Cheesy Korean Corn Dogs (Print Version)

Crunchy corn dogs with melted mozzarella and a crispy, golden crust offering sweet and savory notes.

# Components:

→ Corn Dogs

01 - 6 mozzarella cheese sticks, halved lengthwise
02 - 6 hot dogs (optional, for half-and-half corn dogs)
03 - 12 wooden skewers

→ Batter

04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 large egg
09 - 3/4 cup milk (plus additional if needed)

→ Breading

10 - 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
11 - 1/2 cup cornmeal (optional, for extra crunch)

→ Frying

12 - Vegetable oil, for deep frying

→ Topping

13 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
14 - Ketchup, to taste
15 - Yellow mustard, to taste

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Cut hot dogs in half if using. Skewer mozzarella sticks and/or hot dog halves onto wooden sticks, creating either all-cheese or half-cheese/half-hot dog combinations. Pat dry with paper towels to remove moisture.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add egg and milk; mix until a thick, sticky batter forms. Adjust consistency by adding more milk if necessary; batter should cling to skewers without dripping.
03 - Combine panko breadcrumbs and cornmeal in a shallow dish, mixing evenly.
04 - Pour vegetable oil into a deep pot to a depth of 2 inches. Heat to 350°F (175°C).
05 - Dip each prepared skewer into the batter, turning to coat fully. Use a spoon to assist coating if needed.
06 - Roll battered skewers in breadcrumb-cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to ensure adhesion.
07 - Fry 2-3 skewers at a time, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Drain excess oil on paper towels.
08 - While still hot, lightly sprinkle each corn dog with granulated sugar. Drizzle ketchup and yellow mustard as desired. Serve immediately to enjoy maximum crunch and cheese pull.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That addictive contrast of crispy, crunchy exterior giving way to gooey melted cheese in one perfect bite.
  • They're deceptively simple to make once you understand the batter consistency, and the payoff feels like you've accomplished something impressive.
  • The sweet-savory combination sounds weird until you taste it, then you understand why this snack went viral in the first place.
02 -
  • The batter consistency is everything—if it's too thin, it won't cling and you'll end up with bare spots that fry wrong; too thick and you get a dense, bread-like coating instead of crispy.
  • Drying your cheese sticks and hot dogs with paper towels isn't a suggestion, it's a requirement, because water and hot oil are enemies and will cause violent splattering.
03 -
  • Keep your oil temperature consistent using a thermometer—temperature fluctuations will either leave you with cold cheese centers or burnt outsides with no in-between.
  • Don't crowd the pot; frying more than 3 at a time drops the oil temperature and gives you soggy instead of crispy.
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