Mini Corn Dogs Recipe

Mix dry ingredients

In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon fine salt until evenly combined.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate bowl whisk 1 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg, and 2 tablespoons melted butter until smooth.

Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined. Batter should be thick enough to coat a sausage without sliding off (similar to pancake batter but thicker). If too thick, add up to 1–2 tablespoons more milk; if too thin, add 1–2 tablespoons flour.

Prepare sausages

Pat the 10 mini cocktail sausages dry with paper towel. If larger than about 1 1/2", cut each in half lengthwise or to desired bite size so you end up with 10 total pieces. Insert a wooden skewer or toothpick about two-thirds of the way into each sausage to create a small handle; leave ~1–1.5 inches exposed for holding.

Flour before battering

Place 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a shallow bowl. Lightly toss each skewered sausage in the flour, shaking off excess. The flour helps the batter adhere.

If batter has thickened while prepping, give it one quick stir before frying.

Heat oil

Pour about 3–4 cups neutral oil into a 3–4 quart heavy pot or deep skillet, filling to a depth of about 1.5–2 inches. Heat over medium-high to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small amount of batter into the oil; it should sizzle and rise to the surface within a few seconds.

Coat sausages

Working quickly in small batches (3–4 at a time), hold a skewered sausage by the exposed stick and dip it into the batter, rotating to coat completely. Allow excess batter to drip back into the bowl. If a thin spot appears, spoon a little batter over the sausage to even the coating.

Fry until golden

Gently lower battered sausages into the hot oil (pointed end first) and fry, turning them with tongs or a slotted spoon so all sides brown evenly, about 2–3 minutes total per batch, until golden brown and cooked through. Avoid overcrowding the pot to keep oil temperature steady.

Drain

Transfer cooked mini corn dogs to a paper towel-lined tray to drain for a minute. Lightly season with a pinch of salt while still hot.

Repeat coating and frying with remaining sausages. Maintain oil temperature around 325–350°F; adjust heat as needed. If batter cools and thickens during cooking, stir and thin with a tablespoon of milk.

Arrange the (10) mini corn dogs on a platter and serve warm with yellow mustard and ketchup for dipping. These are best eaten within 30 minutes of frying for optimal crispness.