Waffle Corn Dogs

I’m not saying we needed another corn dog recipe out there in the world, but I’m also not saying we didn’t. Especially when said corn dogs are cooked in a waffle iron, which basically makes them the healthiest corn dogs ever since they’re not deep fried. Corn dogs that are good for you?! Talk about a dream come true. Don’t say I never did anything for you. Okay, so they might not be good for you, necessarily, but they still are golden and crispy and still as irresistible as the classic variety, I promise. They’re easy to make and in no time at all (with basically little to no effort because the waffle iron does all the work for you) you’ll have a big pile of waffled corn dogs just waiting to be dipped in ketchup and mustard or topped with chili and cheese. Let this be a lesson to us all that everything is better when cooked in a waffle iron. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to buy that Belgian waffle iron you’ve been eying, I think it’s safe to say that this is the recipe where you give in and just go for it. Buy that iron, you deserve it. 

Let’s start by sautéing the hot dogs. So you don’t have to worry about this step since hot dogs are essentially already cooked, but I like to sauté them to create more flavor and a crispy exterior. Just sauté them in a bit of butter or olive oil for a few minutes, turning them often. Transfer to a plate or platter and let cool down. 

In the meantime, let’s work on the corn bread waffle batter. It wouldn’t be a corn dog without a corn bread like batter. So in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder and chili flakes. 

**Note: You don’t have to add the chili powder or chili flakes if you’re not a fan of heat, but adding a little won’t make it too spicy. It’s just enough to give the batter a bit of a kick and gives it a darker color.**

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and then add in the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs.

Stir until the batter is just combined, and there are no longer streaks of flour running through it.

**Note: At this point you want to make sure to not over-mix the batter because if you do, it’ll become tough and the texture will be a bit drier than you’d like.** 

Once the hot dogs are cool enough to handle, cut each in half lengthwise and then insert a wooden skewer. 

**Tip: Two tips here, you might have to trim a small piece of hot dog at the end of each so that they fit into the waffle iron (you could just eat those small pieces or save them for later and mix them with some eggs or something. You might have to also cut the skewers depending on how long they are.**

Preheat a square Belgian waffle iron to about high, and then grease with cooking spray. Spread the bottom with a very thin layer of the batter. Then lay two pieces of hot dogs on a stick onto each waffle. (Take a look at the picture below it will probably make more sense than my explanation!

**Tip: You really do need a Belgian waffle iron in order to make these because you need them to be squared and thick. You don’t have to buy a fancy expensive iron for it at all. I got this economical one from Amazon and it does the job.**

Transfer the waffle corn dogs onto a wire rack and continue with the remaining batter and hot dogs. Cut each waffle in half so you end up with two corn dogs out of each. 

Serve the waffle corn dogs with ketchup and mustard on the side for dipping and dunking just like normal corn dogs. I prefer dunking my corn dogs with mustard, both yellow and grainy mustard because mustard is the way to go. 

 
You could also go the loaded way and top them with chili, cheese, sour cream, scallions and cilantro. Chili and corn bread go so well together so I think this would be a good route to take these corn dogs in. Don’t be afraid. 

**Note: You could use store-bought chili or you can make your own. Try making this chili from the chili cheese corn dogs post!**

As with regular corn dogs, these are best when eaten right away, hot from the waffle iron. But if you need to keep them warm, you can keep them on a wire rack, set over a baking sheet, and then pop them in a preheated 250 degree F oven. 

 
If you have any leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to 3 days and just rewarm them in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 5 minutes.  

**Note: You can also place them in the freezer in a large ziptop bag and keep them in there for up to 3 months. Then just reheat in the oven as directed about, but adding a few more minutes since they’ll be frozen.**

Give these a try this week. Everyone will love them, more so because they’re a bit healthier than regular corn dogs since they’re not fried and are cooked in a waffle iron and we all know that waffling everything is the way to go these days. 

Waffle Corn Dogs

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

These Waffle Corn Dogs are a "healthier" take on a classic dish. Instead of being fried, they're cooked in a waffle iron! Homemade corn meal waffle batter cooked around a sautéd hot dog. Serving with mustard and ketchup for dipping.

Author: The Candid Appetite

Serves: 16 corn dogs

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 8 hot dogs
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Optional Toppings:

• ketchup
• mustard
• homemade or store-bought chili
• shredded cheddar cheese
• scallions
• sour cream
• cilantro

Instructions

1. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat along with the 1 tablespoon oil or butter, once hot, add in the hot dogs and cook until charred and crispy all around, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Cut each hot dog in half, lengthwise and then insert a wooden skewer into each.
2. To make the batter, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and red pepper flakes until evenly combined. Make a well in the center and then add in the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter. Whisk until just combined.
3. Preheat a square Belgian waffle iron on high and grease with cooking spray. Spread a very thin layer of batter onto the bottom of the hot waffle iron. Lay two pieces of hot dog on a stick on each waffle square. Then top each with a bit more batter. Make sure not to over fill the waffle iron. Close tightly as best you can and allow the waffles to cook. Transfer to a wire rack and continue with the remaining batter and hot dogs. Once cool enough to handle, cut each waffle in half so you end up with 2 corn dogs. Serve with mustard or ketchup for dipping to top them with chili, cheese, sour cream, scallions, and cilantro. Enjoy!

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