For Shortcut Corn Dogs At Home, Use One Breakfast Staple

A crispy, elaborate Korean corn dog may be a unique step above other humble wieners, but sometimes you just need a good ol' corn dog in a hurry. There's something about the combination of sweet corn dog coating and the novelty of meat on a stick that is hard to beat. The carnival is the ancestral home of the corn dog, but these indulgent treats are simple enough to create in your own kitchen. Generally, making homemade corn dogs involves whisking up a cornmeal batter — but the secret to easier, yet equally-yummy corn dogs is sitting right on your pantry shelf.

Boxed pancake mix is a great shortcut for making breakfast. If you grab the "complete" variety that needs nothing but a splash of water, you are well on your way to a stack of fluffy flapjacks ... or even the viral TikTok scrambled pancakes, which may well count as a crime against food. But boxed pancake mix is also what you've been missing in your homemade corn dogs. As sweet as cornmeal mix and effortless to pull together, instant pancake batter requires a few sweeping dips and a short frying time to yield golden, craveable corn dogs. In fact, you can make pancakes for breakfast and save the leftover batter for lunch, killing two birds with one proverbial stone.

To make this simple spin on corn dogs, first, you need to whisk up your pancake batter. Follow the instructions on the box for the right consistency, and make sure that you incorporate the powder mix thoroughly into the liquid so that the batter is smooth and silky. Set the pancake mix aside, and cook your franks. It doesn't take long to boil a hot dog on the stovetop, but you could certainly pan-fry them as well. Once your meat is ready, skewer the wieners and submerge them in the batter. A few swirls and spins should be sufficient to coat the hot dogs thoroughly. Fry the battered pups in boiling oil for just a few minutes — two or three should be sufficient. You are looking for a toasty, tanned crust.

Every corn dog is begging for some sauce, so don't skimp on the condiments when serving. Ketchup or mustard are customary, of course, but the pancake mix in the crust sings when you dip your dogs in some maple syrup, or even hot honey for a spicy kick with the sweetness. No matter how you dunk 'em, these breakfast-adjacent corn dogs are going to disappear as quickly as they came together.