Chili Cheese Dog Recipe

Brown the beef

Heat a medium skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if more than 1 tbsp remains, leaving enough to sauté the onion.

Sauté aromatics & build flavor

Reduce heat to medium, add the chopped onion to the beef and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to deepen flavor.

Add liquids & spices

Pour in the beef broth and apple juice, scraping any browned bits from the pan. Stir in cocoa powder, cinnamon, allspice, cumin, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer.

Simmer & thicken

Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced. Mix cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, then whisk into the simmering chili to thicken. Simmer 2–3 more minutes until chili has a saucy, slightly thick consistency. Taste and adjust salt or vinegar as needed. Keep warm on low while you make the beer cheese.

Make roux

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1–1½ minutes until the mixture is pale and fragrant but not browned.

Add beer and milk

Slowly whisk in the beer until smooth, then whisk in the milk. Bring to a low simmer while whisking to dissolve any lumps and cook 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.

Finish cheese sauce

Reduce heat to low. Add the cream cheese and whisk until incorporated. Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheddar a handful at a time, whisking until smooth and glossy. Stir in Dijon mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper. If sauce seems too thick, warm gently and whisk in up to 2 tbsp additional milk. Keep warm.

Cook hot dogs

Cook the hot dogs according to your preference: grill over medium heat 6–8 minutes turning occasionally for even char, or pan-sear in a skillet 5–7 minutes, or simmer/steam for 4–5 minutes. Warm buns on the grill or in a toaster oven for 1–2 minutes if desired.

Assemble chili cheese dogs

Place one hot dog in each warmed bun. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the Cincinnati-style chili over each hot dog (adjust for preference). Drizzle or spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the beer cheese sauce over the chili. Add a sprinkle of diced white onion and extra shredded cheddar if using. Finish with a light drizzle of yellow mustard if desired.

Serve

Serve immediately while hot. Leftover chili and beer cheese can be refrigerated separately for up to 3 days; gently reheat on the stovetop, thinning the cheese with a splash of milk and stirring to smooth.