Easy Disneyland Corn Dog Copycat Recipe + Video

This Corn Dog Recipe, made famous by the Little Red Wagon food truck, is iconic for a reason! Hand-dipped Disneyland 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!

 

Learn how to make corndogs at home with this easy corn dog recipe! Leave the frozen ones at the grocery store, and make your own delicious corn dogs right at home. 

There’s nothing quite like hand-dipped corn dogs to take you back to your days at the county fair.

I like the simple batter because it cooks up perfectly golden brown every single time you make it. I pretty much always make a second batch! 

You can eat these dipped corn dogs with a drizzle of honey, or pair with your favorite condiments.

I love dipping them in yellow mustard as well! because the delicious cornbread batter pairs so well with the flavors. 

Corn Dog Recipe

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 in Disneyland, this carnival classic is a must-try for newcomers and a can’t-miss for regulars.

Recipe Video

To see us make this corn dog recipe from start to finish, watch the video in this post!

I knew I had to recreate them with a homemade corn dog recipe!

The hand-dipped breading has a slightly sweet taste, and the Disneyland corn dogs are typically served with mustard, apple slices, and a bag of chips.

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.
  
• Buttermilk – Adds tang and moisture to the batter. If you don’t have any, you can make a substitute with regular milk and vinegar or lemon juice. 
  
• Honey – This adds a light sweetness to the batter. Swap with maple syrup, or leave it out entirely if you prefer.

How To Make Corndogs

Step 1 – Combine the dry Disneyland corn dog batter ingredients in a large bowl, then whisk in the wet ingredients until smooth and creamy.

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. 

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. 

Step 5 – Once ready, use tongs to transfer the corn dogs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool slightly. Serve and enjoy!

Tips for Making Disneyland Corn Dogs

• Let the batter rest. 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!
  
  A good corn dog shouldn’t be overcooked! 
  
• Mess-free dipping. I’ve found it’s easier (and way less messy) to pour the batter into a tall drinking glass, then dip the hot dog inside. 
  
  This way you get a nice even coating of batter without getting any on your fingers. This is the key to even coating for golden brown perfection! 

• Check oil temperature. If you happen to have a fryer, it should monitor and adjust the temperature for you. 
  
  When using a deep pan for frying, you will need to insert a candy thermometer to ensure it’s at the right temperature for frying.
  
  Once the oil has reached 350°F, you can start frying your Disneyland corn dogs! Be sure to let the oil come back to temp in between batches.
  
  Since you’re using a few inches of oil, it’ll take some time for the oil in the large pot to get back to the temp it needs to be. Be patient – the oil has to be hot to make the perfect corn dog.

Don’t forget that you can also alter this delicious recipe and make mini corn dogs as well!

Just be sure that you have enough oil to fry the dipped hot dog, and you’ll be deep frying without an issue.

I love using this recipe for authentic fair food at home because it tastes like the real thing!

We’ve been making homemade corn dogs for years, and I stand by the fact that they’re the best corn dogs – ever!

Grab some wooden skewers, and get started making your state fair corn dog at home. This simple recipe brings the flavor of state fairs into your home all year long. 

Corn Dog Recipe FAQ

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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Other Copycat Recipes

Easy Disneyland Corn Dog Copycat Recipe + Video

Donna Elick

This Corn Dog Recipe is so easy to make at home. Recreate Disneyland corn dogs with lightly sweet, puffy breading that's fried to perfection!

5 stars from 4 reviews

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Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main

Cuisine American

Method Stovetop

Servings 10

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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

Serving: 1 | Calories: 1934cal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 198g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 541mg | Sugar: 7g | Fiber: 2g | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg

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.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Originally published August 2018, updated and republished June 2024

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