These Vegan Corn Dog Bites are a great snack, appetizer, or lunchbox meal for kids and adults. I use the same veganized Trader Joe's cornbread mix I use in my Chili and Mini Cornbread Munchables to make fast, golden, slightly sweet mini corn dogs that taste just as tasty as they look, without the fryer.
These Mini Corn Dogs are perfect for road trips, lunchboxes, park days, and beach picnics. I've even turned them into Halloween "eyeball" appetizers for parties!
They're the ultimate kid-friendly appetizer for birthday bashes, pool parties, or anytime snack attacks but they are also a great vegan appetizer for adults.
Honestly, this barely qualifies as a recipe. It's so simple that even little ones can help make them in the kitchen.
And simplicity is the whole point. These are one of those back-pocket ideas, like Easy Vegan Pizza Rolls, that feel like a treat but come together in minutes.
I've included it as part of my Trader Joe's vegan lunchbox series, where I round up kid-friendly, stress-free meals that don't require a PhD in meal prep. Just fast, fun, and totally fuss-free.
Make a batch this week along with my Mediterranean Lunch Bowl or Easy Vegan Mac & Trees, and boom - you've got lunchbox gold with zero complaints. Or visit Vegan Trader Joe's Lunchbox Recipes to get 10 delicious recipes!
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Why I Love This Recipe
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It's incredibly easy, so even little kids can help you make them!
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No frying, no mess, no stress
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They hold up well at room temperature, making them an ideal appetizer for parties, potlucks, or snack tables that need to last.
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Travels well in lunchboxes, snack packs, or park-day coolers
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No reheating is needed because they are great warm or cold.
Ingredients
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Chia Seeds: I like using a chia "egg" (just chia seeds + water) for these vegan muffins. It holds everything together beautifully. But if you love using flax meal, that works too! Just mix one tablespoon of flax meal with three tablespoons of water and let it sit for 10 minutes to gel.
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Vegan Sausage: Substitute sausage with vegan hot dogs or carrot dogs. Take a look at 10 Vegan Hot Dogs and Vegan Sausage Dogs Recipes for some homemade inspiration.
See the printable recipe card for suggested quantities and a complete list of ingredients.
Variations
- Carrot Dog Classic - Use lightly steamed or marinated carrot dogs for a veggie-forward twist.
- Cheezy Surprise - Add a small cube of vegan cheese into the center of the batter before baking for a gooey bite.
- Mini Corn Dog Muffin Bites - Chop the hot dog pieces smaller and fully bury them in the batter for completely covered bites.
How To Make Vegan Corn Dog Bites
See the complete printable recipe card below for more details.
Step 1: Mix - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornbread mix, plant milk, vegetable oil, and chia egg (chia seeds mixed with water and set for a few minutes). Stir until smooth and well incorporated.
Step 2: Assemble - Lightly spray a mini muffin pan with oil. Spoon the batter into each cup, filling them about ¾ full. Press a vegan sausage slice into the center of each muffin.
Step 3: Bake - Bake at 375°F (190°C) for approximately 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted from the edge comes out clean (not from the sausage).
Step 4: Cool - Let the mini corn dog bites cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Top Tips
- Grease well - Give your muffin tin a solid spray or a light coat of oil to keep those golden edges from sticking.
- Don't overfill - Fill those muffin cups about ⅔ full to avoid a cornbread eruption (see bottom left for Mt. Muffin in picture above).
- Make ahead & store - Bake a batch, cool completely, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. They're great cold or warmed in the air fryer for a few minutes.
Serving Suggestions
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Pop a few into a lunchbox with fruit, veggies, and a tiny dip container of mustard or ketchup for instant kid (and grown-up) joy.
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Pair with vegan coleslaw or any of these 9 Vegan Salads for a picnic or BBQ vibes.
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Serve these easy mini muffins on a charcuterie board or turn them into party or Halloween eyeballs. Add a line of ketchup or mustard for "blood" (optional), a stuffed green olive for the eye, and then use a julienne peeler to shave some green apple eyebrows or eyelashes for the eye. See the picture below for inspiration.
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Lunchbox Planner
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Recipe FAQS
Yes! Bake, cool, and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They're just as tasty cold and reheat like champs in the air fryer or toaster oven.
Totally. Let them cool completely, freeze in a single layer, then stash in a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen at 375°F in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes or until warmed through.
I'm using Trader Joe's sausages for the convenience of one-stop shopping, but feel free to use your favorite sausage or hot dog. Field Roast and Lightlife are tasty options that're not as thick as a Beyond sausage. Alternatively, you can opt for the veggie route with carrot dogs. They're cute, wholesome, and taste great with the sweet cornbread.
More Kid-Friendly Recipes
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Colorful Lunchbox Notes for Kids
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Don't leave me hanging! Tell me how it went with these Vegan Corn Dog Bites in the comments below! Was it love at first bite, surprisingly edible, or a full-blown disaster? Oh, and please let me know how my directions worked, so I can continue to improve my recipes.
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Vegan Corn Dog Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box Trader Joe's Cornbread Mix
- 1 cup non-dairy milk unsweetened
- 1 chia egg 1 tablespoon chia seeds + 5 tablespoon water, mixed and rested for 5 mins. Substitue with 1 tablespoon flax meal with 3 tablespoons of water.
- ⅓ cup neutral oil
- 4 vegan sausages sliced into a little less than 1 inch pieces; sub with carrot dogs or hot dogs
- cooking spray or oil for greasing the muffin tin
Instructions
- Before Baking: Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
- Chia Egg: Prepare the chia egg by mixing one tablespoon of chia seeds with five tablespoons of water. Mix and let sit for about 10 minutes or until it gels.
- Make the Batter: In a mixing bowl, combine the cornbread mix, non-dairy milk, chia egg, and oil. Stir until just combined-don't overmix.
- Assemble: Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup, filling them about ⅔ full. Press one slice of the sausage into the center of each cup.
- Bake and Cool: Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden and cooked through. Let cool for a few minutes, then pop them out and place on a cooling rack.
Regi Pearce says
These little bites are everything I wanted as a kid (and still do as an adult). Perfectly snackable, totally plant-based, and no one has to know how easy they are to make.