Air-Fryer Corn Dogs

A corn dog is a hot dog that’s been skewered with a stick, dipped in a thick layer of cornmeal batter and deep-fried to golden perfection. We love oven-baked versions like corn dog casserole and cheddar corn dog muffins, but they don’t hit the spot when we’re in the mood for a classic, fair-favorite corn dog. Luckily, you don’t need a deep fryer to pull them off! It’s easy to make frozen corn dogs in an air fryer. They cook in less than 10 minutes and taste exactly as they do at the fair.

Ingredients for Air-Fryer Corn Dogs

• Frozen corn dogs: You can cook frozen corn dogs in the air fryer straight from the freezer, so don’t worry about thawing them. Use your favorite store-bought corn dog brand, or use the frozen leftovers from your last batch of homemade corn dogs.

Directions

Step 1: Preheat the air fryer

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

Editor’s Tip: You should always preheat your air fryer for the same reasons you should preheat your oven or skillet. Preheating ensures the frozen corn dogs will cook evenly.

Step 2: Air-fry the frozen corn dogs

TMB Studio

Working in batches, place the corn dogs on a greased tray in the air-fryer basket. Cook until lightly browned, six to eight minutes, rotating halfway.

Editor’s Tip: Avoid overcrowding the corn dogs by leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them. Air fryers work by moving hot air around the food, and leaving space allows that air to circulate properly.

TMB Studio

Recipe Variations

• Make another kind of corn dog: Make this air-fryer corn dog recipe with any type of precooked corn dog, including mini corn dogs, vegan corn dogs or Korean corn dogs. Just make sure the corn dog coating is already cooked, as wet batter will not cook properly in the air fryer. You may also need to make minor adjustments to the air-fryer cooking times and temperatures. Defer to the package directions if they include air-fryer cooking instructions.
• Serve air-fried corn dogs with sauce: Keep things classic with ketchup or mustard, or try flavorful dipping sauces like copycat Chick-fil-A sauce, honey mustard, ranch, Thousand Island dressing, or copycat McDonald’s sweet and sour sauce. Any sweet or spicy barbecue sauce recipe would also taste divine.

TMB Studio

How to Store Air-Fryer Corn Dogs

Leftover air-fryer corn dogs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Plan to eat the leftovers within three days.

How do you reheat air-fryer corn dogs?

Reheat leftover corn dogs in a 350° oven or air fryer until crisp and heated through to an internal temperature of 165°. You can also reheat them in the microwave, but the corn dogs will not be as crispy.

Air-Fryer Corn Dog Tips

TMB Studio

Can you make homemade corn dogs in the air fryer?

Air fryers can do a lot of amazing things, but they can’t fry uncooked corn dog batter without making a huge gloopy mess. However, you can freeze a batch of homemade corn dogs after frying them and reheat the frozen corn dogs in the air fryer.

Do you have to thaw frozen corn dogs before air-frying them?

You don’t have to thaw frozen corn dogs before air-frying them. Some foods benefit from thawing before cooking, but this is one of many air-fryer recipes that works best when the corn dogs come straight from the freezer. That said, you can cook thawed corn dogs in an air fryer, but you’ll need to experiment with the timing and temperature. Thawed corn dogs will cook much faster than frozen corn dogs in the air fryer.

Should you trim the sticks before putting frozen corn dogs in an air fryer?

Depending on the brand of frozen corn dogs and the size of your air fryer, you may need to trim the corn dog sticks so they fit properly in your air fryer with the suggested spacing.

Why didn’t my air-fried corn dogs cook evenly?

If your air-fryer corn dogs are not perfectly crisp on all sides or if they have cold spots inside, ensure your air fryer is set to the proper temperature. Preheating the air fryer before adding the corn dogs to the cooking tray or basket is also important. Finally, make sure there is enough space between the corn dogs to allow the air to circulate inside the fryer.

Still struggling? Increase the cooking time. Some brands of frozen corn dogs, particularly those labeled “jumbo,” may need to cook for a few extra minutes to heat through.