Disneyland Corn Dogs Copycat + Video
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Made famous by the Little Red Wagon food truck, these hand-dipped Disneyland corn dogs are iconic for a reason. With a light, puffy breading flavored with a hint of sweetness and fried to a perfect golden brown, you’ll be surprised how easy they are to make at home!
Being the foodie that I am, it probably comes as no surprise that my fondest memories are built entirely around food.
I could easily build whole vacations around finding iconic eats to try. In fact, even when I went to Disneyland, I only had eyes for one goal:
To hit every booth, stall, and food cart I could find.
And on one of these trips to the magic kingdom, I found myself standing in front of a little red food cart, ordering what was fabled to be “the best hand dipped corn dogs ever. “
Which, of course, they totally were the best corn dogs I had ever had. Nothing beats that golden brown breading fresh out of the fryer.
So, naturally, once I had returned from the happiest place on earth, I knew I had to find a way to recreate a similar experience at home.
What are Disneyland corn dogs?
Made famous by the Little Red Wagon food cart on Main Street USA in Disneyland, this carnival classic is a must-try for newcomers and a can’t-miss for regulars.
The hand dipped breading has a slightly sweet taste and is typically served with mustard, apple slices, and a bag of chips.
Can you freeze homemade corn dogs?
Yes, you totally can!
Once the corn dogs are fried, let them cool to room temperature, then transfer them to a freezer container or bag.
For best quality, corn dogs can be frozen for one to two months. When ready to eat, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and arrange corn dogs on a baking sheet.
If corn dogs are still frozen, bake for 15-18 minutes. If corn dogs have been thawed, bake for 10 minutes.
How long will corn dogs last in the refrigerator?
Once made, corn dogs can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four to six days.
How do you make corn dogs?
Step 1 – Make a creamy batter by mixing cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, buttermilk, an egg, honey, and vegetable oil.
Step 2 – Thread hot dogs on sturdy wooden sticks, leaving enough room for a handle at the bottom.
Step 3 – Dip the corn dogs in the batter, coating them all the way to the stick.
I’ve found it’s easier (and way less messy) to pour the batter in a drinking glass and then dip the hot dog inside.
This way you get a nice even coating of batter without getting any on your fingers.
Step 4 – Drop the hot dog into a large, wide skillet full of hot oil. Let the hot dogs cook until golden brown and puffy.
Once ready, use some tongs to transfer the corn dogs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly.
Step 5 – Serve and enjoy!
Helpful Tips to make Disneyland Corn Dogs Copycat:
- As mentioned above, this recipe requires about two quarts of vegetable oil to get the depth you need for frying corn dogs.
But with that much oil, that also begs the question: Once you’re done frying,
what do you do with it? You can either safely dispose of it or store it for future fried goods.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
Don’t miss a thing! Follow us on
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Disneyland Corn Dog Recipe + Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, plus up to 1-3 tbsp more for consistency
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 quarts vegetable oil, divided
- 10 hot dogs
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add buttermilk, egg, honey, and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined with the dry ingredients. Set bowl aside and let batter rest 10 minutes.
- While batter rests, heat the remaining vegetable oil in a wide, deep skillet up to 350 degrees F (using a candy thermometer helps!)
- Thread hot dogs on to wooden popsicle sticks, leaving enough room to hold the bottom of the sticks while also securely keeping the hot dog in place. If needed, use a paper towel to pat the hot dogs dry.
- Give the corn dog batter a stir. The batter should be able to thickly coat a spoon while also be fluid enough to slowly drip off. If batter is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of buttermilk and stir, then do another drip test. You can add up to 3 tablespoons of buttermilk to help even out the consistency.
- Pour corn dog batter into a tall drinking glass, filling to about 3/4 full. Dip a threaded hot dog into the batter, gently twisting to coat the hot dog up to the stick. Slowly pull hot dog out of the batter, shaking off any excess.
- Holding the coated hot dog by the stick, gently drop it into the oil, letting go before the oil touches your fingers. Cook corn dog for 3-5 minutes, using tongs to turn the corn dog as needed. Use tongs to transfer corn dogs to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat this step until all corn dogs are cooked. To speed things along, fry corn dogs in batches.
- Serve corn dogs immediately with condiments of your choice.
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published August 2018, updated and republished June 2023
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
These sound great. I think the honey is perfect sweetner.
I was wondering if I could make the batter a day ahead of time, is that possible?
can these be baked?
Good morning…Can I use white cornmeal Instead of yellow cornmeal?? Want to make them for lunch
Is it better to use skinless hotdogs or ones with the skin on. I have attempted to make corndogs (dagwood dogs in Australia) but have trouble with the breading not sticking. Also we have to use polenta for the breading as its the closest thing we can get to cornmeal over here … Could that be the reason for the breading problem?
I made this recipie, they were a huge hit with my Dland loving family. The honey add lovely sweetness, people preferred them a bit more brown and crunchy then the light golden color. My brother in law ate 6 of them in one sitting 😳 Lots of comments on how much money we saved vs buying these at the park, haha! 😂
Can you tell me how much oil goes in the batter? The video shows 1 Tbsp but the recipe calls for 2 Qts, which I assume is for frying them but it doesn't give the amount that goes in the batter.
Recipe says 2 TBS
Its in step two. 2 TBSP
where can I find the wood sticks?
I used wood skewers normally for shish kabobs. Just cut the sharp pointed end off so if I child is eating it they won't cut their mouth or poke themselves.
Wow, these really were awesome. I have not had a better corn dog than these. I have not tried the ones from Disney myself, but they must be totally awesome to inspire such a great recipe!
are you boiling your hotdogs first
What a hit! Broke away from tradition and made these for Easter. Everyone loved them! Added frozen corn kernels to the leftover dough for corn fritters. Everyone’s bellies were happy! The dough stuck to the dogs really well and the flavor was great!
I used regular dogs. I dried them and dusted them in flour before dipping them in the dough. The dough stuck really well!