Air Fryer Hot Dogs (Easy Video Recipe)

Name: Air Fryer Hot Dogs
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 bun-length beef hot dogs; 4 buns; Air Fryer

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Air fryer hot dogs are an easy way to cook hot dogs so they get crispy and blistered on the outside in just a few minutes. Plus, you can toss in the buns at the end to toast them perfectly. In this post, we will go over the simple steps to make amazing hot dogs in the air fryer, as well as some tasty toppings and variations to try. Whether you’re a hot dog lover or just looking for a quick and easy meal, you won’t be disappointed!

Why I Love Air Fryer Hot Dogs

Now that my kids are becoming more responsible and do most of the cooking around here, the air fryer is their favorite cooking appliance. I totally get it. An air fryer requires no preheating. You set it and walk away until the food is done. And for my younger kids, it isn’t as intimidating as using the gas range or hot oven.

To help them with their meal prep, I’ve been working on creating more easy air fryer recipes that are kid-friendly and ready in just a few minutes. Since my kids would eat hot dogs every day if I let them, I figured it was time I created the perfect air fryer hot dogs for them. They don’t like the toasted buns in the recipe below but I think that extra minute at the end makes all the difference!

Air Fryer Hot Dogs Ingredients and Tools

Bun-length beef or turkey hot dogs
Hot dog buns
Air fryer

How to Make Air Fryer Hot Dogs

Simplicity and convenience are the keys to this simple recipe! No need to heat up the grill for amazing char and flavor.

Time needed: 5 minutes.

How to Make Air Fryer Hot dogs

Score the skin of the hot dog
While this isn’t a required step, not only does it result in a nice-looking result, the edges of the knife cuts get extra crispy in the air fryer.
Cook the hot dogs in the air fryer
Place the hot dogs in the basket of your air fryer with the scored skin facing up. Cook at 400 degrees for 4 minutes. Time may vary depending on the power level of your air fryer.
Place the hot dogs inside the hot dog buns
You can stop here or if you like toasted hot dog buns, continue on to step four below.
Toast the hot dog buns
With the hot dogs inside the buns, place them back into the basket of the air fryer and cook at 400 degrees for 1-2 minutes until the buns are toasted.

perfectly cooked sausage in a toasted bun

Recipe FAQs

What cooks well in an air fryer?

Think of any type of food that you would roast in the oven or deep fry. Those types of foods really shine in an air fryer. For vegetables, potatoes, cauliflower, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, and sweet potatoes all roast up beautifully in an air fryer. For proteins, chicken, shrimp, steak, fish, sausage, and hot dogs work well. You can also grab your favorite appetizers from the freezer section like mozzarella sticks, chicken nuggets, egg rolls, corn dogs, and tater tots.

Do air fryer hot dogs taste better than grilled?

Like most food-related questions, the answer will vary from person to person. Air fryer hot dogs create the same char and blistered surface that you get from the grill. The main difference will be the lack of any smokiness you might get from a grill.

What type of hot dogs work best in the air fryer?

Any type of hot dog will work just fine in an air fryer so it is mainly up to your own personal preference. I always recommend using beef hot dogs because they are just so much better tasting than the cheap ones, but grab the ones you love! If you are looking for lower calories, try out turkey or plant-based hot dogs.

Which Air Fryer Do You Recommend?

Obviously, there are A LOT of air fryers on the market so how do you know which one is right for you? First, determine the size of the air fryer you want because that is the main difference from one to the next. For our family, a higher volume air fryer is better so I don’t have to make multiple batches of food.

You also want to look at the temperature range and power level of any air fryer you are buying. Many of them get hot but not all of them have a lower temperature range. Definitely select one that goes as low as 250 so you can make all types of recipes, like these Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs. Also, look at the power level. I’ve found 1500 watts to be perfect.

All that being said, I highly recommend the COSORI 5 qt air fryer. It is my second air fryer and hands-down better than my first one. You will love it.

Recipe Variations

Being a home cook provides endless opportunities to experiment with recipes, personalizing them to your tastes and creativity. Any of the following variations would be great spin-offs of these air fryer hot dogs.

Add bacon by wrapping the hot dog with a strip of thin-cut bacon before they go into the air fryer.
Add cheese by cutting a shallow line down the middle of the hot dogs. Air fry them for 3 minutes then add julienned pieces of cheese into the cut lines. Finish cooking the hot dogs for 1 more minute.
Add heat by cutting a shallow line down the middle of the hot dogs and adding slices of fresh jalapeños into the cut. Cook as directed in the recipe below.

Air Fryer Hot Dogs Video

Looking For More Great Air Fryer Recipes?

If this recipe was just what you were looking for, be sure to check out these other delicious recipes. Go grab them now before you forget!

air fryer baked potato — Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

air fryer hard boiled eggs — Air Fryer Baked Potatoes

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