The 3 Best Frozen Corn Dogs At Your Nearest Grocery Store
Frozen corn dogs are one of those treats from childhood that trigger so many great memories. State fairs, afterschool snacks with friends, weekend family get-togethers. Good memories.
Admittedly though, some corn dogs are just winners. They have the right ratio of batter to dog and they cook up with just the right crisp on the outside to complement the exact right juiciness on the inside.
It’s possible that everyone will have their own favorites, if for no other reason than it’s the brand they personally grew up with. But “scientifically” speaking, there are definitely some frozen corn dogs that outperform all the others.
When cooked up properly, the medals for best-frozen corn dogs go to State Fair, Foster Farms and MorningStar Farms for very specific and unique reasons.
What Makes A Corn Dog Great
As already mentioned, if you have a favorite based on nostalgia, nothing is going to change your mind and that’s ok. But for everyone else, and perhaps for your 2nd place favorite, there are some rules for corn dog perfection.
- The batter should have the slightest sweetness to it, ideally achieved using honey
- Crispy on the outside, warm and juicy on the inside is the only way to enjoy a corn dog
- Condiments are key, but the perfect ones are a personal choice
Best Grocery Store Frozen Corn Dogs
No matter how you cook it or dress it up, we’ve come up with 3 brands of frozen corn dogs that taste great with every bite.
Rank | Product | Key Features |
---|---|---|
1. | State Fair Corn Dogs - Beef | Beef-based, easy to make, one of the most popular brands |
2. | Foster Farms Mini Chicken Corn Dogs | 7g of protein in each serving, hormone-free chicken, honey-glaze |
3. | MorningStar Farms Veggie Corn Dogs | Meat-free corn dogs, low-fat & low-calorie |
Believe it or not, you can buy frozen corn dogs on Amazon. Who knew?! However, we recommend heading over to your local grocery store to make frozen purchases of any kind.
1. State Fair Corn Dogs – Beef
In the spirit of transparency, the classic recipe is made from chicken, turkey, and pork. We’ve chosen the all-beef version of this family favorite treat purely so that we don’t have to think too hard about what the wiener is really made of.
As an added benefit, all beef is more inclusive for those with specific dietary restrictions due to religious observances.
Key features
- They’re super easy to make with instructions for cooking in the microwave, oven or deep frying them
- State Fair is the most popular brand of corn dogs, meaning it is the most easily available as well, which is always helpful when you’re desperate for a fix!
2. Foster Farms Mini Chicken Corn Dogs
Whenever something comes in mini, it’s automatically a favorite. You can serve these at parties, pretend like you’re only going to eat one (yeah right), and just marvel at the overall brilliance of a tiny, juicy chicken frank surrounded by double-dipped honey batter.
Key features
- There are 7g of protein in each serving, so it’s basically a health food
- The chicken used for these sausages are hormone and steroid free, so you know you’re getting high-quality meat products
3. MorningStar Farms Veggie Corn Dogs
We love it when you can take a fantastic comfort food and make it healthier and more inclusive to those following unique eating plans without compromising on taste and experience. MorningStar Farms delivers on all accounts with these veggie corn dogs.
Key features
- Meat-free for plant-based eaters, but loved by omnivores of all ages and levels of pickiness
- This brand is not only delicious but also leading the trends by promising to make all their products completely vegan by 2021
The Best Way To Cook Frozen Corn Dogs
A traditional corn dog needs to be deep-fried and there are many die-hard corn dog fanatics that would happily skewer anyone who suggests an alternative cooking method. We’re taking our lives in our hands here, offering you a few options that use a bit (ok, a lot) less oil.
It’s important to note that frozen corn dogs are all pre-cooked, which in this case, means pre-deep fried. No matter how you warm them up, technically they’ve been dipped in hot oil already.
Air Fried Corn Dogs
This is our favorite way to cook frozen corn dogs. Quicker than baking in the oven, the results from an air fryer are much closer to deep-fried decadence than you could hope to achieve in a microwave.
Of course, using an air fryer cuts down on pretty much all of the oil used in a traditional deep-fryer, making this treat a little bit healthier. To get the perfect crust and juicy interior, simply unwrap your frozen corn dog, place it in the air fryer at 390F and wait for 7 minutes before enjoying every last bite.
Toasting Your Corn Dogs
If you happen to be the proud owner of a toaster oven, these handy machines work phenomenally well for corn dogs. Simply unwrap your dog and place it directly on the rack of your toaster oven. Set it to 350 and cook for approximately 8 minutes total, flipping it over halfway through.
Be very careful to use oven mitts when handling the stick and keep an eye on your toaster oven to make sure the wood skewer doesn’t start smoking.
Baking Corn Dogs In The Oven
Most frozen corn dogs will have baking instructions for the oven and you can use those for best results. However, if you’ve lost your box or just want to live on the edge, you’ll get a great bake at 350F for around 17 minutes.
Of course, you’ll want to remove all wrapping from your corn dog first and lay them out still frozen on a baking sheet. Set yourself a timer for about 8 minutes so you can turn it over to get a nice crisp on both sides.
Microwaved Corn Dogs
Using a microwave is great for a quick corn dog hit, but it’s not the most reliable method for getting a nice crispy crust on your dog. If you’re in a hurry, however, it’s quick and easy. Unwrap your frozen corn dog and place it on a microwave-safe plate.
Cover it with a paper towel to help manage the moisture and set your machine to 30 seconds. Flip it over and put it back in for another 30 seconds but keep an eye on it.
Depending on the size and brand, some dogs will need a bit less time, others a little bit more. Some microwaves are more powerful than others, so you might need to vary the timing by 10 seconds or so.
Traditional Deep-Fried Frozen Corn Dogs
We’ve saved the best/worst for last. Depending on whether you are trying to approach corn dogs from the healthiest angle possible, or the most mouth-watering, you may love or hate this option. If you decide deep-frying is the way to go, heat up the oil in your deep fryer to 350F.
Add your frozen corn dogs to the oil carefully and let them simmer for 9 minutes. Take them out carefully and place them on a few pieces of paper towel to soak up some of the oil. Let them cool a bit before taking the first bite so you don’t burn your entire mouth.
The Great Corn Dog Condiment Debate
The world seems divided between those who believe mustard is the only acceptable condiment for corn dogs and those who are willing to embrace alternatives.
If you’re of the second camp, there are some really exciting ways to dress up corn dogs for an incredible culinary experience.
Adding ketchup to the mix is one option.
Some parents encourage their children to eat their corn dogs with apple sauce for a little extra nutrition.
But if you want things to get really interesting, try a few of these inspired combinations which may require large plates and utensils to handle all the goodness:
- Mexican corn dogs: add jalapenos, salsa, and sour cream
- Make it a meal by adding steamed broccoli and a cheese sauce
- Go deluxe with chili, cheddar cheese shreds, and green onion
- Dip your dog: mayo, marinara sauce, hot pepper jelly, honey…the sky is the limit, everything tastes delicious
- The All American: top it with fried onions, bacon bits, sauerkraut relish, ketchup and, of course, mustard
Related Questions
What are corn dogs made of?
Technically speaking, a corn dog is any sausage coated in a cornmeal batter and then deep-fried. More generally, they’re usually made from hot dogs, which can be made out of a variety of meats or even vegetarian options. Frozen corn dogs are fully cooked, already deep-fried.
In order to reheat them, they can be cooked in an oven, microwave, air fryer or even in your friendly, neighborhood convenience store’s roller grill. If you make your own from scratch, you can bake or fry them.
Are corn dogs healthy?
Like all fast food, the health factor of corn dogs really depends on what you’re comparing it to. Would a nutritionist call it healthy? Certainly not. But if you’re at the fair and your snack choices come down to a corn dog with a heap of good ole fashioned mustard or a funnel cake? By the calorie count, you’re better off with a corn dog.
What’s the difference between a corn dog and a hot dog?
A hot dog is a type of sausage, also known as a wiener, usually served inside a bun. Some people refer to the meat itself as a hot dog, whether or not it’s inside the bun.
A corn dog is the sausage or wiener, skewered on a stick, dipped in a thick cornmeal batter and fried.