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Since they are baked (not fried), these mini corn dog nuggets are a healthier version of your favorite carnival food. Fluffy cornbread batter and savory bite-sized vegan hot dogs are a delicious combo. Corn dog bites are the perfect hors d’oeuvres for your next party or meal with friends or family.

Table of Contents

(click the links below to skip to the section you’re looking for)

• Vegan Corn Dog Nuggets Recipe
• Corn Dog Nuggets Tips and FAQ
• Ingredient Substitutions
• Video

My stepmom originally came up with this recipe idea, so I have to give her the majority of the credit for these yummy little morsels. I’m likely the only one in my friend circles who isn’t obsessed with Disney. So, I haven’t actually experienced the corn dog nuggets from Casey’s Corner in Magic Kingdom at DisneyWorld. But, I guarantee these are healthier than those, not only because they’re vegan, but because they’re baked instead of deep fried.

This recipe makes 24 corn dog nuggets.

Corn Dog Nuggets Ingredients

(jump to the substitutions section to see ingredient details and suggestions for substitutions)

• 1 cup (130g) flour
• 1 cup (155g) organic cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons (30g) vegan sugar
• ½ teaspoon (4g) salt
• 1 tablespoon (10g) baking powder
• ½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
• 2 tablespoons (16g) flax meal
• ¼ cup (60g) water
• 1 cup (235g/240mL) unflavored, unsweetened nondairy milk
• 2 tablespoons (30g) apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup (80g) organic frozen corn
• ⅓ cup (75g/mL) olive oil
• 3 (240g) vegan hot dogs
• rosemary (optional, for garnish)

How to Make Corn Dog Nuggets

prep time: 28 min | bake time: 8-10 min

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Mix 2 tablespoons (16g) flax meal with ¼ cup (60g) water. Set aside to thicken and turn into flax egg.

Blend 1 cup (155g) organic or non-GMO cornmeal in the blender to turn it into a finer grain. This will help the consistency of the cornbread.

Whisk the following dry ingredients together in a bowl: 1 cup (130g) flour, blended cornmeal, 2 tablespoons (30g) vegan sugar, ½ teaspoon (4g) salt, ½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda, and 1 tablespoon (10g) baking powder.

Blend 1 cup (235g/240mL) unflavored, unsweetened nondairy milk, ½ cup (80g) frozen organic corn, and 2 tablespoons (30g) apple cider vinegar. Set aside.

Cut each vegan hot dog into 8 pieces, so you’re left with 24 small vegan hot dog bites. I did this by cutting one in half, cutting each half in half, and then cutting those in half again.

Combine all the cornbread batter ingredients together in a mixing bowl: the dry ingredients, the flax egg, the corn/milk mixture, and ⅓ cup (75g/mL) of any variety of oil you prefer. I’ve used safflower oil and olive oil and both work well.

Mix until you no longer see any dry ingredients.

Oil a mini muffin pan using an oil sprayer or a paper towel with cooking oil on it. See the substitutions section below for the kinds of oil you can use.

Scoop cornbread batter into the mini muffin cubbies using a mini scoop if you have one. I fill each cubby about halfway with corn dog batter.

Press hot dog pieces into each cubby.

Garnish with fresh rosemary (optional).

Set the mini muffin pan on the bottom rack in the oven.

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8-10 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. If the toothpick comes out with corndog batter on it, bake for a couple more minutes. Continue this pattern until the toothpick poke comes out dry. My oven runs hot so I only needed to bake mine for 8 minutes.

Remove the pan of corn dog nuggets from the oven as soon as they pass the toothpick test.

Cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes before removing them.

Pop the corn dog nuggets out of the pan. If they are being stubborn, use a plastic utensil to help loosen them from the pan. I didn’t need to do this, but I oiled the pan very well before scoping my batter.

Serve with a side of ketchup and mustard to dip them in.

Video showing How I made these Corn Dog Nuggets

This short video shows some of the steps involved in making this quick and easy corn dog nuggets recipe. It’s only 50 seconds.

If you make these mini cornbread appetizers, snap a pic, post to instagram, and tag me @vegandollhouse. I love to see your creations! You can also message me through instagram or email me if you have any questions or comments about the recipe.

Questions and Answers about Corn Dog Nuggets

Are corn dog nuggets gluten-free?

This corn dog recipe can easily be gluten-free if you buy gluten-free hot dogs and replace the flour in the recipe with gluten-free flour.

Can corn dog nuggets be refrigerated?

Like corn dogs, corn dog nuggets can stay good in the fridge for about a week. When it’s time to reheat them, you can use the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer. You could use a microwave in a pinch, but they will be softer and less crisp and delicious.

Can corn dog nuggets be frozen?

Like corn dogs, corn dog nuggets can be frozen for up to 3 months if they’re in an airtight container or a freezer ziplock bag. When it’s time to cook them, defrost them the night before in the fridge or just skip the defrost and pop them straight into the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer.

I layered these in a plastic container with a piece of parchment paper between the layers, to make sure they wouldn’t stick together.

How do you serve corn dog nuggets?

Corn dog nuggets are a fun afternoon snack or appetizer, but they can also be a main course. If you want to have corn dog nuggets for dinner, consider serving them with one of the following sides.

• mac n cheese
• baked radish wands
• zucchini soup

Corn Dog Nuggets Ingredient Substitutions

• Oil: I recommend using safflower, sunflower, or coconut oil for this cornbread batter. These oils are great for baking at a high heat, which helps you avoid transfats. However, you can use any other vegan oil such as olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, etc.
• Sugar: If you don’t have vegan sugar at the store you shop at, you can use organic sugar or raw sugar or any sugar labeled as vegan. Just be careful of conventional granulated sugar, because it’s sometimes not vegan. If you avoid sugar, you can replace the sugar in this recipe with maple syrup, agave, or cassava syrup.
• Flour: I used organic, unbleached, all-purpose flour in this recipe. If you avoid gluten, or if you have friends or family who are gluten free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. This substitution will make these corn dog nuggets gluten free. Make sure you also buy a gluten-free brand of vegan hot dogs, like Lightlife.
• Baking Powder: Keep in mind that baking powder does expire, so it works best if it’s fresh/newish. I use non-aluminum because my memory is already terrible, and I don’t want Alzheimer’s Disease. But if all you have is regular baking powder, that will work. If you’re out of baking powder, you can increase baking soda in this recipe to 1 ½ teaspoons and omit the baking powder.
• Baking Soda: Keep in mind that baking soda does expire, so it works best if it’s fresh/newish. If you’re out of baking soda, you can increase baking powder in this recipe to 2 ½ tablespoons and omit the baking soda.
• Cornmeal: Cornmeal is a yellow powder that has a grain courser that flour. If you can’t find cornmeal at your store, you can always use polenta in its place since you’re blending it to a finer grain anyway. I recommend using organic or non-GMO cornmeal since corn is a commonly genetically modified ingredient.
• Flax Meal: Flax meal is another word for ground up flax seeds. If you don’t have flax meal, toss some flax seeds into a coffee grinder or use a mortar and pestle to make your own. If you don’t have flax seeds, you replace them with chia seeds.
• Nondairy Milk: If you don’t have the full amount of nondairy milk that this recipe requires, you can substitute any amount with water. You can also mix and match different nondairy milks. I do this a lot when my macadamia milk only has a little bit left at the bottom and I use it up, and then I open a new container of almond, oat, or soymilk. Be careful that the milk you use isn’t flavored or sweetened.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can replace it with lemon or lime juice (or even white vinegar). You just need some sort of acid to interact with the baking soda to make the cornbread fluffy.
• Corn: I recommend using organic or non-GMO corn since corn is a commonly genetically modified ingredient. You can either replace the frozen corn in this recipe with canned corn or omit it. Keep in mind that if you omit it, the corndog cornbread will be less moist.
• Vegan Hot Dogs: My favorite brand of hot dogs are Field Roast Frankfurters. You can also use Uptons, Lightlife, or any vegan brand that you can get your hands on. You can also use sausages, bratwursts, or any other vegan meats that come in a cylindrical shape. I’ve used Wicked Kitchen’s Wicked Little Brats, which come 12 in a pack, and I cut each one in half, to make 24.

If you like this recipe, you might also like my hot dog on a stick recipe, my sausage bird nests, and my millet tots.

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