Mini Corn Dog Muffins
These dippable, poppable, baked Mini Corn Dog Muffins are perfect for an easy tailgating option, fun party appetizer, quick after-school snack or easy addition to school lunchboxes! No matter the occasion, Corn Dog Mini Muffins are the perfect finger food for fall months. Makes 36 mini muffins.
Love fair flavors at home? Don’t miss Parmesan Pretzel Bites and Hot Dogs with Caramelized Onions on Homemade Pretzel Buns!
I’m so excited to be sharing a guest post from Amy from House of Nash Eats with y’all today! Amy and I met at the Everything Food Conference earlier this year and hit it off at a lunchtime event.
When Amy told me what she’d made as her guest post for my maternity leave, I was over the moon. Because y’all might not know this about me, but I absolutely LOVE a good corn dog, and I eat one a year at the State Fair.
Having the option to make muffins that taste like a corn dog at home sounds like a game changer to me, and I cannot wait to give ‘em a try!
Be sure to swing by House of Nash Eats to check out all of Amy’s delicious recipes, and give her some love while you’re there, too! – Erin
It feels almost shameful to admit it, but I love a good corn dog!
It’s one of my favorite treats at county fairs or amusement parks.
Disneyland has the best hand dipped corn dogs right at the end of Main Street at The Little Red Wagon!
But making corn dogs at home just isn’t so easy since it involves deep frying in oil. Which you could totally do by spearing a hot dog on a stick, dipping it in this corn meal batter that I’m sharing, and then frying in 375°F oil until golden brown on the outside and cooked through.
But truthfully, it’s easier, healthier, and frankly, more fun, to make these bite-size corndog muffins instead!
What you need to make this recipe:
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- Glass bowls
- Liquid measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Mini muffin tin or pan
- Avocado oil cooking spray
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here’s what you need to grab from the store:
- Flour — my preference is unbleached all-purpose, but you can use regular ‘ol all-purpose if that’s what you have on hand. You can probably substitute it with a gluten-free 1-for-1 flour if you’d like your muffins to be gluten free.
- Yellow cornmeal — this is the base of our from-scratch corn muffin mix. There are several brands on the market. Be sure that you’re purchasing cornmeal and not cornbread mix or this recipe might get wonky.
- Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this is the sweetener for our homemade cornbread muffin mix. There is no easy substitute.
- Baking soda — this is our leavener. It’s not the same thing as baking powder, so be sure to read the label and make sure yours is fresh!
- Kosher salt — a medium grain kosher salt is my favorite for all baking activities. You can use a similarly sized sea salt.
- Buttermilk — this combined with the baking soda causes our muffins to rise. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a buttermilk substitute at home.
- Eggs — large eggs from the store are what we keep in our refrigerator.
- Unsalted butter — the salt content matters, which is why we’re using unsalted butter in this recipe. If you use salted butter,
- Hot dogs — beef, pork or turkey dogs all work fine!
How to Make Mini Corn Dog Muffins
The batter for these corn dog mini muffins comes together in less than five minutes!
Just whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Then in another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter together.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet stuff into the dry stuff and stir just until it’s combined!
Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray and spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Slice the hot dogs into 1-inch pieces and then stick one piece down into the batter in each cup.
Then bake for just 8 to 10 minutes until done!
Serve ’em with mustard and ketchup for the ultimate dipping experience!
How to store and freeze:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.
Freeze the mini muffins on a baking sheet for 3-4 hours (or until frozen solid), then transfer to a freezer-safe zip-top bag.
Just keep the frozen corn dog mini muffins in a freezer-safe zip-top bag and take out as many as you want when you are ready to eat them.
To reheat, place the frozen muffins on a baking sheet and reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until they are heated through. Or just stick the frozen muffins in your kids’ lunch, and they will be thawed and fresh at lunchtime!
Frequently Asked Questions
Corn dog batter is traditionally a sweeter cornbread muffin mix that has been formulated to stick to the corn dog as it fries.
In this recipe, we make a cornbread muffin mix to nestle our hot dogs in before baking the muffins in mini muffin pans.
A corn dog is a hot dog that has been coated in a cornbread mixture and fried. A hot dog is a meat product in a casing that is grilled or pan fried.
Quick tips and tricks for the best Corndog Muffins
- Make ’em in advance for an after school snack, tailgate party, at-home fair experience, etc.
- Store these mini muffins in a food-safe storage container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can warm them up in the microwave or in the oven before eating, if desired.
- This recipe freezes well, so make a batch and stick half in the freezer for later!
What to serve alongside these savory muffins:
Corn dogs speak to the fair for me, but if you’re interested in making these as an appetizer for an at-home fair gathering or even a Tailgate Party at Home, here are some other recipe ideas for you:
- Hamburger Sliders with Bacon Cherry Compote
- Southern Hush Puppies
- Honey Lemonade
- Homemade Soft Pretzels with Mustard Cheese Dip
- French Onion Poutine
Now who’s ready for one of these mini muffins at home? I know I am!
Scroll on down to see how simple they are to make!
Mini Corn Dog Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs large
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 8-10 hot dogs cut into 1-inch pieces
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray the mini muffin tins with cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and salt together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter until combined.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir just until combined.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup, then press a hot dog piece into the center of each cup.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until done.
- Serve with ketchup and mustard for dipping, and enjoy immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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