These Korean Corn Dogs are easy to make and will become your new favorite snack! They're dipped in batter, rolled in French fries, and deep-fried to crispy perfection.
๐ญ About This Recipe
The first time I tried Korean Corn Dogs was at Arirang in Henderson Mall in Coquitlam, BC. I'd seen them on social media before but hadn't tried them myself. There was a massive line, so my wife and I figured it must be worth checking out.
They were SO GOOD! I'd never had a corn dog like it. The melted cheese, crispy potatoes, and ketchup were a match made in heaven.
Korean corn dogs can be made in a variety of ways. You can fill them with hot dogs, cheese, rice cakes, or fish cakes. The outside can be coated with breadcrumbs, potatoes, ramen noodles, and basically anything crunchy.
Today, I'll show you how to make my favorite version, the half-and-half (half mozzarella and half hot dog). It's probably the most popular one because you get the best of the worlds.
For the crispy coating, I like using frozen French fries and panko breadcrumbs. Frozen fries have already been fried once, so you basically get the benefits of a double-fry, i.e., extra crispy.
๐งโ๐ณ How Are American and Korean Corn Dogs Different?
There are a few key differences, the main one being the batter. American corn dogs are made with a cornmeal and egg-based batter. It is usually leavened with baking powder, and this gives them a more cake-like texture.
Korean corn dogs are made with a yeasted dough, which gives them an airier and chewier texture. Some recipes even include glutinous rice flour, which gives them extra chewiness. In many ways, American vs. Korean corn dogs are similar to cake donuts vs. yeasted donuts.
Finally, Korean corn dogs have a wider variety of fillings. American corn dogs are usually just hot dogs, but Korean ones can be cheese, fish cakes, rice cakes, and more.
๐ง Ingredients
- Cheese: Mozerella is my go-to because it melts easier than other cheeses, but you can use whatever cheese you prefer.
- Hotdog: Any type of pork or beef hotdog will work. Most hotdogs are already pre-cooked and just need to be warmed up. If you use raw sausages, you should cook them first. Otherwise, they'll still be raw when the outside is cooked.
- French Fries: I'm using McCain's frozen fries today. I recommend getting thinner-cut fries as they'll make the crust extra crispy. No need to defrost the fries before starting the recipe.
- Batter: All-purpose flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, and water. I'm using instant yeast because you can mix it directly with the dry ingredients without needing to bloom it in water first. If you use active yeast, you'll have to let it sit in water and sugar for 15 minutes to activate it before starting the recipe.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: This is a Japanese style of breadcrumb that is fantastic for adding crunch to fried foods.
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add water and stir until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rest for an hour until it doubles in volume.
STEP 2: Use a wooden or metal skewer to skewer the hot dogs and mozzarella sticks. I like having both cheese and hotdog in my corndog so I do half and half on each one.
STEP 3: Chop French fries into โ -inch pieces and place them in a shallow container. In another container, put two cups of panko breadcrumbs.
STEP 4: Working one at a time, dip each skewered corn dog into the batter, using a twisting motion to coat it evenly, aiming for a ยผ-inch thickness. Roll it in French fries to coat, and then in breadcrumbs until evenly covered.
STEP 5: Heat about 1 inch of oil to 375โ. Fry corn dogs for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil. While they are still hot, sprinkle some sugar onto the corndog. I like serving these with ketchup and mustard but you can use any condiment you like.
๐ญ Recipes Notes + Tips
- Use thin skewers. I've made the mistake of using thick skewers, and they can split the cheese in half when you pierce them. Also, make sure your skewers are short enough to fit in your frying pan. If you're using bamboo skewers, you can chop off the excess length. But if you have metal skewers, you'll need to buy shorter ones.
- Battering the corn dogs is probably the most difficult part. Use a twisting motion to pull the batter evenly around the hot dog. If the hot dog slips while rotating, use your fingers to hold it in place. Aim for a ยผ-inch thickness, not too thin or thick. If you have too much batter, the weight will cause it to fall off.
๐ Recipe
Korean Corn Dogs
Ingredients
- 2 sticks mozzarella cheese (1 inch by 4 inches long sticks)
- 2 hotdogs (beef or pork)
- neutral oil (for frying)
Batter
- 1 ยพ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast (or active yeast, see notes)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 cup lukewarm water
Outer layer
- 2 cups frozen French fries
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add water and stir until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rest for an hour until it doubles in volume.
- Use a wooden or metal skewer to skewer the hot dogs and mozzarella sticks. I like having both cheese and hotdog in my corndog so I do half and half on each one.
- Chop the French fries into โ -inch pieces and place them in a shallow container. In another container, put two cups of panko breadcrumbs.
- Working one at a time, dip each skewered corn dog into the batter, using a twisting motion to coat it evenly, aiming for a ยผ-inch thickness. Roll it in French fries to coat, and then in breadcrumbs until evenly covered.
- Heat about 1 inch of oil to 375โ. Fry corn dogs for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil. While they are still hot, sprinkle some sugar onto the corndog. I like serving these with ketchup and mustard but you can use any condiment you like.
Krystal C.
Turned out great! My daughter loved them. Although, I ended up with less batter than I did hotdogs skewers. My dough didn't seem to rise as much as the pictured photo and I followed it precisely as directed. Is it possible to add an additional 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup more of look warm water to the batter to make the batter rise more?
Grump
Hi Krystal. It's all a matter of time! The rising time really depends on the ambient temperature of your home. It can take up to three hours in the winter.. One trick I like to do is place the dough in the oven with the light on. You could make your water a slightly higher temperature, around 110F. I do not think adding more water would make the batter rise more.