Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Dogs

Name: Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Dogs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 cups fine yellow cornmeal; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 Tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 cups milk ((whole or 2%)); 1 large egg, (well beaten); 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 Tablespoon honey; 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese; 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños, (finely chopped); 12 hot dogs ((we prefer all beef hot dogs)); 12 bamboo skewers; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; oil for frying ((I prefer peanut oil))

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You only need 15 minutes to make these Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Dogs with a hint of sweetness, spice, crunch and cheesiness in the breading!

FLAVORFUL CORN DOGS

Nothing says ‘fun to eat’ more than a good ol’ corn dog! These corn dogs have the perfect crunchy outside like you’d expect from a traditional corn dog. They aren’t too spicy, they only have a slight touch of heat, and are balanced out by a bit of sweetness from the honey in the batter. These Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Dogs are easier to make than you might think and it’s a treat that everyone will absolutely love eating!

A few Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Dogs in a serving dish.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Can I make these without jalapeños?

Sure, you can make these without the jalapeños and even the cheese if you prefer. You don’t have to change anything else in the batter.

Can I change up the flavor of the batter?

You can have a lot of fun with corn dog batter and give it all kinds of different flavors. Try adding some corn to the better (I would suggest canned corn that has been drained.)
You can also change up the seasoning and instead of onion powder and garlic powder you could use blackening, creole, or bbq seasoning. You can switch out the hot dog for smoked sausage. It’s very easy to tailor these recipe to your tastes!

Can I swap out the cheddar cheese?

Sure, want something different? Try any of these variations: Colby Jack, Mozzarella, Pepper Jack, or Gouda.

Why do I have to coat the hot dogs in cornstarch?

The cornstarch step is necessary. It helps the batter stick to the corn dogs instead of sliding off.

What deep fryer did you use?

I used this one (paid affiliate link), but any deep fryer or large pot will work. I like electric deep fryers because they do a better job at keeping consistent heat.

What skewers should you use?

I used these skewers (paid affiliate link), but you can use other skewers.
You can even make mini corn dogs and use the 7-inch skewers and cut them in half.

How to store and reheat Jalapeño Cheddar Corn Dogs?

Store your corn dogs in the refrigerator, in a covered container for up to 3 days. To reheat them, preheat a deep fryer, air fryer, or oven and reheat them that way until warmed through again. I don’t recommend using the microwave since they can easily become soggy.

Can you freeze corn dogs?

Absolutely! You can freeze these for up to 3 months. I would recommend flash freezing them before packing them up together in a freezer safe bag or container so they don’t stick together.

A couple Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Dogs, one with a bite missing.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

fine yellow cornmeal – if you use regular yellow cornmeal, you’ll have a bit more of a mealy texture.
all-purpose flour – be careful when measuring the flour. If you measure too much, you may end up with a batter too thick and you can’t dip the hot dog into it. Always use the dip and scoop method and don’t measure straight from the flour bag – you will be guaranteed to measure too much flour that way.
granulated sugar – I like to use a combo of sugar and honey but if you don’t want the extra sweetness, you can leave one or the other out.
baking powder – this helps the batter to puff up while frying or else you end up with a harder crustier coating.
garlic powder, onion powder, salt – these are the seasonings I went with because I thought they went well with the jalapeño cheddar flavor but see my FAQ’s above for other ideas.
milk – I usually use whole milk but 2% will work too.
egg – make sure to beat the egg first. This helps it to incorporate into the batter much easier.
honey – this adds a touch of sweetness without making it super sweet.
cheddar cheese – I think freshly shredded works best here but if all you have is bag cheese then go for it.
pickled jalapeños – I recently found a brand of jalapeños that barely have any spice at all. They are made by Mezzetta and are called ‘Tamed Jalapeño Peppers’. So if you like the taste of jalapeños but can’t handle the heat, these might be worth trying. I found them at Kroger but Amazon (paid affiliate link) carries them too.
hot dogs – we prefer all beef hot dogs in our house but you will want to use a hot dog that you really enjoy – regular or bun length hot dogs all work.
cornstarch – don’t skip using this. I found it works bit better than flour in helping to keep the batter onto the hot dog.
oil for frying – I like to use peanut oil when I’m frying food. I prefer the cleaner taste and I like that it does not stink up the house as much as other frying oils can.

Yellow cornmeal, flour. sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, whole milk, egg, vegetable oil, honey, shredded cheddar cheese, pickled jalapenos, and hot dogs.

HOW TO MAKE JALAPEÑO CHEDDAR CORN DOGS

Preheat oil in a deep fryer or in a dutch oven (with about 4 inches of oil up the sides) to 350°F. In a large bowl, add fine yellow cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and mix together until combined. In a separate medium bowl, add the milk, egg, oil, and honey and whisk together until smooth.

collage of two photos: a mixing bowl with yellow cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder; A mixing bowl with milk, egg, oil, and honey.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk together until there are no lumps. Finally, stir in the shredded cheddar cheese and finely chopped jalapenos until well combined. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.

collage of two photos: wet ingredients being poured into the dry ingredients for corn dog batter; shredded cheese and chopped jalapeños added to corn dog batter.

In a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, add in the cornstarch then place the hot dogs into the bag. Close the bag and shake to coat the hot dogs thoroughly in the cornstarch. Take one of the bamboo skewers and insert it into one end of the hot dog but don’t go out the other side, place it on a plate and repeat with the remaining hot dogs.

Pour the batter into a large cup. You want the cup to be large enough to fit the entire hot dog. Grab one of the skewered hot dogs by the stick and dip it into the batter in the cup until it is fully coated. Rotating the hot dog as you pull it up out of the batter helps keep the batter stick to the hot dog.

college of three photos: hot dogs with corn starch in a ziploc bag; cornstarch coated hot dogs on skewers on a plate; dipping hot dog into corn dog batter.

Let any excess drip off and immediately lower it slowly into the hot oil. Don’t fry too many at a time. I just try to do only about 2 at a time. Fry until golden brown on all sides, flipping the corn dogs around so they are evenly browned (about 5 minutes.) Place the corn dogs on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil. Immediately place them on a wire rack over a sheet tray to catch any drips.