The original Mini Corn Dog Muffins! These fun and poppable bites are perfect for snack time, dinner, or game day, and are a hit with kids!
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re aware that the Super Bowl is this Sunday. Although earlier this week I made the epic make the mistake of asking my husband what day of the week it was being played on.
Don’t plan on living that one down anytime soon!
I’ll be watching for the commercials and food anyway, including these bite-sized cuties: Mini Corn Dog Muffins are a hit with any crowd. It is such a fun and simple appetizer recipe!
Watch How to Make Them!
Mini Corn Dog Muffins
Mini Corn Dog Muffins are the poppable version of a corndog — they are just as delicious as they sound.
Like I said, they make a great game day appetizer, but are also perfect as a fun lunch or dinner for the kids. They freeze well too!
I’ll show how to make a homemade cornbread batter, though using your favorite store-bought mix is even quicker and easier. I prefer Krusteaz Gluten-Free Cornbread.
If making homemade cornbread, star by whisking together melted butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, then incorporate a couple eggs.
Next, whisk in the ingredient that makes this cornbread ultra moist and yummy — buttermilk. Set the wet ingredients aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients including cornmeal, flour (either a gluten-free baking blend, or all-purpose if you don’t need to eat gluten free), baking soda and salt.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two batches, whisking well between each batch.
Spray a mini muffin tin very well with non-stick spray then spoon 1 Tablespoon batter into each mini cup.
Next, cut up the hot dog centers. I like 100% beef Hebrew National Hot Dogs. You could use turkey dogs, if that’s your preference!
Hebrew National’s are longer, thinner hot dogs, so I cut each one into 6 pieces. You’ll want each piece to be about 1″ long.
Finally, place a hot dog piece into the center of each muffin tin.
Bake until the cornbread is set, or according to package directions if using a store-bought mix.
These piping hot, sweet and savory mini corn dog muffins are perfect game-day food!
A dip in cold ketchup really sends the corn dog flavor over the top. I can’t get over how cute and delicious these are!
These are amazing served straight out of the oven, but can be made ahead of time, stored in the refrigerator, and then microwaved for 30 seconds or so when it’s kickoff time.
Enjoy!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup gluten free cornmeal
- 1 cup gluten free baking flour blend WITH binder, or all-purpose flour if not gluten free
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8-10 all-beef hot dogs, cut into 1" bites
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in a bowl then whisk to combine. Add eggs then whisk to combine, and then add buttermilk and whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together baking soda, cornmeal, flour, and salt then whisk into the wet ingredients in two batches.
- Spray a mini muffin tin very well with non-stick spray then spoon 1 Tablespoon batter into each mini muffin cup. Place one hot dog bite into the middle of each cup.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown. Cool in mini muffin tin for 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator then re-heat for 20-30 seconds before serving.
Notes
- Feel free to use your favorite store-bought cornbread mix instead of making your own. I like Krusteaz Gluten Free Corn Bread!
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Looking for GF for christmas appetizers and looking forward to making these!! Do you know if they can be frozen and reheated?
Thanks
Awesome!! Yes they definitely can!
Hi! If I use the Kristeaz gluten free corm bread mix should I follow the instructions on the box? Thanks!
Exactly! :)
Thank you! I’m excited to try these. We love corn dogs but the premade gf ones are expensive – these are much more budget friendly.
Totally get it and agree, Stacey! These freeze really well too. :)
I made these (at long last!) and they were yummmm. I did full size muffins becausei don’t have a mini-pan but they were perfect all the same. will def make again! I wish I could post a photo to show how awesome these are.
Oh I’m so glad they were a hit, Stacey!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
These are my daughter’s favorite! Do you think they would be ok if I made the corn muffins ahead of time and put them in the fridge for my husband to bake hours later? There’s a school potluck at noon and I have to work.
Hi Beth! You could bake them then cool/refrigerate and reheat before the school potluck!
Made these following directions with the exception of the amount of sugar – I used one tablespoon instead of half a cup which I find excessive particularly with all we know about how unhealthy sugar is. They turned out very well, were certainly sweet enough and were very quick and easy to make. Thanks for the recipe
I love this idea! I am going to try to make a breakfast version with pancake batter and breakfast sausage :)
Love it, Molly!! Enjoy!
Very easy to make and turned out perfectly – however far too sweet. I actually don’t see why you would need to add sugar at all let alone half a cup, totally unnecessary.
Thanks for your feedback, Julie! Is it possible the sugar was mismeasured? I haven’t received this feedback before.
No it was definitely measured correctly, I also note AngeC referred to a ‘ghastly amount of sugar.’ I have since made another batch and omitted the sugar altogether and they were so much nicer. To be honest I don’t see why you need to add any sugar at all? We are Australian and I think our tastes may be not as sweet as yours perhaps? In any case your recipe turned out perfectly and I will definitely make again – minus the sugar!
Oh geez – I see hers now! I live in the Midwest where the cornbread is typically sweet (I talk a little about that here: https://iowagirleats.com/gluten-free-cornbread/). You can absolutely adjust to your preferred level of sweetness or use a cornbread recipe that like in place of the one provided.
I LOVE making these, but always ran into the same problem…my cups would be too full and the muffins would stick no matter how much I sprayed.
I found a fix!!!
Step 1) Spray the bejeezus out of the pan. It should be uncomfortable, honestly.
Step 2) when they are done baking, wait a minute after removing them from the oven, then bang the pan on the counter a few times. They released like a charm!!!
A silicone mini muffin tin works really well for these too!!
My son cannot have dairy milk so I substituted soy milk and used Imperial in place of the butter. I also quartered the Hotdogs length wise and then cut them up and mixed them into the batter. Couldn’t tell that soy milk was used, these were very good.
If using a packaged mix, do I follow their baking directions or yours. Sorry if this was asked before.
No problem! Follow the directions on the package in terms of what to add (eggs, oil, milk, etc) then bake according to package directions as well. :)
Can I make the corn dogs muffins in a regular muffin tin? If fo what oven temperature?
Hi Marie! I haven’t tried that before, but I’m sure it would work!
Gf hot dogs always gf..Hebrew Nation. This would be fun with gf Polish sausage too
Thanks!
Oh yeah – that would be awesome!!
How long will these keep?
3-4 days in the fridge! :)
Hi, you’re right! Taste is EXACTLY spot on, regardless of ghastly amount of sugar. The soft inner texture was perfect ( though I used 1 tablespoon of apple vinegar in a cup of whole milk, not having buttermilk).
I greased the pans heavily and did a baker’s five on higher temp before lowering to recipe’s 375* to accomplish the tougher coating, but that didn’t quite work out. Maybe longer than 5 next time.
Still, a fun gnosh! Corn dogs are associated with my family’s beach vacations when I was a child, so it’s always a great memory food.
These beat the frozen ones hands down. A great fresh tasting corn dog!
Thanks!
So glad you loved these, Ange!! You can use any cornbread batter that you love! :)