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Cheesy Mexican Hot Dog Taquitos, also known as “crispy dogs”, are a fun kid-friendly recipe. Even better is that they are ready in less than 30 minutes with just four ingredients. Wrapped in corn tortillas with cheddar cheese, then baked in the oven or air fryer, these Tex Mex franks are even better when you dunk them in salsa or guacamole!
Mexican Hot Dog Taquitos – aka Crispy Dogs
What do you do when you bought that 30-pack of corn tortillas and you already made Instant Pot Ground Beef Taco Meat?
Make Mexican Hot Dog Taquitos! It’s a Tex Mex-inspired twist on the classic baked hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls (aka pigs in a blanket). Only these are hot dogs wrapped in tortillas!
In Mexico, they are actually known as “crispy dogs”, and in our house they disappear in seconds. With only four ingredients, they are one of our favorite quick and easy dinners recipes. Just roll them up and after about fifteen minutes in the oven or five minutes in the air fryer, you have a super simple dinner the kids will absolutely love eating. Whether you bake or air-fry them, the corn tortilla gets nice and crispy, while the cheese becomes melty and delicious.
Serve them with your favorite dips like salsa or guacamole for a fun way to change up Taco Tuesday! And they are sure to be a crowd-pleaser for parties, too, since they are one of the best game day recipes!
Ingredients
Yes, you only need 4 ingredients, though you’ll also want to gather your favorite dips or toppings for tacos, like sour cream or Greek yogurt, salsa, or guacamole.
- Corn tortillas – most are gluten free, but be sure to check the package if that is something you need.
- Shredded cheese – I prefer sharp cheddar, but you can use your favorite, like Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or a mild cheddar. I do recommend shredding the cheese form a block versus using pre-shredded cheese, as it melts better.
- Hot dogs – you do not have to precook the hot dogs. Make sure you choose a brand that is gluten free, if needed.
- Olive oil
How to Make Mexican Hot Dog Taquitos
They really couldn’t be easier. You’ll love how quick and easy they are to assemble and cook.
Get everything ready. Preheat your oven or air fryer to 400°F. Warm the corn tortillas in the microwave (wrapped in a damp towel) or in the oven (wrapped in foil) until they are pliable.
Wrap the hot dogs. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the corn tortillas. Lay a hot dog on top of a cheese-covered tortilla and roll it up as tightly as possible.
Brush with oil. Lay the hot dogs in tortillas seam-side down on a baking sheet or in the basket of your air fryer. If they ubnroll, you can secure them with a couple of toothpicks. Brush the outsides lightly with oil.
Cook the crispy dogs. Choose your cooking method anf follow the directions belfor. When they are done, the hot dog should be hot all the way through, cheese melty, and tortilla lightly browned and crispy. Serve with your favorite dips or toppings.
- Bake hot dogs in oven. Bake at 400°F for about 15-20 minutes.
- Air fry hot dogs. Cook at 400°F for about 5 minutes.
Tips for Success
Soften the tortillas. You’ll need to warm the corn tortillas to make them pliable to roll up without cracking. To do this, you can wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave them for 30 seconds to a minute. Or wrap them in foil and place them in the oven while it is preheating.
Keep the taquitos rolled up. You should be able to roll up the taquitos and place them seam side down on the baking sheet or in the air fryer basket and they should stay closed. But if you find that they continue to unroll, you can use one or two toothpicks to secure them.
Make them crispy. Brushing the oil on the outside will make them brown and crisp nicely. You can also spray them with cooking spray or use an oil mister if you want to use a bit less oil.
Serving suggestions
- Dunk them in salsa. Mango Avocado Salsa is always a favorite here, or stick with a classic Restaurant Style Homemade Salsa.
- Or dip in guac. This Kid-Friendly Guacamole doesn’t have big chunks of peppers or onions to turn off those picky eaters.
- Give them a drizzle. Put some Greek yogurt or sour cream in a sandwich bag, snip off the corner, and squeeze over the taquitos. Or try Avocado Crema.
- Pair with a side. Mexican Pepper Jack Baked Cauli-Tots is a perfect side dish.
- Serve at a party. Cut them in half for a fun finger food if you want to serve these hot dog taquitos as an appetizer or game day snack.
- Keep is classic. If your kids are like mine, then it’s all about the ketchup with hot dogs, regardless of whether you are going for a Mexican-inspired meal. My Homemade Ketchup can be stirred together in five minutes.
- Pour a cocktail. The adults can enjoy a Skinny Grapefruit Margarita!
What Air Fryer Do I Use?
I am a huge fan of my 5.8 Quart Cosori Air Fryer. I use it several times a week for fries, veggies, chicken, and more! The large size fits a ton of food, and it cleans up very easily. I definitely recommend you pick one up for yourself.
COSORI Air Fryer Max XL(100 Recipes) Digital Hot Oven Cooker, One Touch Screen with 13 Cooking Functions, Preheat and Shake Reminder, 5.8 QT, Black
Cheesy Hot Dog Taquitos
Ingredients
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 oz.)
- 8 hot dogs
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil (approximately)
- Greek yogurt or sour cream plus salsa, guacamole, etc. for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven or air fryer to 400°F.
- Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-60 seconds, or until soft and pliable.
- Lay tortillas out on a flat surface and sprinkle with cheddar cheese, about two tablespoons on each.
- Place a hot dog on one end of one of the tortillas and roll up as tightly as possible, and set on a baking sheet. Secure with toothpicks if necessary.
- Repeat with the remaining hot dogs.
- Brush the outsides and bottoms of the tortillas with olive oil, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or air fryer for 5 minutes, or until the hot dogs are cooked through and the tortillas are crisp and golden.
- Drizzle with Greek yogurt or sour cream, if desired, and dip in salsa, guacamole, Greek yogurt, or sour cream if you like. You can also cut each one in half to serve as finger food appetizers.
Did you make this?
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Always spread mustard on tortilla, then some chili, onions, cheese and hot dog and browned in iron skillet. .. Going to try in the air fryer!
Sounds great that way too! I like the simplicity for busy nights, but I want to try your “loaded” version!
We call them Crispy Dogs
Yes, I have learned that since I published this recipe. I had no idea and thought I was being creative! Haha!
We’ve been doing this for years even befor air fryers. We call them chihuahuas
Yes, I started making them in the oven. That works great, but I think I like them even better in the air fryer!
Do the hotdogs have to be cooked prior to rolling them or do they cook in the air fryer?
They cook in the air fryer.
Have you tried these with flour tortillas?
I’m sorry, I have not. If you do, let me know how it goes.
I’ve air fried these with flour tortillas … they work out really well! But, you might have to cut back the time a bit.
Thanks for the tip!
My uncle made these for us, but called them Snoopy dogs. (I don’t know why.) But instead of shredded cheese we slice the middle of the hot dog, not quite all the way through. Then stuff it with pieces of cheddar cheese. Then bake or deep fry them. I never thought of calling them taquitos. ?
I wonder if these can be made in bulk ahead of time and then freeze them. Curious to see if you could reheat in the microwave.
You know, I have not tried that. I am not sure how the corn tortillas would freeze and thaw, but if you try it, let me know.
I’m 59 yrs old and my mom made these since I was a kid. She ate these as a teenager at a fast food place. They were cooked in a sauce that my mom didn’t know what it was but she made them with hot dogs, corn tortillas, sliced American cheese but fried them. I love these so much also my kids love them also. This is the first time I’ve seen anything like them online.
I’m so happy that you found a recipe that brought back some good food memories for you, Jenny!