Name: quick & easy corn pups
Ingredients: refined coconut oil, for frying ((or any neutral oil)); 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal; 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour ((or regular all-purpose flour)); 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne ((optional)); 1/4 cup milk; 1/4 cup gluten-free beer ((or regular beer)); 1 large egg; 1 12-ounce package cocktail franks ((about 30)); lollipop or cake pop sticks, for serving

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Calling all kids!! Kids of all ages included. Here’s a miniature version of that big ole’ corn dog that we all remember. These Quick & Easy Corn Pups are super delicious even when made gluten-free.

I think my first time sampling a corn dog was at Busch Gardens in Virginia many moons ago …it has to be more than forty years. Whew. How can that be? We were frequent Busch Gardens visitors when our kids were growing up.

We would arrive at the park sometime around mid-morning and the first stop on the kids’ list was Heatherdowns, home of the hand-dipped corn dog at Pigs In A Kilt. We’d convince them to ride the Loch Ness Monster and visit the Clydesdale’s for a while, just so we could hold them off until lunchtime.

From what I remember, those corn dogs were a bit on the heavy side with quite a bit of coating and they were huge!

Let’s lighten these Quick & Easy Corn Pups up with some miniature all-beef hot dogs and just a thin layer of cornmeal batter.

Neutral oil – For frying. Refined coconut oil or avocado oil would be good options. It’s advisable to avoid seed oils since they can be toxic when heated.
Yellow cornmeal – Cornmeal is a flour made from coarsely ground dried corn kernels. Good substitutes for cornmeal are polenta, corn grits or maize meal. If a recipe requires a cup of stone ground cornmeal, then a cup of one of the suitable substitutes can be used.
Unbleached all-purpose flour – I always use flour that is organic, non-GMO and free of glyphosate. My personal favorite is from a domestic company, Sunrise Flour Mill, located in Minnesota. Alternatively, gluten-free flour can be used with excellent results.
Dark brown sugar – In contrast to its white counterpart, brown sugar boasts a richer, caramel-like, slightly nutty flavor due to its molasses content.
Baking powder – Baking powder contributes to a lighter, fluffier texture in the coating.
Milk – Regular milk is recommended but reduced-fat milk should be okay.
Beer – If making a gluten-free version, be sure to use a beer that is Certified Gluten-Free. For a good beer batter that is free of alcohol, you can substitute the beer with club soda or ginger ale, as they provide similar carbonation that helps create a light and crispy texture.
Egg – A large egg (chilled or at room temperature) is used in this recipe.
Cocktail franks – I always choose all-beef skinless cocktail franks.
Lollipop sticks – For serving the kids at the party.

I’ve been planning to try making these for quite some time now, with the grandkids in mind.

The original recipe, that I tore out and filed away, is from a July 2016 Woman’s Day issue. It was buried under the rest of my “must try’s.” Until now.

My gluten-free version of Quick & Easy Corn Pups.

For this presentation, I’ve used ingredients that are specifically free of wheat. If you are not personally concerned about gluten, feel free to use regular all-purpose flour and whatever beer you may have on hand. I just had to be sure that my gluten-free granddaughter could enjoy these cuties.

Add enough oil to a small saucepan or dutch oven to come 2″ up the sides and heat to 350°F.
Place a metal cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet and place it on the stovetop.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and optional cayenne.
In a 2-cup measuring cup, whisk together the milk, beer and egg.
Add that mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
Transfer the batter back to the measuring cup or to a large coffee mug (it makes for easier dipping)

Once the batter is mixed, the process goes really fast. And I do mean fast.

Be sure to have everything in place. Mini-franks should be completely dry.

Place a metal rack on a cookie sheet and set it up on the stovetop, right next to the pot of cooking oil. You’ll need several long wooden or metal skewers for dipping the dogs.

And a slotted spoon or spider strainer for quick removal when they are done.

Working in batches of about 3-4 franks per batch.
Insert a skewer about 1⁄4″ to 1⁄2″ into one end of a frank.
Dip in the batter, twirling the skewer to coat the frank completely.
Transfer to the oil, using a fork or second skewer to slide it off the skewer.
Cook until golden brown on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, transfer to the prepared rack.
Repeat with the remaining franks and batter.
Insert a lollipop or cake pop stick into the end of each cooked frank.
Serve immediately with mustard & ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.

If you’ve had corn dogs in the past, I think you’ll find these to be quite a bit lighter …and because of their size and thinner coating, quite a bit healthier.

These can be served as an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce. But, if you want to impress the kids in your family, poke them with a lollipop stick and present them with the standard options of mustard and ketchup.

My granddaughters arrived just as these Quick & Easy Corn Pups were cooling on the rack.

Without saying a word, they gave me their thumbs up. I’m pretty sure they’ll be requesting a repeat performance on their next visit or two.

And, of course, it will be my pleasure. Every single time.

5 from 4 votes

quick & easy corn pups

Adapted from "Corn Pups" recipe featured in Woman's Day

Crispy bite-size treats on a stick, with delicious gluten-free option.

Servings 30 corn pups

Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

refined coconut oil, for frying (or any neutral oil)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (or regular all-purpose flour)
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup gluten-free beer (or regular beer)
1 large egg
1 12-ounce package cocktail franks (about 30)
lollipop or cake pop sticks, for serving

Instructions

Add enough oil to a small saucepan or dutch oven to come 2" up the sides and heat to 350°F. Place a metal cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet and place it on the stovetop.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and optional cayenne.
In a 2-cup measuring cup, whisk together the milk, beer and egg. Add that mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Transfer the batter back to the measuring cup or to a coffee mug (it makes for easier dipping).
Working in batches (about 3-4 franks per batch), insert a skewer about 1⁄4" to 1⁄2" into one end of a frank and dip in the batter, twirling the skewer to coat the frank completely. Transfer to the oil, using a fork or second skewer to slide it off the skewer. Cook until golden brown on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, transfer to the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining franks and batter.
Insert a lollipop or cake pop stick into the end of each cooked frank. Serve immediately with mustard & ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: I use Sabrett All Beef Skinless Cocktail Franks for this recipe.

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