature. Once they have reached room temperature then you can just put them in a plastic freezer bag until you are ready to use and they will keep for up to three months!

Final Thoughts

I love this recipe because it is so easy and fun for the kids and its healthier than what you would buy at the store!

This recipe is definitely grittier than the traditional frozen corn dog crust, but also tastes much fresher! It can also be a little crumbly, but its so worth it because I know that it’s healthier!

I hope you and your kids fall in love with this air fryer corn dog recipe. Share with me how this recipe went for you in the comments below!

More of my favorite kid-friendly air fryer recipes:

• The Best Fried Mac and Cheese in the Air Fryer
• Easy Crispy Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!
• Nachos in the Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Apple Chips

Air Fryer FAQs and Answers:

• The Best and Worst Air Fryer Accessories
• How to Clean Your Air Fryer
• How to Cook Any Recipe in the Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Buying Guide

Air Fryer Corn Dogs

Homemade corn dogs in the air fryer are healthier and tasty! The kids will love this one for a quick back-to-school celebration dinner.

4.50 / 5 ( 2 Reviews )

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Serves: 8

Adjust Servings: 8

US CustomaryMetric

Equipment

• Air Fryer
• Wooden Skewers

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups cornmeal keep it clean with stone-ground whole-grain
• 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour plus 1/3 cup of flour
• 3 tablespoons organic evaporated cane juice or granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper optional
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter frozen
• 1 cup low fat buttermilk
• 8 hot dogs keep it clean with all natural uncured nitrite-free beef
• 2 large egg whites
• 8 wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes

Instructions

• In a large bowl, whisk cornmeal, 1 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, onion powder, and cayenne.
• With the large holes of a box grater, shred the butter over top of flour mixture, stopping 2 or 3 times to toss flour over the butter to prevent clumping.
• Stir until combined, breaking up any large clumps.
• Add buttermilk and stir until just moistened.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly with floured hands just until the dough forms a ball.
• Divide into 2 equal pieces and press each into a thick disk.
• Wrap each loosely in plastic wrap or parchment and freeze for 10 minutes. Note: Do not freeze for longer, or dough will be too stiff to roll.
• Pat the hot dogs dry with a paper towel and stick a skewer into each, about 2-3 inches.
• On a large plate, add remaining 1/3 cup of flour.
• In a wide, shallow bowl, lightly beat egg whites.
• Remove 1 disk of dough from the freezer and transfer to a lightly floured surface.
• Using a lightly floured roller, roll into a 13-inch wide oval, only a scant 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut into about 4 strips that will wrap around the hot dogs vertically, about 3  inches wide and 4.5 inches tall, depending on the size of the hot dogs.
• Dip a hot dog in the flour, shaking off excess, then dip in the egg whites.
• Using moist hands, wrap the hot dog with dough, gently pushing the seam together to seal.
• Repeat by dipping and wrapping 3 more hot dogs.
• Pinch off excess dough from ends to completely cover the tip and leave a scant 1/4 inch of hot dog exposed at the skewer end.
• Repeat the process with remaining disk of dough and 4 more hot dogs.
• Lightly spray air fryer basket with oil, then place corn dogs into the air fryer (leave space between the corn dogs).
• Cook at 370°F/190°C for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crusts are golden brown.

Recipe Notes

Tips: 

• Remoisten hands between wrapping each hot dog or else the crust becomes too crumbly as you are trying to wrap it around. The moistness ensures that it stays pliable.
• I used coffee stir sticks for the skewers and they worked perfectly!

Nutrition

Calories: 386kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 496mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g

Recipe Adapted From: Healthy Homemade Baked Corn Dogs Recipe