Gluten-Free Korean Corn Dogs
These crunchy, cheesy Gluten-Free Korean Corn Dogs are so easy to make at home! A fun twist on corn dogs, you’ll love the crispy gluten-free crust that’s wrapped around cheesy hot dogs and finished with a sweet sprinkle of sugar.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free
- Skill Level: Moderate
Korean corn dogs are a unique take on corn dogs, and they’re so easy to make gluten-free! All you need to do is use gluten-free flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs, and you’ll handily turn this Korean cheese corn dog recipe into the perfect gluten-free snack or appetizer.
Corn dogs are a favorite with kids and grown-ups alike – there’s something so fun about eating a breaded hot dog that you can take along with you! They feel like summer vacations at the beach, right? In this Korean corn dog recipe, you’ll get all that and more. In addition to making them gluten-free, you’ll add mozzarella cheese for extra melty flavor, and don’t forget to liberally dust the dogs with sugar for a sweet finish!
Why You’ll Love Homemade Gluten Free Korean Corn Dogs!
- Totally craveable. A crunchy gluten free crust is filled with melty mozzarella and a salty hot dog center to satisfy all your crispy, cheesy desires.
- A fun twist on a classic. If you love the nostalgia of a classic corn dog, you won’t be able to resist this upgrade.
- Easily gluten free. Since the Korean street food versions usually aren’t gluten free, you can make these at home with simple ingredients and basic frying.
What is a Korean Corn Dog?
Korean corn dogs are a dish that skewers hot dogs and coats them in a crunchy, savory-sweet batter that can include panko breadcrumbs or sweet white rice flour. Then they’re deep-fried until crispy and golden. You’ll primarily find them in South Korea, where they are a popular street food.
What Makes Them Different Than Regular Corn Dogs?
An American corn dog is coated in a cornmeal-based batter, while Korean corn dogs are coated in a rice- or breadcrumb-based batter. Korean corn dogs are also finished with a sprinkling of sugar for extra flavor. Let’s also not forget the gooey cheese inside.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of everything you’ll need to make gluten-free Korean corn dogs. Make sure to read the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Flour: I used King Arthur Measure for Measure, but any gluten-free 1:1 flour will work.
- Cornstarch: Starch helps to bind the batter.
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Egg
- Milk: You can use whole or 2% milk in this recipe.
- Hot Dogs: Choose your favorite brand of gluten free hot dogs.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Not shredded mozzarella. You could also use any other kind of cheese you prefer.
- Gluten-Free Panko Bread Crumbs: These can be found in many supermarkets or online.
- Wooden Skewers: You’ll need skewers that are about 7 inches long. Sturdy bamboo skewers, thicker than the ones you usually use for kabobs, are the best option so they don’t break while dipping in the thick batter and frying.
- Oil: Use peanut oil or vegetable oil to deep-fry the Korean corn dogs.
How to Make a Korean Corn Dog
You can follow along with the steps and photos below to help you make this Korean corn dog recipe:
- Prepare the hot dogs. Insert a wooden skewer into each hot dog. Then insert the skewer into the cheese block. Leave about 2 inches at the bottom for a handle.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- Mix in the egg and milk. Add the egg and milk to the dry ingredients and whisk until it creates a thick but pourable batter.
- Chill the hot dogs and batter. Place the batter and the hot dog skewers into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before continuing.
- Prepare the bread crumbs. Place the panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish.
- Heat the oil. Heat oil in a deep pot or fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- Dip the hot dogs in the batter. Pour about half of the batter into a tall, thin glass that is deep enough to fit the entire hot dog. Dip each hot dog into the batter, making sure it is fully coated. Allow any excess batter to drain off.
- Roll in bread crumbs. Roll the battered hot dog in the panko bread crumbs, pressing lightly to adhere the crumbs to the batter.
- Fry the hot dogs. Carefully lower the coated hot dog into the hot oil and fry for about 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until the batter is golden brown and crispy.
- Drain the hot dogs. Remove the fried corn dog from the oil and place it on a wire rack to dry.
- Make the rest of the hot dogs. Repeat the process with the remaining hot dogs.
- Add sugar. Sprinkle a little sugar over the corn dogs while they are still hot. Serve immediately.
Tips & Variations for Korean Corn Dogs
- Buy gluten-free hot dogs. If you are being careful about keeping gluten-free, make sure to buy hot dogs at the store that are certified gluten-free.
- Chill the batter thoroughly. Keeping the prepared batter in the fridge for at least 30 minutes will help it to set. This is important because you don’t want the batter to dissolve into the oil. A colder dough will stick together better.
- Use any kind of cheese you prefer. Sharp cheddar cheese would be amazing in this recipe, or you could try jack or even pepper jack cheese. Whatever your taste buds desire!
- Omit the cheese. If you want to keep this recipe very simple, you could leave out the cheese entirely. You’ll still get a lot of great flavor from the combination of sweet dough and salty hot dog.
- Sugar while warm. When you add the sugar while the Korean corn dogs are still warm, the sugar will meld into the fried dough, giving a wonderful touch of sweetness when you bite into the dog.
FAQs
Traditional Korean corn dogs are not usally gluten free because they are coated with a wheat flour batter and regular panko breadcrumbs. This recipe uses both gluten free flour and panko, so you can enjoy this classic street food without the gluten. Just be sure that your hot dogs are gluten free and that you use a pot or deep fryer that hasn’t been used for frying non-gluten-free items.
This batter is made with a combination of 1:1 gluten free flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, salt, an egg, and milk. You’ll dip hot dogs and pieces of mozzarella cheese, then roll it in gluten free panko before frying.
No, while traditional Korean corn dogs sometimes use a yeasted batter, this batter is leavened with baking powder. No rise time needed; just mix, chill, coat, and fry.
Technically, you can just coat hot dogs in the batter and fry them, but it will not be the same as an American corn dog. Those have cornmeal in the batter, giving them a cornbread-like crust.
Yes, just swap the hot dogs for your favorite plant-based ones, just checking that they are also gluten free. You ca also just coat and fry block of mozzarella cheese for a different twist.
There may have been excess moisture on the outside of your hot dogs, or your batter wasn’t chilled long enough. Be sure to chill the batter for the full 30 minutes, and blot any moisture off the hot dogs so the batter can grip onto the surface better,
How to Store and Reheat Extras
Korean corn dogs taste the best when they’re fresh and hot, but they’ll still taste good if you reheat the leftovers. Here’s how to store and warm your dogs:
- Fridge – Store leftover gluten-free Korean corn dogs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer – Place cooked and cooled korean corn dogs in a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before heating.
- To Reheat – You can reheat the corn dogs in a few ways. To heat in the oven, preheat to 400°F, place the corn dogs on a baking sheet, and heat for about 10 minutes, or until heated through. To heat in the microwave, place on a microwave-safe plate and heat on high for about 30 seconds or heated through.
Make it a Meal
Korean hot dogs are great on their own as a snack with ketchup and/or mustard, or you could add some extras to make them a bigger meal. Here are a few of my suggestions:
- Serve with fries. Fries would be so good with these gluten-free korean hot dogs. Try my Homemade Air Fryer French Fries or Easy Baked Sweet Potato Fries. You can also have a super fun meal with Loaded Tater Tots on the side.
- Add a salad. Let’s counter the deep-frying with a fresh green salad. My Easy Greek Salad, Apple Broccoli Salad, or Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad will add some vegetables alongside the corn dogs.
- With soup. A bowl of soup would be great on the side! Some options include my Instant Pot Tomato Soup or Cream of Mushroom Soup recipes.
- Make a fair food spread. If you are missing out on your festival favorites, enjoy gluten free Korean corn dogs along with Gluten Free Funnel Cake Fries and Gluten Free Soft Pretzels.
More Hot Dog Recipes to Try
Gluten-Free Korean Corn Dogs
Ingredients
- 3 large hot dogs , halved
- 7 oz (198 grams) mozzarella cheese , cut into six blocks (or you can use any kind of cheese)
- six 7" long wooden skewers
- 2 cups (280 grams) gluten free 1:1 flour (recommended: King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure)
- ½ cup (64 grams) cornstarch
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) cold milk
- 2 cups (300 grams) gluten free Panko bread crumbs
- oil for frying
- additional granulated sugar for sprinkling on top, optional
Instructions
- Pat dry 3 large hot dogs and cut them in half, and cut 7 oz (198 grams) mozzarella cheese into six blocks about the size of the hot dog halves.
- Prepare the hot dogs by inserting six 7" long wooden skewers into each half. Then insert the skewer into the cheese block. Leave about 2 inches at the bottom for a handle.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 cups (280 grams) gluten free 1:1 flour , ½ cup (64 grams) cornstarch, ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk well to combine.
- Add 1 large egg and 1 ½ cups (360 ml) cold milk to the dry ingredients, and whisk until it creates a thick but pourable batter.
- Place the batter and the hot dog skewers into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before continuing.
- Place 2 cups (300 grams) gluten free Panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish.
- Heat oil in a deep pot or fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- Pour about half of the batter into a tall, thin glass that is deep enough to fit the entire hot dog. Dip each hot dog into the batter, making sure it is fully coated. Allow any excess batter to drain off.
- Roll the battered hot dog in the panko bread crumbs, pressing lightly to adhere the crumbs to the batter.
- Carefully lower the coated hot dog into the hot oil and fry for about 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until the batter is golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the fried corn dog from the oil and place it on a wire rack to dry.
- Repeat the process with the remaining hot dogs.
- Sprinkle a little additional granulated sugar over the corn dogs while they are still hot, if desired. Serve immediately with ketchup and mustard.
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Hi! This recipe looks delicious and I’m excited to try it! Quick question though, how much salt do we add to the batter? I didn’t see the amount in the ingredient list and didn’t want to over/under salt!
Sorry, it’s 1/2 teaspoon. I’ll add it to the recipe card now. It seems to have gotten lost when the recipe uploaded.
Thank you!! They turned out GREAT! Absolutely delicious!
Awesome, so happy to hear it!