Copycat Disneyland Corn Dog + Video
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The Disneyland Corn Dog, made famous by the Little Red Wagon food truck, is iconic for a reason! Hand-dipped corn dogs feature 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!
Table of Contents
Disneyland Corn Dog
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.
Made famous by the Little Red Wagon food cart on Main Street USA, the corn dog at Disneyland is a must-try for newcomers and a can’t-miss for regulars.
I knew I had to recreate them at home!
Recipe Video
To see us make this Disneyland corn dog recipe from start to finish, watch the video in this post!
Don’t forget that you can also alter this delicious recipe and make mini corn dogs as well. The honey-sweetened batter brings the flavor of authentic fair food into your kitchen all year long.
From fried pickles and churro bites to juicy turkey legs, there’s no shortage of summertime snacks to choose from!
Learn how to make corndogs at home with this easy Disneyland corn dog recipe. You’ll never buy the frozen ones at the grocery store again!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Hot Dogs – Standard-sized dogs are the way to go here! Choose your favorite brand and variety, including chicken or turkey hot dogs!
- Cornmeal – Not to be confused with cornbread mix, you’ll find this in the baking aisle near the flour. Be sure to grab a package without any extra flavors or ingredients.
- Flour & Baking Powder – Keeps the Disneyland corn dog batter light and fluffy. You’ll also need some granulated sugar to give it structure.
- Egg – Adds richness and binds the batter together. It’ll mix easier with the other ingredients if you let it warm on the counter for a bit.
- Buttermilk – For a touch of tang and moisture in the coating. If you don’t have any, you can make a substitute with regular milk and vinegar or lemon juice.
- Honey – This injects a light sweetness to the Disney corn dog batter. Swap with maple syrup, or leave it out entirely if you prefer.
- Vegetable Oil – To fry the dogs! Canola oil is the best substitute.
Tips and Tricks to Make the Perfect Corn Dog Disneyland Copycat
- Let the batter rest first.
This ensures that the crispy outer layer stays nice and fluffy on the inside. 10 minutes should do it, but a little longer won’t hurt!
- Use a tall drinking glass for dipping.
A mason jar works too! I’ve found that it’s easier (and way less messy) to dip the hot dog straight into the glass than trying to roll it or pour the batter over the top.
You’ll get a nice, even coating of batter without getting any of your fingers, and an evenly coated Disneyland corn dog is key to golden brown perfection!
- Check the oil temperature.
When using a deep pan or pot, you will need to insert a candy thermometer to ensure it’s at the right temperature for frying.
If you happen to have a deep fryer, it should monitor and adjust the temperature for you.
Once the oil has reached 350°F, you can start frying your Disney corn dogs!
Be sure to let the oil come back to temp in between batches. It may take a few minutes, but be patient. The batter will become greasy — or worse, slide off — if the oil isn’t hot enough.
Prep Ahead
- Slide sticks into hot dogs
- Make Disney corn dog batter
What You’ll Need For This Recipe
- Deep Skillet – There should be enough room for several inches of frying oil!
- Corndog Sticks or Skewers – These are thicker and shorter than regular wooden grill skewers.
- Mixing Bowl – I like to have a variety of sizes on hand, and this set has them all.
- Whisk – Essential for a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Tongs – I love this set of 3, and I use every pair of them. They are so handy and grip amazingly well!
Serving Suggestions
Disney corn dogs are typically served with mustard, apple slices, and a bag of chips. Other great dipping sauces include ketchup or smoky barbecue sauce.
For a heartier meal, swap the chips for fries and add a scoop of fresh fruit salad.
And while you’re at it, whip up a few other Disney copycat recipes! I can never get enough of their churro toffee, while Chad prefers their sticky toffee cake.
Munchkin always asks for a classic Dole Whip — and I can’t blame her!
Storing and Reheating Disney Corn Dogs
Once the corndogs are fried, let them cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag.
Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. It’s best to flash freeze them first to prevent them from sticking together or becoming icy.
To get your Disneyland corn dog hot and crispy again, bake or air fry for 7-10 minutes at 350°F, or 15-18 minutes if frozen.
Disney Corn Dog FAQ
Yes, any leftover batter can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. It can also be made ahead of time and stored for the same amount of time.
Pat the hot dogs dry before coating them in batter. You can also roll hot dogs in a little bit of flour to help the coating stick to the surface.
Make sure the oil is at the right temperature for frying (350°F) before adding the corndogs, too. The batter needs to start frying immediately, or it will fall apart and slide off.
This corn dog Disneyland recipe requires about two quarts of vegetable oil to get the right depth. You can either safely dispose of it or store it for future fried goods.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Copycat Disneyland Corn Dog + 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 July 2025
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.
Welcome!
We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
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!
This recipe from Donna and Chad is absolutely fantastic! The corn dogs turned out delicious and just like the ones from Disneyland. 5 stars!
Hi Kendall!
We’re so glad that you enjoyed the recipe!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Donna’s recipe for Disneyland Corn Dogs is a game-changer! I followed it step by step and made a simple change by adding a pinch of paprika to the batter for some extra flavor. These corn dogs were a hit with my family, and they tasted just like the ones from the theme park. 5 stars!
Hi Scarlett!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
I’m no chef, but this recipe was so easy to follow, and the corn dogs tasted amazing. Thanks to The Slow Roasted Italian for another winner!
Hi Noah!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn