Air Fryer Hot Dogs

Hot dogs that are cooked inside the air fryer with slits on the top for the best cooking technique.

These Air Fryer Hot Dogs are crispy on the outside and tender & juicy on the inside. Making hot dogs in the air fryer is a quick dinner idea, and an easy way to make a classic hot dog that's ready in just minutes.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword air fryer hot dogs, how to make hot dogs in an air fryer

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 6

Total Time 7

Servings

Calories 230kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

4 hot dogs
4 hot dog buns
2 tablespoons melted butter (optional, for the buns)
favorite hot dog condiments

Instructions

NOTE : You can cook as many hot dogs as your air fryer basket will allow. Most air fryers can comfortably and correctly fit 4-6 hot dogs.
Make slits in each hot dog. Don't cut all the way down, just slightly cut into the top of the hot dog. About 4 or 5 slits per hot dog.
^{* If you don't want those charred crispy edges (like in the pictures) then skip this step.}
Place the hot dogs in a single layer inside the air fryer basket.
Set the temperature to 400° and cook for 6 minutes. Shake or rotate the basket halfway through the cook time.
Brush each hot dog bun in melted butter (optional). Remove the hot dogs from the air fryer and place one per bun.
Return the hot dogs back to the air fryer and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
^{* Putting hot dog buns in the air fryer will make the bun somewhat crisp, which my kids don't like, so I usually skip this step and instead warm the buns up in the microwave (steam them inside the bag) for about 50-60 seconds.}
Top each hot dog with your favorite condiments and enjoy!

Notes

Melted Butter on Hot Dogs Buns & Hot Dogs : Brushing melted butter on the hot dog buns makes such a big difference. I have made these hot dogs without brushing butter on the buns (and they turn out great still) but brushing it on the hot dog buns really adds a nice buttery flavor and help to keep the buns softer. You can just spray the hot dogs with cooking spray, but for the best taste and results, use melted butter.

Hot Dog Buns : Not all of my kids love the crispier/soft hot dog bun so most of the time I will just cook the hot dogs in the air fryer, and then warm up the buns in the microwave, and then put together the hot dogs. So I skip the step entirely of putting the hot dogs inside the air fryer to cook for a few minutes. When you add the buns into the air fryer, they will get a slightly crispy to them, so if you prefer softer hot dog buns then steam them in the microwave. To do this, I open the bag slightly and cook them for about 50-60 seconds. This gets the buns super soft and warm.

Slits : This is totally optional but it does give the hot dogs a nice crisp crunch on the outside. You can kind of see in the pictures that it allows the hot dogs to get a char to them that gives a really nice texture. Kind of the same effect as cooking them over the campfire or something.

Recipe FAQ's -

How Many Hot Dogs Can I Cook in the Air Fryer?
- The recipe calls for 4 hot dogs inside the air fryer but you can use as many as your air fryer will fit. It's important to make sure that the hot dogs are in a single layer and they are not overlapping at all. They need plenty of room on all sides so they can cook and get that nice charred exterior all around.
- If you are feeding a family of 6 (like me!) then 6 hot dogs will usually fit just fine in the air fryer basket.
- I believe most air fryers will hold up to 6-8 hot dogs. Once you get the hot dogs inside the bun, more than likely you will have to cook those in batches, as you can probably only fit 4 hot dogs in the air fryer basket.
Hot Dog Topping Ideas
- Ketchup
- Mustard - Yellow mustard, honey mustard, spicy mustard, dijon mustard
- Sweet pickle relish or dill pickle relish
- Chili Cheese Dogs - Use up leftover chili, use canned chili, or make a homemade Chili Dog Sauce. Top each one with diced white onion and shredded cheddar cheese.
Variations & Substitution Ideas
- Hot Dogs : Use any hot dog that you love! All beef, turkey, cheese dogs, bun length hot dogs, smoked hot dogs, smoked sausages, beef brats, etc. If using brats or smoked sausage then you may need to increase the cook time in order for them to get warmed through out.
- Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs : Try wrapping each hot dog in a strip of bacon. The cook time might have to be increased slightly depending on how crispy you want the bacon.
- Chili Dogs : When you put the hot dogs into the buns, top it with some chili (homemade, leftover, or canned) and some cheese. Place them back into the air fryer so the cheese can melt and get gooey!

Nutrition