Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (2024)

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Sourdough Corn Dogs are hand-dipped in a honey, sourdough batter and fried until crispy and golden brown.

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (1)

If you’re craving the best corn dogs that ooze with nostalgia and flavor, look no further than Sourdough Corn Dogs. These all-American favorites take the classic juicy hot dog and give it a delicious twist. The secret ingredient? Sourdough discard!

Imagine biting into a crispy, golden-brown batter that’s been lovingly made from leftover sourdough starter. It not only adds a delightful tanginess but also ensures that the batter is incredibly easy to whip up. You can practically taste the memories of county fairs and carnivals with every bite.

What sets these sourdough corn dogs apart is that you can skip the hot dog buns altogether. The flavorful sourdough batter envelops the juicy hot dog, creating a perfect handheld treat.

They fry up quickly, so you won’t have to wait long to enjoy that irresistible combination of crunchy exterior and tender, savory interior.

Whether you’re reliving fond fair memories or introducing someone to the wonders of the American corn dog, Sourdough Corn Dogs are a surefire crowd-pleaser.

So, roll up your sleeves, grab some sourdough discard, and get ready to savor the simple pleasure of homemade nostalgia on a stick.

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Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (2)

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Great Flavor –

This sweet, honey cornmeal batter is made better with the slight tang of sourdough discard! Fry it up for crispy, sweet, and unique homemade corn dogs.

Skip the buttermilk –

Instead, of using buttermilk, as many homemade corn dog recipes do, I used sourdough discard in my corn dog batter. The discard fries up just as sweet and fluffy, but with an extra bit of sourdough tang!

​Freezer friendly –

Sourdough Corn Dogs freeze and refresh perfectly! Find the simple instructions below.

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (3)

Ingredients

Hot Dogs –Any kind of hot dogs will do for this recipe, so choose your favorite.

Yellow Cornmeal –Be sure to purchase “finely ground” cornmeal. Coarse yellow cornmeal can lead to a gritty cornmeal batter.

All-purpose Flour –To thicken the batter.

Baking Powder –This leavener helps the corndog batter to be light and fluffy.

Sugar –For a touch of sweetness.

Salt – Any salt will do, but my favorite isRedmond’s Unrefined Fine Sea Saltfor extra natural minerals.

Milk –Brings moisture to the batter.

Unfed Sourdough Starter –Use sourdough discard that is less than 2 weeks old.

Honey –Adds some sweetness and a honey flavor.

Egg– Help bind the batter.

Frying Oil –Choose a neutral oil, like Canola Oil, Vegetable Oil, or Peanut Oil

Supplies

Popsicle sticks or Wooden Skewers

Tall glass

Dutch Oven or a Large Pot

Frying Thermometer

Tongs

Wire rack

How to Make Sourdough Corndogs

Pour the frying oil into a Dutch Oven or a large pot. Heat to medium-high heat (350 F).

Remove the hot dogs from their packaging and pat dry with a paper towel. Insert a stick into each hot dog.

In a large bowl, whisk together corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the sourdough discard, milk, honey, egg, and melted butter until smooth.

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (4)
Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (5)

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until all of the dry bites have been incorporated, but be careful not to overmix! This can lead to a dense batter. It’s okay if there are lumps, just like pancake batter.

Pour the cornbread batter into a tall glass and dip one hot dog at a time. Allow any excess batter to dip off for 5 seconds, then place the top of the corn dog into the hot oil at an angle. Fry for 5-7 seconds before carefully dropping the entire sourdough corn dog into the oil, this prevents it from sticking to the bottom.

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (6)
Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (7)

Fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the Sourdough Corn Dogs are a deep golden brown. Use tongs to turn the sourdough cornbread in order for it to be fried on all sides.

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Remove the Sourdough Corn Dogs from the oil and place on a wire rack.

Serve hot with your favorite condiments!

How to Serve:

Crispy Sourdough Corn Dogs are best when served hot with your favorite sauces, like ketchup or mustard!

Keep the dry frying going by whipping up some homemade french fries, onion rings, sourdough fried pickles, or homemade sourdough fried chicken tendersto serve alongside!

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (9)

How to Store:

Store leftover Sourdough Corndogs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheat:

To reheat, bake in a 300-degree F oven for 10 minutes, or until warmed through. Or pop the corn dogs into the microwave for 30 seconds.

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (10)

FAQs:

What kind of cornmeal should I use?

Be sure to purchase “finely ground” cornmeal. Coarse yellow cornmeal can lead to a gritter cornmeal batter.

Can you freeze Sourdough Corndogs?

Yes! To freeze Sourdough Corndogs, cool until room temperature, place in a freezer-safe bag, and place into the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, bake in a 300-degree F oven for 15 minutes, or until warmed through. Or pop the corn dogs into the microwave for 60 seconds.

What can I do with leftover batter?

Chop whole hot dogs into bite-sized pieces to make mini sourdough corn dogs! If you’re still left with batter and no more hot dogs, scoop the batter into the hot oil and fry up some Sourdough Hushpuppies.

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (11)

Happy frying!

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (12)

More Recipes Like This:

Sourdough Fried Pickles

Homemade Sourdough Fried Chicken Tender

Sourdough Mac and Cheese

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (13)

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard)

Yield: 12 corn dogs

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Sourdough Corn Dogs are hand-dipped in a honey, sourdough batter and fried until crispy and golden brown. 

Ingredients

  • 12 hot dogs, choose your favorite
  • 1 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal (290g)
  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (175g)
  • 1/4 cup sugar (60g)
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder (11g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (1g)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cup milk (370ml)
  • 1/2 cup unfed sourdough starter, discard (140g)
  • 1 T melted butter (13g)
  • 1 Tablespoon honey

Instructions

1. Pour the frying oil into a Dutch Oven or a large pot. Heat to medium-high heat (350 F).

2. Remove the hot dogs from their packaging and pat dry with a paper towel. Insert a stick into each hot dog.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the sourdough discard, milk, honey, egg, and melted butter until smooth.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until all of the dry bites have been incorporated, but be careful not to overmix! This can lead to a dense batter. It's okay if there are lumps, just like pancake batter.

6. Pour the cornbread batter into a tall glass and dip one hot dog at a time. Allow any excess batter to dip off for 5 seconds, then place the top of the corn dog into the hot oil at an angle. Fry for 5-7 seconds before carefully dropping the entire sourdough corn dog into the oil, this prevents it from sticking to the bottom.

7. Fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the Sourdough Corn Dogs are a deep golden brown. Use tongs to turn the sourdough cornbread in order for it to be fried on all sides.

8. Remove the Sourdough Corn Dogs from the oil and place them on a wire rack.

9. Serve hot with your favorite condiments!

Notes

How to Store:

Store leftover Sourdough Corndogs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheat: To reheat, bake in a 300-degree F oven for 10 minutes, or until warmed through. Or pop the corn dogs into the microwave for 30 seconds.

How to Freeze:

To freeze Sourdough Corndogs, cool until room temperature, place in a freezer-safe bag, and place into the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, bake in a 300-degree F oven for 15 minutes, or until warmed through. Or pop the corn dogs into the microwave for 60 seconds.

What kind of cornmeal should I use?

Be sure to purchase "finely ground" cornmeal. Coarse yellow cornmeal can lead to a gritter cornmeal batter.

What can I do with leftover batter?

Chop whole hot dogs into bite-sized pieces to make mini sourdough corn dogs! If you're still left with batter and no more hot dogs, scoop the batter into the hot oil and fry up some Sourdough Hushpuppies.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Homemade Sourdough Corn Dogs Recipe (Discard) (2024)

FAQs

What is the sourdough discard method? ›

A jar of sourdough discard serves as an insurance policy against starter death. If you have some discard on hand, remove a spoonful of it and feed it fresh flour and water in a clean jar. You should have a bubbly starter ready to bake with after a couple of feedings, depending on the discard's condition.

Can you use sourdough discard immediately? ›

How to store sourdough discard. If you are going to use the discard immediately (within the same day), you can keep the discard at room temperature. This can either be in an airtight container, or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. It will then be ready to go when you start your recipe.

What is the benefit of baking with sourdough discard? ›

Benefits of using sourdough discard

Flavor: Sourdough adds a delicious, nuanced flavor to desserts and savory baked goods. It adds a slight sour flavor without making them taste too off putting or acidic.

How do you make sourdough without discarding it? ›

A no-discard sourdough starter is simply a starter where you don't discard a portion of the starter every time you feed it! You only feed the starter when you plan to bake with it, then you save the rest for next time. Not only is it less wasteful, it's easy and you don't have to babysit it constantly!

How do I know how much sourdough to discard? ›

Experts recommend feeding a starter twice daily. And at each feeding, you hold onto 1/2 cup of your original starter, discard the rest, and then add its same weight in water and flour. With this schedule, you'd discard almost a cup of sourdough starter every day.

How long is sourdough discard usable? ›

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in. If you stir it in, the flavor will become more sour.

How to tell if sourdough discard is bad? ›

Visible Mold Any mold regardless of color indicates that the starter is contaminated and should be discarded. Consistently Poor Performance If the starter doesn't rise bubble or double in size after feeding it may have weakened yeast or a microbial imbalance.

Do you refrigerate sourdough discard? ›

You can store sourdough discard in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It's fine to leave it on the counter for up 24 hours, however if you aren't planning to use it straight away it's always better to store it in the fridge.

Can I leave sourdough discard out overnight? ›

I left my sourdough discard out at room temperature for a few days. Is it okay? As long as your kitchen isn't too warm (I'd say 78°F or higher) your starter/discard will be fine stored at room temperature for at least a few days without feeding. The flavor will get more acidic the longer it sits.

Is eating sourdough discard healthy? ›

Sourdough discard recipes not only reduce waste but also offer health benefits, making them a wonderful addition to a balanced diet. The fermentation process of the sourdough starter increases the availability of certain nutrients and can help improve digestion.

Can I bake with cold sourdough discard? ›

You can utilize a cold starter in any sourdough discard recipe. These recipes don't require a sourdough starter for leavening, so you can use your starter directly from the fridge. These recipes offer a fantastic solution for using excess sourdough.

Can you eat raw sourdough discard? ›

No, it's not advisable to eat raw sourdough starter. While some people claim to have healed their gut problems by eating probiotic rich sourdough starter, it's not really advisable. Raw sourdough starter contains uncooked flour which can harbor harmful bacteria among other things.

Can you stir sourdough starter with a metal spoon? ›

Things that WON'T kill your sourdough starter

METAL: Stirring your starter with a metal spoon or placing it in a metal bowl won't kill your starter. While we don't recommend making or keeping your starter in contact with reactive metals like copper or aluminum, stainless steel is harmless.

How do I reactivate my sourdough discard? ›

Begin by discarding all but 1/2 cup of the old starter. Then, feed the remaining starter with fresh flour and water. The feeding ratio should ideally be 1:1:1 (starter:flour:water). Leave the mixture at room temperature until it becomes bubbly and active, which usually takes about a day.

What's the difference between sourdough starter and discard? ›

I would say the best way to differentiate between discard and active starter is that active starter is starter that has doubled and peaked whereas discard is any starter that is not the main starter and is not being used in an active sourdough recipe as a leavening agent.

Do you have to discard sourdough every time? ›

Nope! Once the sourdough starter is established on day 8, all you have to do is just give it flour and water. You no longer need to discard half of it.

What is the difference between ripe and discard sourdough starter? ›

A “fed” sourdough starter is ripe, has fermented for several hours, and is ready to be used in a bread-making recipe. An “unfed” sourdough starter has not been fed in a while and is essentially considered sourdough starter discard.

How many times do you discard sourdough starter? ›

Room-temperature storage: Feed twice a day

Room-temperature starter should be fed every 12 hours (twice a day) using the standard maintenance feeding procedure: discard all but 113g, and feed that 113g starter with 113g each water and flour.

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