Baked Chili Cheese Dog Recipe
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This Chili Cheese Dog recipe is a summertime favorite, and it’s so easy to make a big batch at once. Start with a base of homemade or canned chili, some red onions, and plenty of cheese, then load them up with your favorite toppings. Take chili cheese dogs from oven to table in under an hour!
Chili Cheese Dog
I love that these baked chili cheese dogs are ready to go straight out of the oven, and they’re a great way to use up any leftover chili.
Plus, it’s a great way to feed a hungry crowd (like teenagers!) with very minimal effort.
This chili cheese dog bake is a winner for parties, picnics, game day, or a busy weeknight!
Want more quick and easy game day meal ideas? You can’t go wrong with air fryer hot dogs, pigs in a blanket, or sloppy joes — and my stuffed bomb recipes make enough to feed a crowd.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Hot Dogs – The Ballpark beef variety are the perfect size, in my opinion, and have a fantastic flavor.
Feel free to use whichever you prefer, just be sure they match the size of your buns so everything is balanced. - Chili – I have so many homemade chili recipes to choose from — make one fresh or use up leftovers from last night’s dinner!
- Buns – Use high-quality, thick buns to prevent baked chili dogs from falling apart.
I prefer these ones from Pepperidge Farms since they won’t tip over and are sturdy enough to support all of the toppings. - Cheese – While bagged shreds are fine in a pinch, they tend to have a waxy texture from the anti-caking agents.
I highly recommend shredding a fresh block of cheddar, and you can freeze extra for future recipes.
What to Serve with Chili Cheese Dogs
Pair this chili cheese dog bake with any of your favorite cookout sides like potato or pasta salads, french fries, or coleslaw.
Want more toppings? You can’t go wrong with the classics like ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, and more red onion.
Or, pile them extra high with green onion, sour cream, and crumbled bacon.
Even some of my homemade cheese sauce or honey mustard would taste great on your chili cheese dog, and a drizzle of this copycat Big Mac sauce will add a little extra zip!
Prep Ahead
- Make chili (if needed)
- Shred cheese
- Chop red onions
- Prep toppings
Tips and Tricks for Making a Chili Cheese Dog Bake
- Add cheese before placing hot dogs in buns.
It’s easy to go on auto-pilot and miss this step! Adding cheese first helps to hold everything together so your chili cheese dog doesn’t slide right out of the bun.
- Prevent soggy buns.
While I haven’t had any issues, it’s the number one concern I hear! Feel free to lightly toast the buns before loading them up — either in the oven or the air fryer.
Don’t let them get too much color, though, or they’ll end up tough or crunchy. Brown just enough that the texture feels slightly dried out but not like a piece of toast.
- Monitor by sight and touch, rather than time.
Since the hot dogs and chili are already cooked, you’re really just warming everything up and getting that cheese nice and melted.
I’ve found that 30-35 minutes is the sweet spot, but yours might be ready sooner.
And if everything is piping hot but the cheese isn’t gooey yet, remove the foil and turn on the broiler for a minute or two!
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- 9×13 Baking Dish – This set is one of my favorites! It comes with a lid for easy storage and is great for casseroles too.
- Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil – This is thicker and sturdier than regular foil, meaning it won’t tear as easily.
- Box Grater – As much as I love buying bagged shreds because it’s easier, freshly grated cheese melts down so much smoother and tastes better too.
- A Spatula makes it easier to get each chili cheese dog out of the dish without burning your fingers.
Storing and Reheating Baked Chili Dogs
First, I don’t recommend saving leftovers — baked chili dogs are best eaten right away.
You can store leftovers in the refrigerator for about a day, but they will start to get soggy from the toppings.
If you have extras of all the components, store them separately and assemble fresh instead.
Reheat baked chili cheese dogs in the oven the same way you cooked them to begin with!
Baked Chili Cheese Dogs FAQ
Absolutely! I recommend using a thick or chunky variety since excess liquid will just create a soggy mess.
Grab whatever sounds good, whether it has meat, is strictly beans, or includes peppers to make it extra spicy.
If you find that it’s hard to get them all in the same pan, either split them between two smaller pans or cook fewer at a time.
When working in batches, transfer the finished ones to a plate and tent with foil to keep them warm while you finish the rest.
Since the buns get soggy the longer they sit, it’s best to bake chili dogs just before serving.
For party prep, simply get everything laid out and ready so assembly is a breeze.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Baked Chili Cheese Dog Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 hot dog buns, good quality
- 8 beef hot dogs, bun-size
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup hot dog chili, homemade or canned
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced (optional)
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 garlic cloves
Optional Toppings
- red onion
- pickle relish
- ketchup
- yellow mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a 9”x13” pan with aluminum foil and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place hot dog buns in the pan and evenly disperse 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese inside the buns.
- Next, place a hot dog inside of each bun. Evenly disperse 1 cup of chili across the top of each hot dog. Add red onion if desired.
- Melt butter and stir in minced garlic. Brush over the hot dog buns.
- Top each hot dog with the remaining cheddar cheese. Tent with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is melted on top.
- Remove hot dogs from the pan with a spatula and serve promptly with additional toppings, if desired.
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 June 2021,updated and republished April 2024
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This looks fun and easy! Can't wait to try them. I'll share a pic when I do. Thanks!
Very good! Made them tonight for dinner and was a quick, easy recipe! Dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less is my kind of thing!
Next time I’ll coat the inside of the bins with Mayo/relish mix, but that’s personal preference. The recipe is very good as is!
Chili dogs are one of my son’s favorite meals ever! These were so easy and didn’t take any time at all! Thank you for a recipe we will be using weekly!