Corn Dogs get a healthy twist in these adorable, irresistible, mini corn dog muffins. The Instant Pot keeps the cornbread moist and the hot dog juicy. Add your favorite dip and you’ve got an appetizer sure to make both kids and adults ecstatic.
I find myself giving in to blogger peer pressure to create game day/tailgating foods. First, there were Buffalo Chicken Wings (so flippin’ good!) and now these completely adorable, baby corn dog muffins.
In truth, I despise game watching. I went to high school games as a kid because my brothers were football stars and, in turn, that made me cool in the eyes of all the boys I wanted to impress. In fact, I knew my husband was my soul mate when I heard him tell someone he’d rather ride motorcycles than go to a college game. He had my heart from that point on.
This corn dog muffin was 100% my mama’s idea, and as we all know, moms are never wrong. Ever. Even if they tell you, your entire childhood, that swiss cheese and spicy foods are gross and that there’s no need to shave your legs until boys start teasing you about it. Never wrong.
My mom and my kiddos all agree this recipe is a total keeper, even though one of my kids only ate the hot dogs out of the middle, and another just ate the cornbread. I make them share and it all works out.
So no, you won’t be seeing me voluntarily showing up to tailgating activities, but you know I’ll bust these cuties out for an easy addition to a weeknight meal.
These could not be easier. I use my new favorite whole grain, low sugar Bob’s Red Mill Cornbread Mix, plus my all-time favorite hot dogs, Applegate Natural Uncured Beef Hot Dogs, and in less than 5 minutes I can have them cooking away in the pressure cooker.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE HEALTHY CORN DOG MUFFINS
- Quick, Easy, Awesome. The end
- Reminiscent of your favorite deep fried corn dog, but actually good for you
- Cute. Like a little baby piggy wrapped in a whole grain blanket. Mini food is just more fun to eat
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT CORN DOG MUFFINS
- Mix up your cornbread batter. I used Bob’s Red Mill, but I suspect other mixes may work
- Divide batter into silicone trays
- Cut your hot dogs into 4 pieces and push them into the middle of the batter. Note: Since I took this picture here, I’ve discovered that if I put the hot dogs in first and then scoop the batter over top, the dogs are less likely to pop out of the batter while cooking
- Top the bottom tray with narrow mason jar lids
- Place the second tray on top
- Cook em’ up in the Instant Pot, let them cool a bit before removing from molds
Eat them as is, or stick a popsicle stick in each of them for a corndog – esque experience.
My favorite dip ever is a mix of the 3 classics: Lots of ketchup, TONS of mustard, and just a touch of mayo to add an irresistible creaminess. Zig Zag a knife through it to make it pretty, even though it will only last for one dip. If you’ve been around here long, you know I love my Sir Kensington condiments, and this here dip is using them to the max.
If you make these and love them, do me a favor and let my mom know in the comments below that she is a foodie genius. My kids sure do praise her name when these hit the table. Bonus: they are so simple my daughter can handle this one all on her own.
Enjoy a little something different in your kitchens! It’s one of those recipes you’ll try because you are curious, and then keep making because they are just so dang good.
Variations
- My daughter swapped some of the hot dogs for pieces of string cheese and we all loved it. I think even better would be half a hot dog and half a slice of string cheese – yum!
- Use precooked sausage links in place of the hot dogs and drizzle with maple syrup
MORE GAME DAY FOOD
TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT CORN DOG MUFFINS
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PrintInstant Pot Corn Dog Muffins
Serve these healthy, mini corn dog muffins with your favorite dip for the ultimate appetizer or side dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 14
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups cornbread mix (I used Bob’s Red Mill Cornbread Mix)
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 egg
- 4 hot dogs, cut into 4 pieces (you’ll need 14 pieces of hot dog, so you’ll have 2 extra pieces left over)
- For serving: ketchup, mustard, and/or mayo
Instructions
- Add cornbread mix, melted butter, baking powder, water, and egg to a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk just until combined.
- Spray 2 silicone trays with nonstick spray.
- Place 1 piece of hot dog, standing up, in each pocket.
- Use a cookie scoop to divide batter over each hot dog.
- Stack one of the filled molds on top of a trivet. Place 3 – 4 narrow mason jar lids on top followed by the second silicone mold.
- Pour 1 cup water into the pressure cooker pot and place the trivet and filled silicone molds inside.
- Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. When cooking is complete, use a natural release for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
- Let the corn dog muffins cool if needed for handling. Using a butter knife or spoon, scrape around each muffin to release it, then turn them over onto a cooling rack or plate.
- Enjoy warm, as is, or with a side of ketchup, mustard, or mayo (or a combination of all 3).
- Store extras in the refrigerator. Delicious chilled or warmed up.
Notes
- I have not tested this with any other mixes other than Bob’s Red Mill
- The muffins will appear moist when you open the pressure cooker. As they cool, the moisture will evaporate
- Place the hot dog in the tray first, then cover with the batter to keep the hot dog from rising out of the corn muffin while cooking
Keywords: instant pot recipe, corn dog, game day food
Am I correct that you add baking powder even though the mix includes baking powder in the ingredients?
Sarah, Yes, I’ve found that recipes that might normally be baked in the oven, need a bit more baking powder in the pressure cooker.
Mom for the win!!!
Laurel, For real 🙂