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These gluten-free corn dogs have a crisp golden-brown shell and a soft and fluffy inside wrapped around a gluten-free hot dog.
These homemade corn dogs are hand dipping into a gluten-free buttermilk and honey batter. The whole family will love how delicious they are, and you'll love how super easy they are to make!
Before going gluten-free, I used to look forward to sharing a hand-dipped corndog with my husband when we were first married at the local fair. They were so big I could never finish a whole one, but the freshness of being dipped and fried right before you ate it just couldn't be beaten.
This gluten-free corn dog recipe brings back all those memories, but I don't have to wait for fair food to become gluten-free, haha.
What is a corn dog?
A corn dog is a food that consists of a hot dog skewered onto a stick and then dipped into a cornmeal batter and deep-fried.
Ingredients to make gluten-free corn dogs.
- Hot Dogs
- 1:1 Gluten-free Flour - I use King Arthur 1:1 blend to help keep this corn dog batter gluten-free.
- Cornmeal - You can use yellow or white cornmeal; it doesn't matter. Course cornmeal will leave your corn dogs with more of a cornbread texture. If you want a finer final crumb, use a fine cornmeal.
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Honey
- Buttermilk
- Light Cooking Oil
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What are the best sticks to use for making homemade corn dogs?
You can use any kind of wooden stick that you prefer. I would not recommend a paper stick since they are not as sturdy and can fall apart once it's placed in the hot oil.
Do you have to put corn dogs on sticks?
No, you don't have to. You can dip your hot dogs into the batter and right into the hot oil if you don't want to put them onto sticks. I would suggest cutting the hot dogs into smaller pieces and making these into mini corn dogs if you are going to do that.
Getting the gluten-free batter and hot dogs ready.
- Dry the hot dogs.
- Skewer the hot dogs on the sticks.
- Make the batter.
- Transfer the gluten-free batter to a tall glass.
How to dip and fry a gluten-free corn dog.
- Dip the hot dog in the batter and twist coming up to help coat.
- Pull out the hot dog and smooth any areas of batter as needed.
- Place the hot dog in the hot oil and let it cook for 2-3 minutes until it's golden brown.
Dietary FAQ
No, hot dogs are not always gluten-free. It's important to check the packaging of your hot dogs, as some brands include wheat in their hot dogs. Some gluten-free hot dog brands are Applegate, Dietz and Watson, Bar-S, Boars Head, Kirkland Brand, and the kosher beef franks from Hebrew National.
Always double-check the packaging to verify, and when in doubt, contact the manufacturer.
Most commercially sold corn dogs are not gluten-free. They usually contain wheat flour as part of the batter that the hot dogs are dipped in. While you can now buy some gluten-free hot dogs at the store, the quantities are usually pretty small for the price. So I prefer to make my own gluten-free corndogs.
This gluten-free corn dog recipe uses buttermilk. I do not suggest substituting the buttermilk in this corn dog recipe if you don't have to.
If you used homemade buttermilk, I would start with a smaller amount and add just enough to make the batter thick. If you get too much liquid, the batter will not stick to the hot dogs as well.
The best way to get a thicker homemade dairy-free buttermilk is to mix 2 parts dairy-free milk and 1 part dairy-free greek-style yogurt.
Tips and tricks for making the best gluten-free corn dogs.
- The recipe says to dry the hot dogs, do it! - It does not matter what kind of hot dogs you use; they need to be dry. Remove them from the fridge, allow them to come to room temperature, and dry them with a paper towel.
- Use a tall glass. - I like to use a tall mason jar to put my gluten-free batter into to dip the hot dogs for making these corn dogs. Trying to coat the hot dogs with a bowl of batter does not work as easily.
- Cut your hot dogs if needed. - I always measure the hot dogs on the stick against the pot I plan on using to cook them in before I add the oil. You want your corn dog to be able to lay flat in the oil, so it cooks evenly. If your hot dog does not fit flat in the pot once it's on the stick, I suggest cutting it in half and then putting it on the stick.
- Watch your oil temperature. - It doesn't take long to cook these gluten-free corn dogs once they hit the oil. However, you also don't want to end up with a cold hot dog and not fully cooked through the batter and is overcooked on the outside. I like to cook these corn dogs in oil that is about 350-375 degrees.
- Do not dip your hot dogs until you are ready to fry them. - This is a batter, not a breading, so if you lay the hot dogs down, the batter is likely to slide off. To keep this from happening, dip your hot dog into the batter one a time before adding them to the hot oil.
- Let the corn dogs rest. - Both the corn dogs and the sticks will be hot coming out of the oil. Let them cool on some paper towels for a few minutes before eating.
Storing and reheating homemade corn dogs.
Once cooked, these gluten-free corn dogs will last in the fridge for about 3-4 days.
If you want to store these longer than that, then place them in a container in the freezer, and you can keep them for up to 3 months.
When you want to reheat your corn dogs, you can simply microwave them in 30-second increments until they are warmed through. Or you can cook the corn dogs in the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 6-8 minutes.
More gluten-free fried foods to love.
Gluten-free Corn Dogs
Ingredients
- 6-8 Hot Dogs Make sure you are using gluten-free hot dogs.
- ½ Cup Cornmeal
- ½ Cup 1:1 Gluten-free Flour I use King Arthur 1:1 blend.
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Tablespoon Baking Powder
- 3 Tablespoons Honey
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Cup Buttermilk See notes about making these dairy-free.
- 2 Tablespoons Light Cooking Oil I use avocado
- More oil for frying.
Instructions
Prep the hot dogs.
- Remove the hot dogs from their package and throughly dry them some paper towels.6-8 Hot Dogs
- Once the hot dogs are dry carefully skewer them onto your sticks. Set them aside while you make your batter.
Make the gluten-free batter.
- In a bowl, mix together the honey, egg, oil, and buttermilk.3 Tablespoons Honey, 1 Large Egg, 2 Tablespoons Light Cooking Oil, 1 Cup Buttermilk
- To the liquids, add the cornmeal, flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until a thick batter is formed.½ Cup Cornmeal, ½ Cup 1:1 Gluten-free Flour, ½ Teaspoon Salt, ½ Tablespoon Baking Powder
Fry the corn dogs.
- In a deep pot, add your cooking oil, so it is about 2 inches deep.More oil for frying.
- Heat the oil over medium-heat until it reaches about 350-375 degrees.
- Once your oil comes to temperature dip, coat your hot dogs one at a time and place them into the oil. DO NOT drop the hot dogs into the hot oil.
- Let the corn dogs cook in the oil, rotating as needed, for about 3-4 minutes or until they are golden brown on the outside.
- Allow your corn dogs to rest on some paper towels to remove excess oil and let them cool before eating or storing.
Notes
- The recipe says to dry the hot dogs, do it! - It does not matter what kind of hot dogs you use; they need to be dry. Remove them from the fridge, allow them to come to room temperature, and dry them with a paper towel.
- Use a tall glass. - I like to use a tall mason jar to put my gluten-free batter into to dip the hot dogs for making these corn dogs. Trying to coat the hot dogs with a bowl of batter does not work as easily.
- Cut your hot dogs if needed. - I always measure the hot dogs on the stick against the pot I plan on using to cook them in before I add the oil. You want your corn dog to be able to lay flat in the oil, so it cooks evenly. If your hot dog does not fit flat in the pot once it's on the stick, then I suggest cutting it in half and then putting it on the stick.
- Watch your oil temperature. - It doesn't take long to cook these gluten-free corn dogs once they hit the oil. However, you also don't want to end up with a cold hot dog and not fully cooked through the batter and is overcooked on the outside. I like to cook these corn dogs in oil that is about 350-375 degrees.
- Do not dip your hot dogs until you are ready to fry them. - This is a batter, not a breading so if you lay the hot dogs down, the batter is likely to slide off. To keep this from happening, dip your hot dog into the batter one a time right before you add them to the hot oil.
- Let the corn dogs rest. - Both the corn dogs and the sticks will be hot coming out of the oil. Let them cool on some paper towels for a few minutes before eating.
Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.