When prepared well, Korean corn dogs are one of the yummiest snacks you’ll enjoy on the street. The party of juicy, sweet, and savory flavors, in conjunction with the crispy texture, creates a feeling out of this world—not describable by words alone. But are Korean corn dogs gluten free?
Being on a restricted diet means we have to take caution in whatever goes down our throats, but that doesn’t stop us from enjoying any snack we crave, as there are always alternative ingredients that could make a copycat, which usually tastes just the same.
We have carried out proper research and provided valuable information on the gluten status of Korean corn dogs and brands that offer gluten-free mixes, and we have furnished you with our easy-to-make recipe, which I know you’ll love to try at home. Let us explore!
What Are Korean Corn Dogs?
Korean corn dogs are a mashup of cheese, hotdogs, fish cakes, or rice cakes covered and fried in a batter skewered on a stick and often dressed with ketchup, sugar, mustard, or mayo. Korean corn dogs can be prepared in a number of ways.
The corn dogs eaten in America are quite different from the corn dogs made in South Korea. I have tried both, and I can say the American version has a doughnut-esque batter that is usually soft. The Korean corn dogs are coated with a yeasted batter with a film of panko bread, resulting in a more crispy batter.
Korean corn dogs can be made into just about anything, and chefs and street food vendors have gotten creative with it, adding numerous fillings such as squid, cheese, rice cakes, or even combining all. You may even come across variations that have french fries, ramen, or sweet and spicy Korean red pepper paste as toppings.
Are Korean Corn Dogs Sweet?
Korean corn dogs are savory because of their fillings and sweetness as a result of sugar added to their batter. Also, some vendors coat the corn dogs with sugar after frying them, which could make the corn dogs even sweeter.
As for the overall taste (with the exception of those coated with sugar as a topping), you should expect the Korean corn dogs to have a slightly salty and savory taste with a sweet contrast, which is further enhanced by the dipping sauce.
For me, the appeal of corn dogs often lies in the contrast of textures: juicy hot dogs encased in a flavorful batter and toppings that are guaranteed to satisfy the cravings of your taste buds.
Read: Does Hot dogs contain dairy?
Are Korean Corn Dogs Healthy?
Unfortunately, Korean hot dogs are not healthy. They have lots of fat (20g), 5 grams of cholesterol, and 33 grams of carbohydrates. and a single stick can supply 475 calories (depending on the type of cheese and mayo used, this can be more than 500 calories).
But hey, we all know this fried junk has little to no health benefits, but we have to satisfy our cravings anyway. Ensure to lead an active life with some exercise here and there, and you can safely have these snacks from time to time with minimal risks.
Are Korean Corn Dogs Gluten Free?
Traditional Korean corn dogs are not gluten-free, as corn dogs usually contain wheat flour in the form of thickeners and fillers. Also, cornmeal and rice flour are sometimes used for the batter, but in most other cases, wheat flour is used to achieve a finer texture, making it not gluten-free.
Most vendors should be aware of whether their Korean corn dogs contain any ingredient that contains gluten, so be sure to inquire about what flour is used in their batter and what brand of hot dog is used.
The best way to ensure your Korean corn dog is gluten-free is to make them yourself. This way, you’ll be in control of whether an ingredient is used or not.
What Is Korean Corn Dog Made Of?
Korean corn dogs are made of rice cakes, mozzarella cheese coated in a batter, hot dogs, fish cakes, rice cakes, and sometimes squid ramen or French fries, glazed with sugar, and then a drizzle of either mayo, ketchup, mustard, or a combination of the three, or gochujang sauce.
Are Korean Corn Dogs Vegetarian?
Korean corn dogs are not vegetarian, as the hot dogs are derived from beef or poultry. For a corn dog recipe to be vegetarian, you will need to substitute the hot dog with tofu, which is a protein-rich option, but you’ll be sacrificing the taste, obviously.
Gluten-Free Corn Dogs Brands
These are my go-to brands on days when I am too lazy to make my Korean corn dog from scratch. While they may not give off those street vibes, they still taste just as good.
Applegate Naturals® Gluten-Free Beef Corn Dogs
This is one of the best gluten-free corn dogs I may have tried. The batter sticks to the dog until you are done, and it is crispy. Although I may have had one or two bad experiences where the meat was hard and bad, I’ll blame that on the quality control of that batch.
Foster Farms Gluten Free Honey Crunch Corn Dogs
This includes both the batter and chicken franks. For the batter, cornstarch, rice flour, yellow corn flour, soy flour, and other gluten-free ingredients are put together to ensure you’re satisfied.
Gluten-Free Corn Dog Mix by Mom’s Place
This is a great mix I have enjoyed using sometimes, but recently, I got a product that wasn’t thoroughly grounded. When processed very well, you can hardly or not notice the difference.
S’Better Farms Beef Corn Dog
Here is another great wheat-free corn dog option with that lovely beef taste. They claim no artificial ingredients were used. I have used them a few times, and I find them worthy of being mentioned here.
Gluten Free Korean Corn Dogs Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 Hot dogs ( should be patted dry)
- 2 Quarts Vegetable oil
- 8 Sticks (wooden)
- A cup of Gluten Free- Cornmeal or Yellow Cornmeal
- A cup of Gluten-Free All-Purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon of salt
- 2 Tablespoon of Granulated Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon of salt
- 2 Tablespoon of honey
- 2 Tablespoon of Baking powder
- 2 Cups of Buttermilk
- 1 Tbps of Vegetable Oil
- A Large Egg
Instructions
- To ensure the batter sticks to the hot dog, pat the hot dog dry before inserting the wooden stick.
- Preheat your oil to 350*F in a Pot or deep skillet. ( don't use air fryers, usually ruins it)
- Combine your sugar, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and flour in a large bowl and whisk.
- Beat in the eggs, honey, 1 tbps oil, and milk until the mixture is smooth.
- Once your oil is ready, dip your hot dog into the batter you just made, after the excess batter have dripped off, place into the oil carefully to avoid a splash.
- Repeat the process for the other 7 hot dogs.
- Ensure not to over crowd the pot or deep skillet.
- Each side of the corn dogs should cook for 3 minutes
- Take them out of the oil and drain excess oil with a paper towel.
- Serve with topping of choice and Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Gluten Free Korean Corn Dogs Recipe
Serves: 8 servings
| Amount Per Serving: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 856.31 kcal | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 240.33 g | 369.2% | |
| Saturated Fat 20.19 g | 100% | |
| Trans Fat 1.73 g | ||
| Cholesterol 48.2 mg | 16% | |
| Sodium 899.26 mg | 37.5% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 39.6 g | 13% | |
| Dietary Fiber 2.41 g | 8% | |
| Sugars 12g | ||
| Protein 11.05 g | ||
| Vitamin A 39.46 µg | Vitamin C 0.64 mg | |
| Calcium 345.35 mg | Iron 2.58 mg | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
We Are The PIntSized
Does Korean Corn Dogs Have Gluten? Final Thoughts
Standard Korean corn dogs are not gluten-free, as the meat and batter contain wheat or additives derived from wheat. However, some products, like S’Better Farms or Applegate Farms, offer gluten-free corn dogs that taste just fine.
The best way to enjoy a gluten-free Korean hot dog is to make them yourself, as you can customize them to taste (it is so much fun!), since even if you make a special gluten-free request to your vendor, they may still cross-contaminate in the kitchen.
