Homemade Corn Dog Batter Recipe with Peach Habanero Jam

Easy homemade corn dog batter recipe swirled with peach habanero jam brings this childhood favorite into the grown-up realm.  Sweet, hot, and spicy it is a culinary roller coaster of flavors.

“It never occurred to me you could make corn dogs at home!  Throw some peach habanero jam into the batter – and you have a very grown up taste sensation.  Who knew?” Joyce Pinson, Friends Drift Inn

Corn Dog Recipe At-A- Glance

Prep Time – 10 minutes   Cook Time – 25 minutes Total Time -35 minutes

Yield 12

Ingredients  Peach Habanero Jam – Buttermilk – Egg – Cornmeal – Flour – Baking Powder – Baking Soda  – Salt – White Pepper – Hot Dogs – Oil for Fryer

Equipment  Fryer – Tray – Sticks to skew, Tongs

Homemade Corn Dogs – Be Still My Heart!

Can you really count corn dogs as a hot dog recipe?  I am going with “Yes.”  Giggles

Growing up on a farm, we always looked forward to the Kentucky State Fair.  There were 4-H exhibits, live demonstrations and musical performances, plus a midway full of carnival rides.  But my favorite, was the festival foods.

A corn dog with mustard sure hit the spot on a warm August evening!

Hot dogs were not something momma served often; so, a corn dog was a special treat.  I loved the crispness of the sweet cornbread coating that gave way to a fluffy crumble of bread followed by the “snap” as you took a big bite of wiener. 

It never occurred to me in all these years, that you could make corn dogs at home!  What have I been missing?

Stirring Up Corn Dog Batter – So Simple!

The trick to making the batter stick to the hot dog is rolling the meat in a little flour.  This gives the batter something to cling to.

We lost a little coating on the first corn dog we fried.  That made us skeptical.  But we learned to put the dog in the fryer flat, not vertical. 

After we figured that out, it was smooth sailing! 

This would be so fun to do at a tailgate party with a hot dog bar feature. 

Healthy Hot Dog Choices to Consider

• You do not need a bun length or stadium hot dog for this recipe.   Eating Well’s Matthew Thompson  in “How to Choose the Best Hotdogs and What to Avoid”   suggests a shorter length dog is a better choice. 
• We cannot always find organic hot dogs here in the mountains. We hope you can.
• Shop for wieners labeled “uncured” or “no added nitrates.”  Nitrates can extend shelf-life for meat products, but do not do you the same favor.
• I like hot dogs with “snap.”  Snap is from natural casings that hold the ground product together.  Look for hot dogs that use natural casings.
• Quality beef dogs will also be labelled “hormone free.”  According to the   National Hot Dog and Sausage Council  hormones are illegal to be fed to chickens, turkeys and pigs.
• If you are thinking of substituting a turkey or chicken dog for beef or pork hot dog be sure you check the sodium levels.  You will be surprised how much more sodium they contain.

Peach Habanero Jam in Homemade Corn Dog Batter?

Well yeah!  Why not!

Sweet and spicy peach habanero jam adds an unexpected component to corn dog batter. It certainly magnifies the already simmering romance between peaches and pork or beef. 

Appalachian foodways troubadour Ronni Lundy takes a hardline stance on cornbread.

No flour.  No sweetening.

I respect that, even though I grew up with a little sugar in the cornbread.

Chef Sean Brock shared a recipe making corn bread with no flour or sugar in several interviews.  His take produced a cornbread where corn was the reason for the party. We celebrate that!  

When serving soup beans and cornbread I want savory – corn meal and no sugar or flour!

But this corm meal batter is technically not cornbread – it is corn dog coating.  Right?

Work with me here!

Stirring in More Flavor – And a Few Surprises

Stirring in a few tablespoons of habanero jam into cornbread batter is not like breaking the law. 

Can we just have fun?

Friends Drift Inn Farm Habanero Peppers

Habaneros are what farmers call a “long-season” pepper crop.  It takes about eight weeks to get them from seed to transplant status.  It takes 120 days (another 17 weeks) for the fruit to bear.  That translates into almost six months!

We sometimes are forced to purchase habanero peppers to keep up with our jam orders.

Here in Appalachia, Habaneros are retailing for $6.99 a pound. 

To keep your costs down, and to manage quality assurance, we started growing our own habanero peppers at Friends Drift Inn Farm. Time will tell if this is a smart decision, but we are working on it!

Just How Hot is Peach Habanero Jam?

Friends Drift Inn Peach Habanero Jam

Y’all I am not a Pepper Head.  I like a little spicy heat, but not enough to blow out my palate.

We think Friends Drift Inn Peach Habanero Jam makes a great hot dog topping.  It is warm.  It is spicy.  We think the heat is balanced with jam sweetness which makes this corn dog recipe truly unique.

It is fantastic as a hot dog topping too! 

Turning to the Habanero Pepper Experts

Rick Martinez of Bon Appetit writes in “How to Make Habanero Peppers Less Spicy”  about his love of hot peppers; especially habaneros.  He professes “no fear” of the hot pepper.  He notes they are often featured prominently in dishes found in southern Mexico. 

Explaining the flavor of Habaneros, Martinez says:

Habaneros grow best in really hot climates like the Yucatán where they’re stewed, fried, pickled and fermented, or eaten raw. They’re sweet and floral, and without sounding too wine snobbish about it, they have apricot, pear, and apple flavors. 

Habaneros are hotter than jalapenos, but not as hot as a ghost pepper or a Carolina Reaper.  Balanced with sweet peaches, you are going to love our Peach Habanero Jam. 

Peaches, habanero peppers, cornbread, and a hot dog on a stick – what is not to love?

True Pepper Heads say there is a euphoria that comes from eating hot peppers.  I don’t know if that is true, but that little bit of sweet, spicy, and hot homemade corn dog makes me smile every time.

Can I Freeze Corn Dogs for Later?

Yes.  Let cool after frying so they are not giving off steam.  Suggest you wrap each one individually (I used waxed paper) then put all together in a freezer bag.  Should keep for several weeks. 

These do have considerable moisture.  For best results when reheating, warm in the oven not the microwave. 

More Pepper Jelly and Jam Ideas?

Maybe it is a “Southern Thing” but we love the combination of sweet and spicy.  Our Pepper Patch Collection, features Peach Habanero Jam, Strawberry Jalapeno Jam ,  Red Pepper Jelly and  Green Pepper Jelly.  

Whether you are making corn dogs or hot dogs, you will want pepper jams and jellies in your arsenal of hot dog toppings and garnishes. 

Choose Your Assortment

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