Cornbread Chili Dog Recipe

There are a million ways to jazz up a hot dog, but this might be one of our favorites. Instead of a traditional bun, these chili dogs are baked into cornbread, then topped with homemade chili and shredded cheddar cheese.

We adapted this recipe from BuzzFeed Food and Ball Park, using two boxes of cornbread mix instead of one.

Cornbread Chili Dogs

Servings: 6

Ingredients

For the cornbread hot dogs

• 2 boxes (8.5 ounces each) cornbread mix, plus ingredients required on the boxes
• 6 hot dogs

For the chili

Or substitute your favorite canned or prepared chili for the ingredients below.

• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ white onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 hot dog, cut into slices
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

For topping

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

How to Make Cornbread Chili Dogs

Step 1: Prepare the Cornbread Hot Dogs

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the six hot dogs just until grill marks appear. Set aside.
2. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
3. Prepare the cornbread batter according to the package directions.
4. Pour the batter into a greased, parchment-lined 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
5. Arrange the six hot dogs evenly across the batter, gently pressing them into the surface.
6. Bake for 17–20 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out clean. Add more time if needed.

Step 2: Make the Chili

Short on time? You can skip the homemade chili and use your favorite canned or store-bought prepared chili instead. Just heat it up, and you’re ready to go!

1. Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic for 2–3 minutes, until softened.
2. Add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned and fully cooked.
3. Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano, cayenne and red pepper flakes.
4. Add the drained beans, diced tomatoes and sliced hot dog.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes.

Step 3: Assemble and Serve

1. Cut the cornbread alongside each hot dog, leaving enough cornbread on both sides to form a bun.
2. Spoon a generous serving of chili over each hot dog.
3. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and serve.

These cornbread chili dogs are a fun twist on a classic, and they’re surprisingly easy to make. Give them a try the next time you’re craving some comfort food!