Sometimes things just taste better when you make them yourself. Corndogs are hard to beat though – I think mainly cause you just don’t get the carnival nostalgia when you bake these in the oven, but the flavor is there, and trust me – when it’s cold and miserable out, these will instill all those feelings of summer comfort food when you need them most.
But for now, let’s talk about why these are great for back-to-school.
They’re simple to make, they store well in the freezer (stock up for the week!), and they are the perfect size for lunchboxes and small hands to eat (without all those weird added ingredients you’re wondering about at the carny food stand). I bet you already have these items at home and didn’t even know it.
INGREDIENTS:
*shows vegan swaps for recipe
*1/2 cup melted butter (or cashew butter, I love this one from Trader Joe’s)
1/2 cup sugar
*2 eggs (or 1/2 cup applesauce)
*1 cup buttermilk (or almond milk)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
*8-10 all-beef organic hotdogs (or veggie dogs)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar and eggs (or applesauce). Add the milk. Stir it well!
3. Slowly add the cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt in small amounts while stirring till it’s all blended well together.
4. Pour the mixture in about halfway full into your mini muffin tin. IMPORTANT – be sure to use non-stick spray (I use sunflower oil to keep them from sticking) or a silicone pan.
5. Chop up your hotdogs into 1-inch pieces and drop one into each mini muffin batter.
6. Bake for 8-11 minutes at 375 degrees or until the cornmeal turns golden brown. Makes about 32 bites.
